The Red Cloud chief., 1922-01-19
The Cuban
Dancer


By CALVIN HENDRICKS

Copyright, 1922. Western Newspaper Union
II was i'm the splendor of the Florida
sunset that Ned Murdoch told Dolores
Of his love.
He was resting upon his oars, half
way between the mainland aud Cy-
press Key. Under their boat the blue
tides ran swiftly.
Dolores" said the young planter,
Twill you stay here and marry meT'
She startled and looked ut him In
tently.
"Your wife r' she murmured, and
her fingers clutchod the rowlocks con-
vulsively for u moment. Nor she
continued hurriedfy. "YOu don't know
who l am or anything about me-"
II don't care" Murdoch cried. II
know that l love you"
She had driftcd into Big Cypress In
May, when the last Of the tourists had
left Florida and the hotel was closed.
She had come from Tampa. she ex-
planned l%anguidly a touch Of fever, O
need for rest, for change.
Since then two weeks had passed,
and on the morrow Sb was TO 90. She
would never come back, they knew,
that brilliant bird OF passage who had
fingered there. talking with the fisher
men, pcttin" the Fat children upon the
whnrvcs. or reclining lnaily in the
shade OF Il palmetto tree. putting at
her cigarette.
mo" SHE answered Murdoch in agi-
tat,on. ~ must 30 home. It Is impos-
sible."
Ned Murdoch rowed her back and
left her at the cottage door. Next
morning she left Tampa. He did not
see her again.
She was gone, and Big Cypress
swiftly forgot her.
Then the event occurred which
changed his life. One evening, ut the
hotel, Il tourist offered him n cigar
from the box. He took one and then
snatched the box from the mans hand
and stood staring OF it Ike q man
hypnotizcd. For there on the inside
Of the Nd was Dolores.
All night he paced the beach in an
ecstasy OF happiness. He would find
her now-why had he never thought
Of going TO Tampa before? He would
find her and bring her back TO be his
wife.
He took the morning train for Tam
pa and made his way 10 the cigar fac
tory. There. having obtained an in
.terview with the manufacturer, he
stated his case boldly.
"YOu are under "A mistake, senor,",
said the Spaniard. However. I think
you are, sincere, and. as ] happen to
know where you can find the Senorita
Dolores. I will tell you. Go to num-
Der 1872 Avenida Otranta at nine
o'clock this evening and you will a..
suredly meet her there"
He bowed and. with a cynical smile,
passed into his Office, Struggling bis
shoulders. ...,.
In Bulls cabaret. No. 1913 Avenida
Otranta. the usual thrOng was assem-
bled ut nine o'clock that evening.
Senior Bull, an enterprising Yankee
from Philadelphia. certainly knew how
to cater 10 the tastes of his patrons.
AS for Scnorita Dolores, he had picked
her up in an obscure music hall, and
II was shrcwdly said that the ten days
scandal which had brought her into
the limelight had been actually en-
gineercd. If not invented, by Senior Bull
himself.
When she came forward on the stage
that night the attendance at the little
tables broke into n storm Of braves.
Attired as n matador, in short scarlet
skirts, holding her dart with it's fut-
tering bandcrolc, she bowed and kissed
her hands 10 the audience and capered
forward and began her song.
1t was "a fine SOM and 1t went to the
hearts of the Cubans who heard her.
And whirling In the play Of colored
lights, until she seemed like n sea fairy
~cntangled In masses of filmy drapery,
the senOrita spun.
Then. all of n sudden, she stopped.
She stopped and stood perfectly still,
her eyes fixed on the audience-no, one
of the audience; on a man who came
forward, elbowlng his way through the
crowds and pushing forward toward
the stage. That was all that the audi
ence saw, for the curtain fell and hid
them.
But Murdoch knew nothing save that
he had found her again. He drew her
into the wings, and, holding her hands,
stood gazing at her trlumphantly.
"Come! !" he said.
"Come? WhereY' echoed the SEN
orita, for the first time finding her
voice. But It was broken with tears
and filed with shame.
"Why did you come here?" she
sobbed Indignantly. "Why couldn't you
have forgotten me? You have no right
to judge me because l am Just a
dancing girl"
~ haven't judged YOU" said MUIR
doch quietly. II want you to come
with me. Answer me one question.
Dolores. DO you love me-or rather
did you love me that day when ] asked
you to be my wife,"
ayes, / loved YOU" she said, "But