San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-22

! would believe. But her brother walked
, behind her chair, leaned down with tn.
coffee pot and filled Sandy's cup.
She was almost overcome with graft
tude, was about to give him such n
look when he said: damn little fool
nice mess-you've put your foot in
it pretty!"
1t. was as though he had taken
whip and curled it across her
shoulders.
She met them with sheer bravado,
finding it exceedingly hard to keep her
head from dropping TO her arms.
Don't act like lunatics. ! suppose
I'm King Canute-I could order the
rain to stop"
frightened Sandy who came down
stairs late the next morning. Her
mother sat Mt the table. She now
folded the morning paper. creasing IL
with a long. slow pressure of bel
palm. She said with gricved dignity
I'm sure we're all very proud o.
you, Sandy. didn't really think
You could DO so heartless. If You
didn't care about yourself, you
might have remembered there arc
others who bear the name of Nc
| Nell"
CHE could no longer brave them.
~ They made it seem that she had
done some shameful wrong. She had in
jured the entire family. They would
never be able to raise their heads
again. By now the whole town would
be talking about it. OF course.
Beatrice Murillo couldn't be expected
to believe Sandy's absurd cxplana-
| tons.
She became hysterical, said in
high, breaking voice: "Oh, l sup
pose I'm to have the scarlet letter
pinned on my chest and be marched
down the main thoroughfare
Because she appeared so callous,
they kept hitting and hitting, never
realizing how bruised she was, how
perilously near to the breaking point.
So near that when flowers came
at noon with note that said: $50
sorry for my poor little girl. Don't
let them ecold you, I'm coming right
over, Benr-when that note came
Sandy hid her face in the flowers
and began to cry uncontrollably.
Her mother lowered about her. The
whole atmosphere frightened. Mrs.
Mcneil patted Sandy's shoulders with
soft: There now, dear! Why
are you crying now?" The mothers
sweet face with its shallow eyes was
covered with relieved tears. She
coaxed Sandy, soothed her, gently
kissed Sandy's bright hair. Finally
she whispered: Don't get your eyes
red. Run upstairs and dress. What
kind. good man Ben is. OF course
we knew, dear, that you weren't To
blame. Only you're so thoughtless an.
people pounce on q thing like that
Murillo wore a little pink rose in
his button hole. His cuffs were long
and showed inches below his coat
narrow, dropping shoulders and his
long. silky black eyebrows that
curved in high arch over his eyes
and extended far down over the tenn
pies.
When he heard Sandy's step ho
went to the stairs and stood with his
arms open.
She came down debonairly enough,
trying to avoid his embrace. She
had way Of gracefully putting him
off-escaping the kisses she expected
and quite eagerly took from Tifnmy.
She said offhandedly: mice in
you, Ben, 10 have sense. I'm bored
to the screaming point with melodra-
matics."
He looked his establishment. She
actually meant 10 deprive him OF
credit for his generosity. He ex-
pected tears--a rush OF gratitude. il
she had even said: well, I'm glad
there's one person in the world biz
and decent about things :"
LIE was aware OF the reception
1 Il Sandy had received and he OK.
pected to make capital Of his gallantry.
He thought she would be bit humble:
that she would be extremely anxious
for his forgiveness-thankf indeed
that he still wished to marry her.
But she was suffering his kisses
merely tolerating them. She was in
wardly weeping.
She went into the room where her
mother and sisters were sitting an
hour later and gave q quick, trembling
laugh: "Well-I'm righted now! Tho
black sheep is little white lamb again
family bonor's o. H."
But the story got about. People
talked Of Sandy's "escapade." They
told about the cabin far out in the
hills. They scoffed at the thought Of
Sandy's innocence. They weren't born
yesterday They whispered to each
other wisely: Thought she was that
kind. Queered herself for good. Mu-
rillo would have nothing 10 do with
wild one like Sandy Mcneil"
The family, bristling with a sense
OF outrage, carefully reported this gos-
sip. They said angrily: wen show
them :" They were impatient for tho
marriage-end all this talk-shut their
mouths once and for ALL"
Sandy, hurt all over, made no pro-
test. One afternoon her Uncle Bob
Mcneil stopped her in the hall. Ho
put his arm across Sandy's shoulder.
She liked Bob aud felt her poise
weaken. She lowered her head swiftly.
"Poor little kid" he said. "They'rc
going to railroad You int II, aren't
they? Can | do anything?"
She shook her head and ran up tho
steps.
TWO weeks later Sandy was stand
= ing before a, lone mirror. They
were pinning white satin about her.
They were draping her wedding dress.