San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-04-07
Philip Andover Wooes Mary
in Havana in True
Spanish Style.
CHAPTER SO.

her three days incessant
working, declined Mrs.
Wade's tentative invitation
to the Jai-Alai game.
"There is some copying
still to do-if you don't
mind" She was apollo
getic.
But. once the trio had de-
parted, she was restless, expectant ct
she knew not what.
With a light wrap about her, she
wandered out to the patio. and-be-
yond that-to the paseo that lay IN
front Of the hotel.
A man was selling flowers in wide
basket. Through the dark shrubbery
Of the Parque she could see electri-
ally lighted signs on the white facades
of buildings.
:, Slowly she walked back to the
courtyard, and up to the privacy OF
her own room.
The moment she had opened the
high, Slated door, and. before she
switched the lights on, heavenly per-
fume assaileu her nOstrils.
Flowers? 1t must be flowers :?
There had been none there when she
had gone downstairs for dinner!
Then the room was flooded with
soft radiance, and to her astOnishment
she saw masses of roses on table
near the window, on the mantel-shelf.
and even in tall jars on the floor.
Tearoses they were, Of delightful,
subtle odor-and waxeu gardcnias,
heavily, unreally sweet.
Mary Forrest closed her eyes and
gave a sigh of rapture. When she
opened them again she saw that on
tiny reading-table by her bcdsirc was
y great spray VI OIdb St-bIVsoVii' pN"u
tiful 1t was-and fragrant.
Who had put these flowers into her
room!
She knew no man in Cuba except
Cyrus Wade. 1t was highly unlikely
that either he or his wife-and Ger
tainly not Luella-had done this gra-
cious but expensive act
Then, suddenly, below her window.
which was open TO the opening air,
she heard the soft and thrilling strains
Of = guitar.
A little startled she moved over to-
wards here balcony, standing behind
the Slated shutters. looking down into
a quiet corner Of the patio.
A Cuban in long black cloak.
SLOUGH hated, was singing in liquid
baritone, as though with tremblc
of tears chokcd down. So low, so
soft and so intriguing was that song
Of his: "Where softly signs of love
the light guitar" that Mary could
barely distinguish it from the faint,
musical plasb Of the fountain.
Was this a Spanish courtship? OF
course he didn't know he had list
ener in this room, and it wouldn't be
etiquette to go out on the balcony
but such fun To throw a sprg
OF orange-b blossom down, and he
wouldn't even know where it had come
from!
SmilingIy. and drawing back the
moment she had thrown the sprig. for
fear he might look up and glimpse
Der, Mary dropped the orange bios
som.
Immediately the young voice in tn"
patio died into silence.
All! what was going to happen? Il
surely wouldn't come into the hotel |
and try to find her? She crossed the
floor and ner''usIy she locked ncr
door that gave into the corridor.
Had she done wrong? Had she
transgressed Spanish ctiquett":
Hadn't she heard. somewhere, that tn
seniorita who threw flowers to hor
serenader was unconscionably bold
49, 1t meant enormous encourage
mcnt. even the accepting of his suit. |
And then she gave a startled scream
as leg swung over her balcony, auI |
the slouch-hatted. cloakcd man, With |