The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-05-18
NOW co ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER 2

marriage.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER
Sandy caught the old Spanish shawl
about her. went cautiously down the
back steps. She knew the sQucaky
! boards and edged along the red
lincrusta. avoiding them with a laugh
ing exultance. At the landing she
paused, blew an audacious kiss toward
the closed door Of the living room
behind which her mother and father
sat unsuspectng, doing in after
dinner content.
She was happy 'thing-Sandy
McNcil-as she ran through the fra
grant, neglected garden this night Of
an exotic spring. Colorful as the
dark-eyed scnorita. long dead
| cousin Of hers, who had gone steal
ing through these same grape vines
misty hundred years ago to meet
her yaouero lover. Dreadful things
| happened to Pillar Dominguez--her
| eyebrows shaved, the beautiful long
hair clipped and she herself com.
nclled to stand in the church Sunday
after Sunday holding lighted can
die because she had loved unwisely
and too we'll. Sandy thought Of the
iluckless girl and shivered delight
eddy.
She reached out a hand. 1t was
caught eagerly by Il blond youth
who now came from the shadow
with soft. relieved laugh:
Thought you weren't going to make
lit. ole dear!" He swept off his hat.
gave Sandy swift, ardent kiss.
They ran lightly with suppressed
merry chatter to the gate.
! They walked toward the. hills--the
thrown. lovely hills that hold in their
Ian the town Of Santa Barbara.
They talked of thousand incon-
seoucntial things. finding a great
deal to laugh about.
At II O'Clock they cireled back to
the water. stood on the long pier.
looking out dreamily to the lighted
channel.
/ Sandy's face was white flower.
its Swallowed eyes wistful. She was
10 and life was very rapturous. She
), listened hungrily to the boys words.
He kissed Administering, sweet
! "I'm going to miss you. Sandy
miss you like the very devil"
I Her voice came dangerously
!, "When I'm married, Jimmy! But
mean to keep my friends"
! Friends like me. Sandy"
! "You most of all.
y Jimmy glanced down mocNngly
'.."Mr. Ben Murillo, l suppose, is go,
ing to be very accommodating and
y allow his fascinating wife several
nights . week out?
I Sandy frowned. She often torgo'
she was engaged, when Q word like
this of Timmy's or thing judith
said recalled with . pinching at the
heart the prospect of her marriage
She grew uneasy and breathless. no,
knowing why. She would find her
self wondering how the whole thing
had come about. She would say
petulantly: "Oh. l did it to shut then
,;up--to get q little peace and free
DOM" "
Ben Murillo was pl nsant-h
slight. soft eyed Italian. He had
limp hands and red lips, always q
little moist. He was rich, travelled
experienced. Sandy's mother and
father beamed when he began pay.
ing court to their youngest child
Sandy herself rather triumphed in
his batteries. They made her feel
irresistible-an enchanting woman
She loved opening boxes of flowers
receiving costly gifts She was
J quite willing for these attentio
i But she wished to wave. into the
distant future all thought Of mar.
riage. Then the family took hand
There were long sessions with hel
mother and two married sisters
They told her not to be Z fool. They
asked her il she hadn't enough Of
economy. The sisters said they
wished they'd had such Q chance!
Indeed, they knew it was no picnic
worrying along on two bits . year
They could love . man. with money!
They reminded her bitingly thai
Alice had been q beauty,and sought
after at 10. Alice was Sandy's single
sister. Look It her now! Thirty
and little sour old maid! Who die
Sandy think she was, anyway? A cul.
itured fellow like Ben-good family
beautiful home. She enjoyed hit
company, didn't she? What more
was she looking fort Why did she
wish to wait? -
| When her mother asked this
Sandy couldn't answer. She didn't
understand her own uncertainties
nor the vague hostility Murille
laroused. IS.
The engagement was engineered.
WeM-what of it! Sandy, remained
silent. gazing at the waters. The
moon. rose. Witch a great silver
broom, it swept the waves. turning
up captious flashes Of green, yellow
i crimson. Far out, like the bounda'
ries Of smother world, were the darl
peaks Of Santa Barbara's islands.
| Sandy watched the play at color
vivid. chaugefuE She thought Of
herself and the many things shl
wanted from life-wouid they bt
hers! She drew . troubled breath
dashed aside these restless forebod.
Iings. Marriage wouldn't dominate
her! Other people got by with It
And they weren't sw0oning with
Hove for each other. She could han.
die Ben Murillo! Shed do as she
pleased-now-always.
| She looked up with an impetuous
defiance, touched Timmy's cheek and
whispered these things.
! Jimmy, WHO was very young and
:; in his boys fashion. very much in
love with Sandy--gulped.s He looked
into her eyes, thinking that in tho
moonlight they had scared, i'm
ploring look. "You don't know what
it's all about. do your" he asked
softly. you're just frightened
kid"
She shut her eyes-smilcd waited
It'll Jimmy kissed her. She had Z
gypsy cxultance in these stolen
hours. She felt that she was even.
ling the score with some invisible foe
Half an hour later she was run.
ming back over the weed grown
path. At the Kitchen door shs