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He knows about me already and that is why He left me last evening
when He saw that I blushed and trembled like a fool under His eyes？
You know I can't bribe ALL the newspapers； and I can't go back on
anybody who was good to Gunny at Redhorsenot if I'm pitched out
of society into the sea。 So the skeleton sometimes rattles behind
the door。 I never cared much before； as you know； but nowNOW it
is not the same。 Jack Raynor I am sure ofhe will not tell him。
He seems； indeed； to hold him in such respect as hardly to dare
speak to him at all； and I'm a good deal that way myself。 Dear；
dear！ I wish I had something besides a million dollars！ If Jack
were three inches taller I'd marry him alive and go back to
Redhorse and wear sackcloth again to the end of my miserable days。
July 25th。
We had a perfectly splendid sunset last evening； and I must tell
you all about it。 I ran away from Auntie and everybody； and was
walking alone on the beach。 I expect you to believe； you infidel！
that I had not looked out of my window on the seaward side of the
hotel and seen him walking alone on the beach。 If you are not lost
to every feeling of womanly delicacy you will accept my statement
without question。 I soon established myself under my sunshade and
had for some time been gazing out dreamily over the sea； when he
approached； walking close to the edge of the waterit was ebb
tide。 I assure you the wet sand actually brightened about his
feet！ As he approached me； he lifted his hat； saying： 〃Miss
Dement； may I sit with you？or will you walk with me？〃
The possibility that neither might be agreeable seems not to have
occurred to him。 Did you ever know such assurance？ Assurance？ My
dear； it was gall； downright GALL！ Well； I didn't find it
wormwood； and replied； with my untutored Redhorse heart in my
throat： 〃II shall be pleased to do ANYTHING。〃 Could words have
been more stupid？ There are depths of fatuity in me； friend o' my
soul； which are simply bottomless！
He extended his hand； smiling； and I delivered mine into it without
a moment's hesitation； and when his fingers closed about it to
assist me to my feet； the consciousness that it trembled made me
blush worse than the red west。 I got up； however； and after a
while； observing that he had not let go my hand； I pulled on it a
little； but unsuccessfully。 He simply held on； saying nothing； but
looking down into my face with some kind of a smileI didn't know
how could I？whether it was affectionate； derisive； or what； for
I did not look at him。 How beautiful he was！with the red fires
of the sunset burning in the depths of his eyes。 Do you know；
dear； if the Thugs and Experts of the Blavatsky region have any
special kind of eyes？ Ah； you should have seen his superb
attitude； the godlike inclination of his head as he stood over me
after I had got upon my feet！ It was a noble picture； but I soon
destroyed it； for I began at once to sink again to the earth。
There was only one thing for him to do； and he did it； he supported
me with an arm about my waist。
〃Miss Dement； are you ill？〃 he said。
It was not an exclamation； there was neither alarm nor solicitude
in it。 If he had added： 〃I suppose that is about what I am
expected to say；〃 he would hardly have expressed his sense of the
situation more clearly。 His manner filled me with shame and
indignation； for I was suffering acutely。 I wrenched my hand out
of his； grasped the arm supporting me； and； pushing myself free；
fell plump into the sand and sat helpless。 My hat had fallen off
in the struggle； and my hair tumbled about my face and shoulders in
the most mortifying way。
〃Go away from me；〃 I cried； half choking。 〃Oh； PLEASE go away；
youyou Thug！ How dare you think THAT when my leg is asleep？〃
I actually said those identical words！ And then I broke down and
sobbed。 Irene； I BLUBBERED！
His manner altered in an instantI could see that much through my
fingers and hair。 He dropped on one knee beside me； parted the
tangle of hair； and said； in the tenderest way： My poor girl； God
knows I have not intended to pain you。 How should I？I who love
youI who have loved you forfor years and years！〃
He had pulled my wet hands away from my face and was covering them
with kisses。 My cheeks were like two coals； my whole face was
flaming and； I think； steaming。 What could I do？ I hid it on his
shoulderthere was no other place。 And； oh； my dear friend； how
my leg tingled and thrilled； and how I wanted to kick！
We sat so for a long time。 He had released one of my hands to pass
his arm about me again； and I possessed myself of my handkerchief
and was drying my eyes and my nose。 I would not look up until that
was done； he tried in vain to push me a little away and gaze into
my eyes。 Presently； when it was all right； and it had grown a bit
dark； I lifted my head； looked him straight in the eyes； and smiled
my bestmy level best； dear。
〃What do you mean；〃 I said； 〃by 'years and years'？〃
〃Dearest；〃 he replied； very gravely； very earnestly； 〃in the
absence of the sunken cheeks； the hollow eyes； the lank hair； the
slouching gait； the rags； dirt； and youth； can you notwill you
not understand？ Gunny； I'm Dumps！〃
In a moment I was upon my feet and he upon his。 I seized him by
the lapels of his coat and peered into his handsome face in the
deepening darkness。 I was breathless with excitement。
〃And you are not dead？〃 I asked； hardly knowing what I said。
〃Only dead in love； dear。 I recovered from the road agent's
bullet； but this； I fear； is fatal。〃
〃But about JackMr。 Raynor？ Don't you know〃
〃I am ashamed to say； darling； that it was through that unworthy
person's invitation that I came here from Vienna。〃
Irene； they have played it upon your affectionate friend；
MARY JANE DEMENT。
P。S。The worst of it is that there is no mystery。 That was an
invention of Jack to arouse my curiosity and interest。 James is
not a Thug。 He solemnly assures me that in all his wanderings he
has never set foot in Sepoy。
The Man and the Snake
I
It is of veritabyll report； and attested of so many that there be
nowe of wyse and learned none to gaynsaye it； that ye serpente hys
eye hath a magnetick propertie that whosoe falleth into its svasion
is drawn forwards in despyte of his wille； and perisheth miserabyll
by ye creature hys byte。
Stretched at ease upon a sofa； in gown and slippers； Harker Brayton
smiled as he read the foregoing sentence in old Morryster's
〃Marvells of Science。〃 〃The only marvel in the matter；〃 he said to
himself； 〃is that the wise and learned in Morryster's day should
have believed such nonsense as is rejected by most of even the
ignorant in ours。〃
A train of reflections followedfor Brayton was a man of thought
and he unconsciously lowered his book without altering the
direction of his eyes。