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Show i FOOL AND HIS MONEY. BY EDNA MANNERS. ! S (Copyright. by I E- Moss.) if mjIE HAZE of the seml-troplcs was j ; everywhere, blending the gorgeous I J lints of hills nnd valleys In .Its j - tlL'lvo veil. There were tears In j L Mexican's eyos ns he Sang- to his 'I ibuisp pillar, antl his notes wero laden j in prlff He locked up trom beneath IJ ft wmbrt-ro. his black eyes showing the 1 tTfbl'i thr mailer?" came In a for- tf ifco voU and hv glanced up to see tho An'Jiian miner tnoklnc down on h in. Tirf w. 5omethlns unplensant In the ft Awricm s ove that hold people aloof and 4 m Ihcm TsrwIfhM-wtrnliit when' kv i rrar Kapjiavl stopped playing. . i H hli face with his hands and ff (obUd aloud, .- . t i'Bstk up, friend, the" American cried, f then addeil. in Spanish. "What's wrong, inriW" Raphael grew calmer. He ! ilcd op and leaned on his guitar, look-' look-' fcr tvanl the humbl? home where his I fct brothers and sisters were at play. V.i ?Uh. snor " he cried, in cnnlldlng dell. de-ll. Men "'tis the beautiful Senorlta jta jpu Scnor, they havo shut her up and T shall never see her any more. 1 die of love for her." "No. vou won't." muttered the American, Ameri-can, turning away to hide a cynical gleam The dam of Raphael's grief was loosened, and the contents of his soul poured Into listening ears. And this was the talo he told: He loved the Senorlta Anita a bewitching damsel far above him -was living of lovo for her. Many times thev had met mi the plaza, and she had glanced shylv from beneath her mantilla and smiled at him yes. he could swear she smiled. She was beautiful and good uk the llolv Mother. lie had had no glimpse of her since, except from behind the bars of her window. He could neither cat nor sleep. . The" 'American turned away, while his Hps curled unpleasantly. Raphael anmsd him He was an exceptional Spaniard lie had scraped together a kind of education edu-cation for himself, and was something of a genius In music. Under more favorable conditions he might have made a wn for himself in the world. Tho cynicism faded from the American's Ameri-can's eve aa he asked where the senoiita lived and who her family were. v . Anita lay asleep. Tho moonlight cjmo "Here's a purse for you and your girl." through the roses at the window, and all was still. Suddenly through the darkness came u single sweet note. '1,'ho girl sat up to listen. She pushed back. her hair and lisU'iied again. Her eyes shono. her chcelLs flushed und her little heart beat faot. She stole to tho window, holding her mantilla close about her chin. Uc-nealh Uc-nealh the orange-tree stood a man Her heart fluttercrd faster, and the hot southern south-ern passion shone in her eyes. It was tho rich Scnor Americano. Several times he had passed tho house, after the custom cus-tom of tho Mexican lover. Tho maid clapped her hands softly In acknowledgment acknowledg-ment that she .accepted the tribute. The notes grew more-pleading still. "Senorlta." , This was going beyond the bounds of the serenading lover, but- Anita leaned out and waited. . "Senorlta," "Senor. I am here," whispered the girl, and then drew back coyly. "Fair one, listen." Then he poured Into hor ears a tale of love. -: "One." suld he, "loves thee, senonta loves theo unto death but he cannot marrv theo in this country. Will you leave sunny Mexico and go to America with vour lover as his wife?" Tho little senorlta giggled. She had "been In love over since ohe could talk," her mother complained Thlrf ono and that one she had flirted with. and. had even been shut up as punishment for making ma-king eyes at Raphael, a common youth on tho plaza, palely her mother had noticed no-ticed tho Americano -passing the .house, and she was well content that ho should pay court to her pretty daughter and end all thf trouble. , 1 "Senor," came in soft Mexican Spanish, "has he money to buy tho fwcddlng clothes?" . . "He has enough to buy the finest any bride could wish." "And does ho love me well, senor? 1 "To distraction, oh. dlvln? oxik." She drew back and shivered, a llttlo. but. the dimples played In her cheeks. Anita, must love and ho loved, and would mako a good, true little wife for any man who would only lovo -her enough. "Senor." SI10 leaned far out Into the sliver night, -pulleel a rose and threw It down to him. "Senor, when?" He picked up th flower, kissed it end pressed It to hlH heart. He was so coldly, artificially Mexican. Jt frightened and attracted her.' "Now." ho answered. "Now, Anita. Will you comrt with me now?" Tho roalli-.atlon camo to her- like" a shock. Ieavo hor father and mother? Go with this man? To America'? I-ovc and romance were her guiding stars poor little soul. Tes, she would go. "In two minutes, snor,"'shc -whispered. A victoria sped away from the house., Tho girl kept up a soft giggle as 'tho carriage bumped over tho stones hat cov-erod cov-erod the street. But ac? they reached, tho outskirts of the city she turned .MIon,t. " "Senorlta." That w-as the first word her strange lover had spoken. Ho now leaned forward In the darknoas, "Scnor.--Ila, are you afraid?" . I'. His gaz waa cold and oteady. - i - . - 4 -r t "Are ynu afraid, gentle smorila?" he repealed, as she did not answer. "No 00; ecnor. But why are you so so still? You do not love me?" Her voice shook. "Senorita. I 'have loved many beautiful beauti-ful ladles. T am bah!" he seemed to he talking to himself "tired of It all." 'Tired of love? A cold hand knocked at the door of her heart. The carriage was on a lonely, while country roiul now. . "Senoiita, 1 cannot 1 or well, you see. I cannot marry you I " "Holy Mother!" tho girl cried, crossing herself and feeling for her 1 usury. "You cannot marry mc? Then why did jou biing mo hcrv?" "Walt, senorlta: do you lovo me?" She was dazed by tho sudden, practical question; then sho shuddered and answered: an-swered: "No, I halo you, s'eirbr. Oh, take me back to my mother tako me home." "Have you ever loved any man? ISvcr truly loved?" he asked, without heeding her. In her heart arose the vision of a pair of faithful, gontlo eyes that had sought htrs on tho plaza, and a form that bunt over the guitar at twilight. She burst Into tears. "Oh, yes," she moaned. "Raphael, "Ra-phael, dear Raphael!"' The carriage stopped. Tho lover climbed out. then, leaning on tho window-ledge,' he whispered, "If you aro wise, keep st nr." And she obeyed. The horses stirred, tho coachman dozed and the time srew long. Thin tho night' quiet was broken bv tho twangy voice of the American, mingled with tho soft tones of hor natlvo tongue. Tho carriage door opened and there before her stood Raphael. "Now," said the American, "If you want to go home, I'll take you back. If you want to go with your lover, go." Kor answer sho threw herself Into Raphael's Ra-phael's arms, and caste and propriety were forgotten In the bliss of a first kiss of love gratified, "Here's a purse for you and your girl. Raphael. Hope you'll like married life." Ilo told tho driver to drive to tho station sta-tion with the pair, and stood watching them disaopear down the white road. Then he took out a cigar, bit ofP tho end and laughed as he stand .aloud: "I always thought Miles Stondlsh was a fool. Half my mine gone, too. 'The fool and his money are soon parted.' Well, it's tho only fun I'll ever get out of It." Then he wont down the road toward the city alone. |