Show A A LI LIFE FE OF LOVE BY nr I ns Mercedes tony stood LI at al t the open 1 window that Ihal looked hooked out on iho Lu principal pal street of Ne protected pro pro- h 1 by upright Iron bars solid Immovable Im in- movable mo as the bars of or a prison It was almost midnight but on Oil the perfume laden air all lam came gently senti the ceaseless throbbing of or the band in the thc A a playing Its now tiow soft sort now flOW wild Mexican music III Ie 1 Inside iR Ci C- i rr face cc pressed against the gilm Ilm grating her eyes straining far out Into the I night sat Merce des es She he longed to lo be In the lie V walking slowlY slowly under the glorious grape fruit trees irons listening silent cn- cn to tho soft melo melodious strains of the lie native band do was the richest man In iii In Necaxa Ills wife ha had Ille when Mercedes was IU a 8 babe and her death had been Ills tra tragedy Left to his sole cure cart ho tie h had ll guarded s her s selfishly self self- HIsh H- H Ish I and sternly Now ho 10 ha had told her hr was time lime sho shio should marry an and I lad hati cho chosen en the lie man himself a n trusted respectable V Iho tho Ito poor secretary who had md lived 11 with th thorn since Mercedes was ns a child chillI And iid as In most such cases Mercedes despised him hini refused to o listen to lo his passionate serenades shutting herself In her room roum until late latel l at nl night ht when avery welY one olle was sleeping Then Theil she sue crept softly down clown stairs stirs across the tho patio past tho lie old ohl well weH through h tho rich flower garden to watch watch atch out of oC the window windo until long after aCter midnight Such Ut hc beauty Everything I so lovely and nd I am am not hot even m free to lo enjoy It IL fL Then she SIlO would think of or the lie lovers who now with linked arms were wele walkIng walk walk- In hog Ing slowly tho the Alameda the lie b beauty aut around them a a. thousand times lines Intensified fied ONI I by the presence of each other What hat If there was WI a 0 duenna nna a 0 few feet feel behind them rIC lite they thoy not free Were oro they thiry not nol happier than she Just then lieu a young oun man coming down lie street paused anti and seeing her stood still and gazing at ot tho tue lovely lovely love love- I ly face Cace In Its frame of or lustrous black blackhair blackhair hair hall pressed close against the old ohl Iron of or the window wIdow Ills face was tas clear cIal Ii In the palo lo moonlight moonlight moon moon- light lIs-ht nn and shown radiantly the admiration he lie fell felt for the lie beautiful face filce before him Without speak speaking Ing he lie stepped quickly quick I ly 13 U up to 10 the time grating The Time tall lithe f figure the Iho steady blue eyes uhl blonde head ha thrown back ii In an flit almost defiant ti al altitude instantly y proclaimed lined him an au American n n. n V V You VoLt SOfI SOCHI unhappy lie He lingered feeling her hel then theu lieu went on oh boldly 1 V Come to the Iho senorita rho Tho music is not hut nearly finished and wo can walk together 1 awhile lie Do not bo ho afraid I 1 will vIiI protect you No o one une will see sec you ou ou the lIw lie park parl Is deserted She Sho looked back into the lie gloomy room to bo ho o sure Kure no ono one was watching watching- She Site longed for Cor freedom anti and love and andIn andIn andIn In the lie young Amei Americans American's leans lean's faco face silo sho s aw sa reflected the tender look of or admiration that Is duo and beautiful every ely young youn- woman and auth makes their world happy happ She Site lon longed tl for just this frank tranI admiration ad ad- and above all ull she hc longed for fOl freedom to love whom she might All 11 tho the th of if her paa passionate Latin blood bloo cried out nut a against the hue man her father Cather hail hall told lice her who shin must love lo She had always ohey obeyed r him hilt but this hits last tyranny tranny seemed almost too much Why hy h not go gl to to the she Mio thou thought h t Glancing over her hN Into the empty darkness hind he-hind hei Imet she opened time the door passed out of the room roo across the patio IH through the lie entrance Into the time street She drew her hr mantilla closely about her Iter head heath particularly hilling hiding her face tace an and taking the lUe arm aria Of of the of-the thin tho American America was wall soon walking under dreamily the the- trees only half hul conscious of oC time the music anti and the time belated other She wan waK tot too drunk with the time Cr freedom anti ami happiness of oC time Iho moment to think of her lice stern father or thi thA moan man he lie html had fOI for her Site She was waK too happy to tob tobe tobe b be afraid Tho American ly spoke to her lice content to tn watch the tho perfectly soled lips lip parted parlell In ui a a. L half smile lie lice her eyes COS glowing with the time Joy she elm felt felL Su Suddenly tho the lust luet strains attains of oC La Paloma grow row fainter time fainter tho American sal said gently Conic Come senorita I It t Is limy to go Jo Slowly silently I tho they thoy made way Vay back buck lo tu h her r fathers father's house hoUw When hon they reached rached the entrance she look looked 11 up at al him hull C for r tho the Unit first time line Their eyes met Instantly the time color uncertainly In the rounded check chek und timid that thoughtful delightful fear that thai mad JURl expectancy n which Is JIt ono omm of or tho time lest best proofs of love II rushed into Inlo her bur heart Silo Shin knew thus this was wal lovo love the tho very on essence of oC life that rushed madly malUy through her veins though she had never ne felt Cell It before The American crime came very vel close dose to her imer put pul his arm around her her her- waist drew her close to him and 1 kissed 1 her hor V I Tomorrow night nigh I I. I senorita hi it hI whispered n as its she wrenched herself herKel from Crom h his 1 embrace roce SI Sl she site answered cret softly anti and beh behind time the Iron door was vas gone gont Int I huge uge 1101 Inside she sank weak and trembling on the LimO floor Tho Timo moonlight coming in at the tie windo win win- do do iv showed showe th the lo el lovely face illuminated illuminat e ed b by a strange happy light Unit that disappeared ills dis appeared Instantly as us a R look hook of fierce determination crept Into the wide wido wilo dark cyc eyes Tom Tomorrow night sho silo repeated repented tomorrow tomorrow to morrow night Billings sat at nt his desk In Inthe Inthe inthe the offices of or time tho ll Allan Alan Sanger Banger company compau com com- pany pau contractors contractor must day vainly trying try try- ing to liale make some necessary drawings s for Cor the time work on the tile now new post lost postoffice office of or which he was the tile constructIng constructing construct construct- ing Ing engineer At last he Ito threw down his pencil ah shut Il his desk an and went vent out omit Into nto tho ho street I All 1 day the lie events c of oC the time night hail had hal crowded themselves V upon him making mak ing Ins work or even en I pence peace CICO of oC mind Im hun- 11 possible Who was the tue gentle onte lovely creature creat crent- ure ume and would she sho meet him as sho site md hInt promised At last the tile evening coolness came camo an and seemed scorned suddenly struck b by the tho beauty of HC tho the scenes around Il him I la He TIe walked past his hotel out into the time cool freshness of or the time c country y marvelling mar mar- velling at time the green rc n turey road that dusty had hail hitherto scOrned l 11 parched and amI lie 10 was now fully alive to the time charm of oC the time beauty baut of the native tivo grass grass- grass grass- I huts each standing In Its Is own Owl fenced around with giant organ organ cactus planted so that hInt U it I grow row up tup straight and taU tall forming a natural fence Cence V For the lie first he ime had hal seen the time beauty of or these great greal lofty dark green of cactus some bearing vivid ld qI and golden SOlden lo flowers Inclosing each ont ono li It IL Mil und and garden lr eJ leaving neat neal ways alloy was wa's between As 5 he Ito retraced his imis st steps IS viewing the time wondrous beauty about him he lie know knew that with time tho tiO great new love that had hUll come to him so suddenly h had also come the time appreciation i J f Gods God's beauteous gifts Ho lie le found her waiting wailing tile tho moon full fullon fullon ful on the lovely face that flInt shown rn lant C c l I y IV V V v. v V l II J V V V y I I I N l' l 1 l V 1 r tl I I 1 i l j t t i d 4 7 V I WI W I r s. s 1 1 iA iAl t 1 V a i 11 rh l V VV r J t j r V I V P S. S U b Iii f l I I Iz z L r HI HIl II t to I J l l 1 tI o J K J I r il t v J I 1 I 1 I I III Z i Z t f J 1 i WI I I 11 11 h hg g I r tj I o i P I M 1 I II i ie t r I 9 e V Y 11 I J I c b V hY W b D 1 L I i W I W t. t I j 1 w j YA J 1 f J II 4 I j kLI kL I I I 7 I V I ly V I HI L J I M MI C I I 1 X hL h Mt 4 1 I 1 It I I i I I X Jn B. SLIU and happy through brought lie Iho rusty iron Irol Lal bars The They Timey wended theIr way ay through time the till erow crowds 8 of oC happy hally Ivel lovers that thronged the a past st time the fountain to to toa U. U u u ong among the lie tall tal w way wail 1 banana trees She Site sat eat rt perfectly quiet as though loath to lo break time the glorious magic magic sIlence of or the sweet scented night I He Ic e gathered the time tine Ine slender hand Into his hil own J anti and drew her closer out of or time the path ath of oC an Intruding moonbeam May ia I I ask usk tho the senoritas senorita's name nule ho ito said softly She Sho had hael looked radiant anti and felt a R wild wid rejoicing within her imer as n a captured bird may feel eel when ag again ln In imi Iho tho sunlight hut but at nt his question h her face clouded anti and she burst Into tears Then rhen In her own simple wa way a she i toM lold him of oC pe Pedro Idro and the lonely lonel loveless loveless love love- I less les life Ifo she ho saw baw no from Crom He lie listened his jaws set firm firm hl his ItIs I eyes oyos y flashing with the time storm of or passIon passion pas pas- sion zion that ra raged el within him I Mercedes he lie began gathering her herIn herIn herin In his arms you u must feel eel you must know 1 I love lovo you Her lice face faco paled as sho iio thought of I C Pedro but she hie lay perfectly iy still Will VII you marry 1 mo Mercedes She looked at him hesitatingly Before Before Before Be Be- fore site ho could answer ho ito had imad forward anti and kissed her hor lm on the lips hips passionately yet ot re reverently Sa b Say yes yes yes' CK say Hay you OU wilt will wil marry morry me h he it pleaded I am going hack back tack to Iho tho states slates In a u fortnight ht and I will wi take you OU with me Kiss Niss me inc aim and a say you ou will wll 10 go She Ite lifted h her r arms put them softly about his Imis neck and kissed him The Tho touch of or her lips on hI his hll thrle him hll and amid time the tle beauty beaul of her face fuco seemed scorned lo to him him stream of oC happiness happiness hap hap- cn curry carry away on a as 08 a melody sweeps tho the olon alone ahong In a 1 flood food of JO Joy r I must not stay slay longer sho she said sall reluctantly V I Tomorrow night he lie whispered still sun straining her imer to iii him I Yes senor she answered an and wont vent slowly Tho They hind had been too much occupied to notice tim tho tw deadly cearly stIle silliness that had lul spread IHO Itself over vr e everything The moon 1001 hud turned d a Cale faded green tho the stars hall had In Inthe Inthe the time heavens hes and time the air all seemed choking chok chok- ing them Mercedes II paled le l and drew drow closer to Blakney's side as tho time first faint rumbling rum rum- bling began An An earthquake she whispered clutching the strong arm aria that list held her 11 Ill stopped d and kissed tho palo pale cheek that tha t rested on his bosom hosom fh n the thc earth began lo to sway s anti and tremble under their feet Tho Tile trees rocked violently waking up tho Ito sleepIng sleep sheep In Ing parrots who chattered noisily an and anda a great JH fissure opener opened Olener tIu tho ground a afew afew 1 few Cew feet feel In front of or them hell Gra Gradually th the tho rumbling grew rm fainter and the tile swaying ceased The Tho stifling fumes of sulphur lr roso rose from Crom tim the great era crack k in the time earth eaith A sudden realization of oC Gods God's Gors Gor's greatness great great- ness 1055 swept Sept over as ns he ito vl viewed I Ithe the time destruction wrought by ly Ills His Ils awe awe- inspiring power Jower And An Is not God love ho he whispered drawing drawing- tile the girl closer coser to lo him Tho Tile r rumbling ceased time the birds beam be became became be- be came eam and ant the time sulphur laden at- at I lifted With tho fr first t stirring stirring stir stir- ring of the 1 leaves camo caine to 10 shrieks s of or the punic panic stricken people Not ot until tile then had Mercedes I es thought of oC her f father and anti Pc Pedro o. o Come senor sho she sal said grasping ills his arm V They Thoy hurried out of or time the the V park down time the wreck wreck- strewn street 16 tb where her home had hac stood stool V Mercedes stopped I horrified 0 1 11 Id at sight of oC the tito mass of l ruins from which curl d up little tongues of or blue buo flames name The Scat great groat bells belR in him the ito cathedral tolled toiled lou loudly ly and tho time fr ran rau hither and thither ca ea h ono one alone alono In itt 11 itt his own sorrows V She he stood numb silent viewing tho ho wreckage of her tier home i j Silo She She was Cree now In It these thoRe ruins lay Iny burIe burled burled bur bur- Ie led her hor natural protector her her r father Cathel an and and burled with wih him Pedro anti and tho the lonely loveless lo lo eless life ICo she aha had feared She smiled a faint faint- faint Electing smile smie at aL thought of her deliverance Site She turned away awny to stood too watching her imor-a imor lir- lir a fact Cac through lh the time tears with wih the time light of oC confiding love lovo lie le held bolt hell out his arms to her nn and she site crept trusting Into them item Ho 10 stooped and kissed tearstained tear lear stained eye eyo YO then let IN led her her a aa tsay a to love tho time life sho sIlo hall hail longed for COf for for-a a V life lo o ot or V V |