Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine — page 109: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

fu TEXAS sweet part; but not everything! I love you and all that, but I think I could live without you; and, when other big things come, I do not cease to love, I just—well, I just go on to them.” “ And leave me to shift for myself,” she added with a trifle of scorn and bitterness in her voice. ‘“No, not exactly that,” he corrected, kissing her pouting lips, “but those other things need me the most. If you had been in any danger I would have remained with you.’ She thought this would be a good time to tell him of De Cardac; and so she did. She confided to him fie entire story.— She told how she had once loved De Cardac and how, that day, when he had passed the caravan she had been frightened into asking Fred to marry and protect her. She went on and told him that she had been divided in mind when she saw Paul again; she had scarcely known whether she still loved him or not. “Ves,” Fred propped ‘himself on his el- bow and looked fixedly at his wife, “ yes, I think I understand. He is the impetuous » lover-and I’m rather a snail.. But, dearest, I have a strong feeling: that my love will last and that other—well, that other is a sort of a fire of straw.” He sank back on his pillows, and to her complete astonishment, in a few minutes was asleep!: She bit her lip. Would it always be like this, she wondered? This sudden way in which this man could go from the most intimate conversation with her to something far removed—this time to sleep! She resented the fact that he had showed not the slightest jealousy when she spoke of Paul. He took everything ‘in such a matter-of-course sort of way. She was both irritated and hurt. She sat beside him for a long time think- ing; and then she decided that after all she could not hope to make of Fred Pope something which he was not. He was, that should be enough for her. He loved her, in his own way, and she should be satisfied with her state. But there was a great longing within her which was growing day by day; for, un- FEVER. 451 suspected by herself, she was falling very ‘much in love with this patient, self-con- tained and intensely masculine invalid. She had seen nothing more of De Cardac since that one night when she had intro- duced him to her husband; and, although she had once or twice made timid inquiries, she had received no information. No one seemed to know anything about the hand- some young creole. And, for the very simple reason, that Paul was no longer in Nacogdoches. He had left, long since, after that one desperate attempt he had made fo carry. her off. For it was he who with the aid of the unknown mulatto had forced her window-shutter and climbed into her room only to discover that she had disappeared. And as they departed the mulatto had received what proved to be nearly his death-wound. Paul de Cardac was not a bad man, but he was weak and now he was blindly, wild- ly in love and his imperious nature was one that cotld not brook denial. He hath en- countered the mulatto again and \in a burst of desire had carefully planned the abduc- tion. It was upon the failure of this attempt that he had learned that the mulatto, with whom he -was plotting, was the murderer, Jude, for whom the country was still vainly seeking. The young man was horror-strick- en by the contemplation of the sort of com- pany he-was keeping; and, although he did not attempt to hand Jude over to - thorities, he did sever his connections*with the fellow. This was very easy because Jude had mysteriously disappeared as he leaped, howling with pain, from the ladder beneath Mary Ann’s window. Paul knew no more about him. He presumed that the mulatto was in hiding, nursing his wounds, De Cardac made a few cautious inquiries, but other than to discover Jude’s identity learned nothing. And then he shortly after departed for Mississippi. Arriving in Natchez, he went at once to _Mr. Sims to see what could be done to get Mary Ann away from her present environ- ment. Mr. Sims quietly informed him that nothing could be done, Mary Ann was of age, and besides she was married. “And,” Mr, Sims commented, “to the conmiclooolks.conn