One."- Sue xlirugsed lightly. "In the jrst place 1 care nothing for you. la not tli:it enough?" o. indeed. You'll get over that" "Lt't us imagine, then, the contrary. Ion Americans are entirely different from our people. You are cold, de liberate, wicked your social customs are uot like ours. Yon do not nt all understand us. How then could yon he interested to meet a Spanish fam ily 5" "Why, you're balf American." "Oh. yes, although it is to ht re gretted. Why, there is no other nice girl in oil Panama who would have talked with you as I did in the forest that day." "But what has all this to do with my coming to gee you?" 'It is difficult to explain, since you will not understand. When a young mi.n Is accepted into a Spanish house. many things are taken for granted Besides that, we do not know each oth tr, yon and I. Also, if you should come to see me it would cause gossip. misunderstanding among my friends.' "I'll declare myself in advance," he promised warmly. "No, no, no! We Spanish-Americans do not care for strangers. We have ur own people and we are satisfied. It Is much better that old people who re of more experience should discuss these questions." "But don't you want to have a voice In your own affairs?" he eagerly urged. She answered frankly: "I do rebel sometime. I protest, but It Is only the American blood In me." "If you'd learn to know me a little bit, maybe you'd enjoy having me around the house. "But 1 cannot know you, any more thin you can know me," she cried, with a little gesture of despair at bis dullness. "Don't you see before we could get acquainted nicely people would be talking." "Let's try. You're living at the conn try place again, aren't you? Suppose I should get lost some day tomorrow, orlnstancef" "No, no! Listen. It is the warning bell, and we must return." The crowd was filing into the theater now. They fell In behind Senor Gara vej and Mrs. Cortlandt , "I'm going hunting again tomorrow," prophesied Kirk, "and I'm almost cer tain to lose my way about 3 o'clock. Suppose we have another atroil after the next act?" "I shall be with my father. Never before have I enjoyed so much liber ty." She sighed gratefully. "Oh, I detest your blamed, strait laced Spanish customs," he cried hotly. "What do they amount to, anyhow? I love you. I do, I do" She laughed and darted to her fa ther's side. "Don't you think Miss Oaravel is a pretty girl?" Mrs. Cortlnndt question ed, as they strolled toward their box. "She's a dream." Anthony's tone left nothing unsaid. "You got alone together capitally. Most of the senoritas are Impossible." . "By the way, what is her name?" "Gertrudls. Rather pleasing. I think." t Kirk thought so too. When, after an -age, the curtain fell for a second time he escaped from his companions, mum bling some excuse or other, and made haste to find her again. But as he ap proached he felt a sudden pang of Jealous rage. , Ramon Alfarez was beside her, and the two were chatting with an appear ance of intimacy that made him furi ous. Close at hand stood Garavel, deep In conversation with Colonel Jolson. ' "Ah, Ramon, I wish you to meet Mr. Anthony," said Gertrudls. "So! You have met before?" I "In Colon," Kirk explained, while Al farez scorched him with his eyes. "Mr. Alfarea was very hospitable to me." "Ye"," the Spaniard exclaimed, "It is my great regret that Senor Ant'ony did aot remain for longer. Does Senor Ant'ony discover our climate to be stM agreeable?" "Very. It hasn't grown too warm for me yet." "We are hot approaching onr "ot sea son." The speaker's eyes snapped. Heretofore Kirk bad bated Ramon in a careless, indifferent sort of way, feel ing that he owed him a good drubbing, which he would be pleased to adminis ter If ever a atting time arrived. But now, since he saw that the jackanapes bad the audacity to love Gertrudls, his -feeling became intense. The girl, of course, was fully alive to the situa tion and, although she evidently en joyed It, she did her best to stand be tween the two men. As for Alfarea, he was quick to fee'. the sudden fierce hostility be had ruased, and it seemed to make him Bervoua. Moreover, he conceived that be had scored heavily by bis last re tort, at which Kirk had only smiled. It therefore seemed best to him to withdraw from the conversation (an Boylngly conducted in English), and a few moments later be stalked majes tically away. This was Just what Kirk wanted, and be quickly suggested the balcony. But Gertrudls was obstinate. 1 must remain with my father," she Mid. "May I alt beside you, then? Do yoo know, rm going to nestle op to jroor fattier and nak-hJm ilk p- " "Agam you are speimiig of that sub ject. have known you but an hou., and j j-j talk of nothing but my father, of me, of coming to call. I have lost all modesty to sneak of those things. You force me t" eniliarrass myself." "You once spoke of a chap your peo ple had picked out. It Isn't Alfarez?" She let her d irk eyes rest upon his a moment, and Ms senses swam. Then she nodded slowly. "You do riot like him?" j "Just like a nose bleed. The day you j and I are married I'm going to send him a wreath of poison ivy." "It pleases you always to joke." "No joke about thiit. You won't give in, will you ?" "There is no question of force nor of surrender, senor. I insist now that we shall speey of other things." A few moments later he was con strained to rejoin his hostess' party. "When are you going back to Las Savannas?" he asked as he reluctantly arose. "Tomorrow." "The hunting ought to be good" But she frowned at him in annoy ance, and be left her after all without knowing whether he had gained or lost ground. She was not so warm and Impulsive as he had supposed. Her girllshneas, her simplicity, her little American ways, cloaked a deep reserve j and a fine sense of the difference in i their positions. The plague of it was that if anything be was more in love with the definite and daazling Gertru dls Garavel than he had been with the mysteriously alluring Chlqulta. And then, too, there was Alfarea t CHAPTER XVI. An Awaktning. E was in no more satisfactory frame of mlud when, on the next afternoon, be shoul dered his gun and set out for the country. He went directly to the fairy pool, and waited there In a very fever of anxiety. Despite the coolness and peace of the place, be felt bis pulses throb and his face burn. If she came, K would mean everything to him. If she stayed away why, then be would have to believe that after all the real Gertrudls Caruvcl had spoken last nigh't at the opera. The sound of a voice shot through his troubled thoughts like a beam of sunlight through a dark room. ' "Oh, Senor Antonio! Oow you atartled me!" Instantly his self possession came back, ne felt relieved and gay. "Good afternoon, queen!" He rose and bowed politely. "I thought I saw one underneath the watenun jusi now." "Who would have expected you to be here?" she cried, with an extreme and obviously counterfeit amazement that filled him with delight. "I'm lost," he declared; then, after one look into her eyes, be added, "Ab- 1 ' V The Public Expects It The Public Gets It Tne public has a parfect right to expect polite attention at our store, and that is exactly what the public cets Don't hesitate to come in. It makes no difference even if you only want to inquire the nam; of a street, wa are glad to give assistance to you The public expects to get the "purest and best drugs at out store, never are they disappointed. On account of our exceptionally large stock the public expects to find things here which are nA obtainable elsewhere; In this too, we cause no disappointment. Our stock is alvvyas complete with everything to be ound in a first class drug store. THE RED CROSS PHARMACY V. J, MOWN, Propr., Independence, 'Oregon Oh, Ssnor Antoniol How you startled m." solutely. utterly, Irretrievably lost Won't you sit down?" "Since we have met quite by ac cident, perhaps it would not be so Tory Improper." She laughed mUchlevotisly and settled uncertainly beside htm like a butterfly Juat alighting, ready to take Bight asraln on the Instant "Perhaps I can help yon to rind jour way, senorr she said, -with Ingenuous politeness. "Ton are the only one who can. Miss Garavel. I don't know that I aver told you, but I'm In lova." "Indeed r "I gB the moet miserably happy Pr aaa In the world, for I hart Jo this saoment beiron to hellere that tbe joanf lady likes n a Utile bit" "Oh! But I forgot the real raaaoi way I cam. I bar something I am "All right But honestly now, didn't you want to come?" She turned upon lilm in a little burnt of passion. "Yes!" she cried. "Of course I did! I wished to come, mad ly, senor. It makes my heart patter, like thnf-she made her little Angers "putter" "to be wooed even by a Yankee. But I do not love you In the least Oh no! Even if I wished to do so, there are too many reasons why I could not, and when I explain you will understand." "I know. It's Ramon Alfarez. You're halfway engaged to him. But you know you don't love him." "Ah, it la not too sure! He is of fine family, be Is rich, he Is handsome. Not possibly could 1 care for any man who waa not all of those. All my life I have thought him a very sweet pen tleman, and for a long time It has been agreed that I should be his wife. TV-re are so ninny reasons why I should say yen." "You haven't mentioned any thiit would be binding In law." "My father's wish. Ia not that suffi cient?" "You disregarded that once." "Thnt was but a flutter. All the time I kuew 1 slionld 1)0 Ramon's wife Uwlien the time arrived. Perhaps I could refiiHe to, wed a man my father choe for me, but no nice Spanish girl would dure to wed a man ber father did not like. Do you seer "But it's no cinch your father won't positively hunger for' roe once we get chummy." "You ara too different you disregard Continued next week I THE INDEPENDENCE NATIONAL BANK Established 1889 sains m , JkArhm or vhtium awl . f mmrw SEARCH I1K7- A Successful Business Career of Twenty Three Years INTEREST PAID ON TIME DEPOSITS OFFICERS AIND DIRECTORS H. Hirschberg, Pres. D. W. Sears, V. P. R. R. DeArmond, Cashier W. H. Walker, B. F. Smith, 0. D. Buller D. SWIFT a CO. 303 SaveatH St, Waabiapaa, D. The Best Is Good Enough and You get only the best when you buy meat from us A new refrigerating plant keep the meat owl and fresh, and when you once buy from u you buy again, because our meat give satisfac tion. We have just ai led new rendering vata and sausage rmchinery thus being able to sup ply you with lard and sausage, at all time. We have our own smoke houses and give you couutry cured hams and bacon. NELSON'S MARKET C Street, Ir tcvci U-Jtc. Ore.