(I rH By FRANK H. SPEARMAN © Frank H. Spearman W NU Sconce CHAPTER XVI—Continued her face into her hands, shudder “ But not a fruitless one. 1 went ring his own. Not until they were —16— ing. out to capture a very wild horse and well out of range did he slow up. They had ridden miles and miles “ Don't say, don’t try to say, se managed at last to coax him into “ What was that shot, Henry?” before Carmen slackened pace and ñ orita!” the corral." asked Carmen. looked over with a laugh at her com “ From worse than death. For Dry old Don Ramon interposed Bowie was thoroughly enraged but panion. "Oh, I haven't had so glori months we two lay ill, our lives an impudent question. “ What did he spoke quietly. “ Just another mes ous a run since—I can’t remember were given up. Terecita died from your wild horse coax you into?" senger from Blood—to make sure I when. Not, anyway, since you left brain fever. I, poor I, could not Carmen met the attack without a Guadalupe. My poor pony—I must die. My aunt, Don»*Maria, took me tremor. "Nothing to speak of. The know he’s out of ja il." Then he ex breathe him .” They walked the for her own. She and dear Don important thing is, California can ploded, unable to restrain himself horses. A dell opened on one side Ramon adopted me. For years aft count one more caballero. Don Hen longer. "A man who’d do that in Texas would be shamed out of the of the tra il they were following erward, señor, I would start out of ry Bowie is coming back to Guada country. I t ’s all right to take a pot Bowie pointed. "That's a lush a sound sleep screaming and sob lupe.” shot at me; I don’t object to that. stand of grass over there. Shall we bing. At other times horrible dreams Dona Maria rose to her feet, clap But to take one when it endangers let the ponies nibble a bit?” assailed me. ping her hands. “ Glorious!” the life of a woman! It only shows,” “ They deserve it, don’t you “ It was Dr. Doane and, most of “ He has promised to stay.” he added after an ominous silence, think?” all, the help of my religion and the “ Better and better." "what a dog this fellow is. One of “ I think whatever you think, se ministrations of blessed Padre Mar “ But, of course," continued Car us w ill have to get out of this coun ñorita.” tinez that brought me through those men blandly, “ you never can tell try ." “ What nonsense!” Carmen drew terrible years. Dear Padre M arti about really wild horses.” On the morning following Pardo- herself up in her saddle. “ I be nez! When everybody else despaired “ They are serviceable only when lieve I'm tired. Where’s poor Pe of my recovery he, almost alone, actually brought to b it," observed loe rode out to Guadalupe. He was dro? Oh, he’s coming, isn’t he? supported me and told me I must Don Ramon dispassionately. “ Fe welcomed noisily by the vaqueros and, having brought a goodly sup We did ride fast. There seemed to and should get well. lipe,” he said to the houseboy, “ here ply of f»or tobacco, made the cow be something inside me just urging “ For that reason—all my illness— is a key to the wine cellar. Bring me to speed on. Funny, isn’t it, when I became the foster daughter three bottles of the 1830 champagne boys happy by passing it around. "Ben is to be your boss, boys,” how impulses act?” of Guadalupe it was strictly forbid . . . It was a good vintage,” he explained Bowie. “ And you are all " I f you are tired let's get down a den for anyone ever to mention the observed, addressing Bowie. to carry pistols now, along with moment. I think your cinches are tragedy or the fact that I was not The Tejano left in the morning for giving a little, anyway," he added their very own child . . . This is a the fort to break away from Sutter. your lariats and knives. Within three months I 'll have six-shooters hypocritically. “ Who hooked you very long story—” It was difficult to make his peace, for all of you—they’re ordered and up?” “ I can’t tell you how deeply I but the captain was not wholly un paid for. We’ve got a bunch of “ Felix, I think it was.” feel it, señorita." reasonable. Bowie took him into pesky squatters on the other side When he asked his inconsequent “ You asked me why I was afraid his confidence, and in the end the of the river above the Melena. They question — for words were spoken of being carried away. I have told expect to gobble up Guadalupe. now only to conceal thoughts—he you. And I had a reason much more They’re mistaken, but they don’t was on his feet, waiting to take her grave for recounting all this, Señor know it yet. We’ve got to set ’em down from the saddle. She slipped Bowie. And a confession to make. right on that point—that’s why I into his arms, neither too freely nor Monica, my Indian nurse, is still liv sent for your old foreman, Ben Par too restrainedly, but inevitably, for ing. She lives with my brother near daloe. an instant, into his arms. That in San Diego. Once in a long, long ‘Now don’t misunderstand me. stant was to plunge both into an time Monica comes away up here to Don’t start a fight with this scum ocean whose waters had been see me. yourselves—let them start it. But dreamed of but never before felt. “ Do you remember. Señor Bowie, if you see one of them riding any She drew back almost guiltily as that among the portraits at Guada where on the rancho, order him off. she smoothed her riding skirt and, lupe there is one of you?” If he puts up a fight and you think without looking directly at him, “ I remember.” you can handle him, well and good murmured a thank you. When she “ Monica, the instant she saw your —go after him. If you think you saw him throw the lines of the po can’t, whistle for help. If you catch nies, and they began cropping, her picture, screamed. When I quieted one of them running off so much as heart beat faster: he meant to linger her these were the words she spoke: 'That is the man who brought you a sick calf, go after him fast with a while. back to me at Los Alamos!* ” your lariat and gun and don’t give Pedro rode slowly up. “ Pedro,” him a chance to shoot first. Pow Her voice broke. She hid her face said Bowie, “ ride up to the Melena der and lead are cheap. I t ’s better and look about for any bogged cows in her hands. to shoot half a second too soon than He spoke quietly. “ Don’t let that before the squatters get them. If one hundredth part of a second too upset you. It might easily be a we do not follow you look for us late—remember that. This rancho mistake. She could hardly remem here on your way back.” belongs to your master, Don Ra As the vaquero spurred off, Car ber after so many years, señorita.” mon, and these squatters must be " I argued with her. 'You told men sat down on the grass with a taught that it does.” pleasing sweep of her voluminous me those men were heavily beard ed,’ I said. ‘This man is smooth “ These boys,” explained Bowie skirt, took off her hat and let the afterward to Pardaloe and Simmie, sea breeze play through her hair. faced.’ She only shook her head. ‘That,’ she said over and over, ‘is “ have been cowed by Blood and “ See!” she exclaimed, pointing as the man who laid you in my arms his bunch, who have been doing he threw himself on the ground be at Los Alamos!’ about as they please. We re going side her. “ There’s the bay. Isn’t to call Blood’s bluff, and you boys “ I was shaken almost to death “ I remember.” it gorgeous! I don’t think I ever by her story, señor. Shouldn’t you know how to do it. I ’m going to found this nook before.” be? Señor Bowie, were you that veteran promised to come get him for killing Sanchez, if for “ Señorita,” he said, plucking a man? Try to recollect.” dance at the wedding. nothing else. What’s the talk in blade of grass and paying no atten A week went before Bowie, very Monterey, Ben?” He stared at the grass by his tion to her words, “ something you side. At length he shook his head impatient, could get back to Guad "Well, they say Blood's friends said at dinner last night set me slowly. “ She must have been mis alupe. Fortunately, in the circum let him loose. I saw Deaf Peterson thinking.” taken.” Plucking at the grass, he stances, he reached the rancho in there one night, and he acted mean. “ How could anything 1 might say added with a slight tremor, “ I wish the evening. The night was clear. He's squatting over there with set you thinking, Señor Tajano?” she it were true.” A full moon was rising over the Blood. The talk—and I guess it ’s asked, plucking a blade of grass But Carmen had not done: she mountains, and just within the patio so—is that Blood has got together herself. only pressed her victim more close a slender girlish figure, wearing the twenty or thirty guerillas, and he “ You said you could now ride ly. “ Knowing you as well as I now very highest of her combs and claims he’s going to clean the coun without fear of being carried off. do, señor, perhaps better than you draped in her most elaborate Chi try up. They’re tough birds, and Why should you feel afraid of such think,” she continued, “ I felt it nese shawl, waited to greet him. blood’s got a special spite against a thing? Surely you don’t think these would be well to talk first to Señor “ Three nights,” she whispered Guadalupe.” miserable squatters would dare do Pardaloe, because I knew he came when she could catch breath to “ And Guadalupe's got a special that?” with you to California and might ex speak, “ three nights I have waited She was silent so long that he plain it. I did talk with him. He here long, long for you. Wicked spite against Blood,” remarked looked up at her for an answer. confirmed the story absolutely, even Tejano, to keep a poor, poor girl Bowie. “ But if the cuss does get When she spoke her expression had to the beard. Señor Bowie, you are shivering out here in the cold. You a bunch of guerillas together they can do mischief. No matter. We’ll completely changed. She was seri the man.” need not make excuses. I know just have to look alive till I can ous. “ Shall I tell you?” she asked Struggling no longer with pent-up you just forgot me. How are you, get my hands on him again.” in a tone quite new to him. querido? And now that you have_ emotion, she burst into tears. “ He claims he’s aim in’ to get “ Why not?” he said simply. “ Why, why, should this upset you what you call it—a job, you must his hands on you,” grinned Parda “ When I was a child,” she said, so señorita?” he pleaded. “ It may ask Don Ramon in the morning for loe. “ a dreadful tragedy came into my only possibly be true. And if it his daughter’s hand—if you think her “ I ’m easier to find than he is, life. First I must tell you, señor, I were . . . ” worth it. I, myself, don’t. But I Ben. But we’ll get together some am not the daughter of Dona Maria Her eyes, as she raised them to have heard it said that there is no day.” and Don Ramon. Dona Maria is his, flashed through the tears. “ And accounting for tastes.” Pardaloe and Simmie went to my aunt. My real father’s rancho if it were?’’ she echoed slowly and Don Ramon made the asking easy Monterey next day after powder near San Diego was raided one gravely. “ It has been the dream of for Bowie. “ If Carmen had done and lead and extra pistols and to dreadful day by Indians. They mur my life sometime, somewhere, to as I wished she would have been pick up what they could concerning dered my father and would have meet that man. In my heart I have yours long ago. You are welcome Blood’s whereabouts. Bowie intend murdered my mother, had it not said, ‘I f I can ever find that man I to my household, Senor Bowie. I ed to raid the squatters the day been for the plea of her Indian w ill wipe his feet with my hair trust you two may be happy to following the return of the two maid, Monica. As it was, the agony w ill serve him at table. I w ill be gether and may provide for Guad scouts. He himself, on the day they and terror that Mother suffered that his handmaiden for life.’ ” alupe the descendants for which left, took his vaqueros into the foot day killed her within a few weeks. “ Henry,” she exclaimed, holding my wife and I have vainly longed.” hills to round up the herd from There were three of us children left out her hand for him to help her The betrothal was made an pcca- which steers were being run off by orphans: an older brother, my up, “ how do you think I have stood sion of festivity at the rancho, cul squatters and raiders. younger sister Terecita, and myself. it since Monica told me it was you?” minating in a formal dinner to which That day Carmen took Felipe with My brother was not at home and “ Could it indeed have been I? Padre Martinez and his assistant her to go over to the mission on a so escaped. The Indians set fire to Could that sobbing little brown-eyed and Aunt Ysabel from Monterey joyous errand. She wanted to talk the ranch house and carried my girl I carried that day on my shoul were summoned. The household and over with Padre Martinez arrange sister and myself away with them der be this magnificent woman who the guests sat at table late and had ments for a wedding. into the mountains.” stands before me now? Carmen!” gathered in the living room with a She found the padre a little thin “ My sister and I were at the mer His voice threw more into the words fire in the huge fireplace. While the talk went on Felipe ner-each visit marked him as soon cy of the savages. I don’t remem than she had ever heard from hu er to become a walking skeleton. ber much of this—1 was too young, man lips. “ I love you. I have came in to whisper a message to But happily, he told her, he had and I was insane with terror, I loved you from the first moment I Bowie. He excused himself and was not been molested by raids for some do seem to remember a stormy ever saw you, Carmen. That is the gone only a few minutes. When he time and prayed and hoped for a night, a terrible fight, and being reason I had to leave Guadalupe. returned Carmen looked at him long relief from depredation. His snatched up with my sister and car That is the reason I never could questioningly, but he ignored all guard? Yes, he had his dozen Mexi ried away by other Indians—at least stand it to come back to Guada curiosity concerning his absence can soldiers; they were good fel I thought them such. But both Ter lupe and yet stay apart from you. from the room and no one asked lows but were eating him out of further. ecita and I were so far gone we Now you know everything!” It was only when he and Carmen house and home. Today they had knew little of what went on about Her composure, as she stood, were alone after the guests had left gone down, likewise, his administra us. astounded him. It was now he who tor, to San Jose for a fiesta; he “ But Monica, our faithful nurse, must work to control his voice and and he was bidding her good nigi t was afraid some of them would that he answered her question. has told me that four days after words. " I t was a messenger from Dr. come back drunk. And his poor In the burning of the rancho and the “ Henry," she said. His name on Doane. Felipe w ill put him up for dians—they had mostly turned hunt murders my sister and I were her lips maddened him. He caught ers and trappers to keep from starv the night.” brought back to the rancho by three her hands. “ Do you know every ing. But, Deo gracias, they were “ But what did he want?” white men with heavy beards. They thing?” she asked. “ Not quite—not “ He brought a message from the firm in their faith. He wished that could speak no Spanish; she could how shamefully silly I once was. I doctor to let me know that Blood his soldiers behaved as well. not understand a word they said, don’t know whether you can ever The scene that afternoon was as is out again. He broke ja il to and they were not going to leave forgive me. But since you have told peaceful as the message from the night at Monterey.” us with her until our old Padre me what you have just now told Bowie was in Monterey next day other world which the mission had Pasqual happened along, walking me, Henry—what more must I tell on business. His business was with brought to men. The few girls and down from San Gabriel. The men, you?” women remaining were busy with Ben Pardaloe. When they had fin their or at least one of them, talked by varied tasks. ished their conference Ben had en signs with the padre, and he as Carmen took supper with the pad CHAPTER X V II gaged to return to Guadalupe. A sured them it would be all right to fortnight later Bowie was riding re and his assistant, and with Fe turn us over to Monica.” Dona Maria may or may not have along the river with Carmen. She lipe started for home in the cool of “ Señorita,” said her companion guessed things when the young mis the evening. They had not ridden gently, “ this is too hard on you. You tress of the rancho appeared at the had asked to visit the quarter of far when the Indian signified Car the rancho threatened by the squat are suffering. Don’t tell any more dinner table. Carmen was a bit too men to stop. He scanned the ala now. I feel it myself.” He drew a animated to seem natural. And ters—three of their shacks were vis meda ahead. ible from where Bowie and Carmen breath of relief. “ Thank God, you Bowie laughed at times, Dona Ma “ Men, señorita,” he said, “ horse had halted. As they rode away a did escape.” ria thought, without adequate rea rifle shot echoed across the Melena, men. H alf a dozen or more. They are not our kind. I don’t like to Carmen gave no heed to his plea. son. and Bowie heard the sing of the meet them with you.” “ Who were these men—those three “ You made a long ride of it,” bullet as it passed. "What shall we do, Felipe?” men who saved my sister and me she suggested as a leading remark. “ Run for it, Carmen!” he ex “ Turn back at once.” fro m -w h a t shall I say?” She put Carmen responded composedly. claimed, striking her pony and spur- (TO BE CONTINUED) AROUND THE HOUSE hu nut move bread (lough after it begins to rise, or it is likely to fall. Select a spot, out of a draft, for the bowl Cover with n cloth and then let the dough alone. • • • If you sprinkle a little flour in the grease in which you are to fry eggs, croquettes, etc., the grease w ill not sputter. r • • • Delicious en erg y builders ,Oil hoof ond »of ...or serve cold...saves money...order, today, from your grocer. 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