Illinois Valley News, Thursday, November 21, 1940 Page Six CHAPTER XII—Continued —12— “Well—if you say so, Padre—so these. Take, senor, the powder and ball.” "Sanchez, I will not forget you." "But you will come back?” Bowie looked at the land he loved, the fair land to which be was say­ ing good-by. He looked at Sanchez. "Quien sabe?” He watched the Indian ride silent­ ly away. Away, mused Bowie, to the scene of his bitterest tragedv and his dead­ ly revenge. Why Is it that, like the wounded animal, we crawl back to die where the arrow struck us down? And I, he mused on, back to the desert, back to the torment of hun- ger and thirst; leaving this land flowing with milk and honey and licking my wound—perhaps, who knows, to die. Well—let Sanchez go to Guadalupe. I won't go back.” But he knew Bowie better than any It’s so cut that it can’t slip from other person at Guadalupe. He had your shoulders. seen him in many tight places; he Just leave off the bib part of the had seen him meet emergency and coverall, and you have the high- knew his resourcefulness. He could cut, saucy little tie-around. Ba­ only say. and did say, that he tiste, gingham, linen, percale and thought Bowie would make it and seersucker are pretty apron ma- return. ; terials. Many moons passed at the rancho • • • before anyone knew whether Pe- Barbara Bell Pattern No 1993-B is de­ signed tor sizes 32. 34. 36. 38. 40. 42 and 44. dro's prophecy or Don Ramon's Size 34 requires, for #1, 2'.« yards of 35- foreboding would prove right. Guad­ mch material without nap and 6 yards alupe affairs did not improve in rickrack; l»i yards for #2. and 3% yards, trimming. Send order toi the long interval; rather, they grew worse. To make matters worse at Guad­ SEWING CIRCI.E PATTERN DEPT. 149 New Montgomery Ave. alupe. Don Ramon, never robust, a San Francisco Calif. man of peace, unfitted to cope with Enclose 15 cents in coins for such conditions, fell ill, and the trou­ Pattern No............ Size.......... bled management of the rancho fell Name ........... ....................... .. on Dona Maria. ’ Address ................ ....... This, in turn, meant that Carmen would have to assume a share of the burden, and she did so. Pedro gradually came to look to her first Conscience, Honor, Credit for her mother’s orders and at The World will never be in any length for her own. Carmen of ne­ manner of order or tranquility, cessity became active in the saddle until men are firmly convinced, and, under the wing of Pedro and that Conscience, Honor and Credit his husky vaqueros, full of fight at are all in one interest; and that the thought of marauders. Her without the concurrence of the for­ mother’s chief worry was that the burning-eyed girl would become em­ mer, the latter are but impositions I upon ourselves and others.— broiled, to her undoing, in resist­ ing minor raids on the rancho. i Steele. None of this round of anxieties and excitement diminished the in­ terest of Dona Maria or her daugh­ ter in the affairs of Mission Santa Clara. Its now rapid spoliation by the greedy Mexican government served to sharpen the sympathies and pleasure .. . saves cooking of Dona Maria and Carmen for the time and money... nourishing... patient padres who submitted with­ order, today, from your grocer. out resistance to the outrageous pil­ lage of their corrupt oppressors. “It is not for ourselves, dear seño­ rita,” said Padre Martinez to Car­ men, "that we mourn, but for these poor neophytes, our Indian men and 'T'WO of the most useful aprons Indian women whom we are forced in the world are yours in this to turn away to drift back, so many one simple pattern (No. 1993-B). of them, into savagery. With our One is the all-protective type that you rely on to keep your dresses clean while preparing supper. The other is the more or less decora­ tive little tie-around that you wear when serving afternoon tea. No­ tice the special virtues of the cov­ erall. It protects the top as well as the skirt of your dress; it goes over your head and ties in a jiffy. CHAPTER XIII Rancho Guadalupe wai not quiet during the year following Bowie’s departure. Political disturbances The priest rose. "I will give you marked the period throughout Cali­ absolution. I will perform your pen­ fornia. Rival Mexican factions were ance for you. And whatever hap­ in motion most of the time. Fre­ pens, you will be ready. Good-by, mont, increasingly bold, had en­ my son. You now truly are my larged the scope of his depredations. son." He raised his wrinkled hand, Commodore Stockton had not as yet expressed the symbol of eternity told him bluntly where he belonged. above him, and spoke low and rap­ Pardaloe and Simmie, deserted by idly the serious words of absolution. Bowie, felt the wanderlust and re­ Again the lumbering footstep was signed at Guadalupe to betake them­ heard in the corridor. "Come!” selves to Sutter’s where, as hunters shouted the guard, unlocking and and riflemen, they were welcomed opening the door. It would have by the energetic Swiss. been so easy, thought Bowie, to have knocked him down. If there had been lingering, after Bowie’s departure from Guadalupe, "I am ready, amigo.” Speaking a penumbra of the reputation that placatingly, the padre stepped into his presence had established at the the corridor and walked away. In Texas the adventurer found ev­ rancho, it faded completely when As darkness fell Bowie stood close erything changed. And, to his taste, his scouts left Minor marauders had heretofore steered clear of the to the peephole, watching for the changed for the worse. noted hacienda, since the Tejanos padre to pass in the corridor. He Bowie had left the sturdy little was no longer anxious to finish the republic imbued with some feeling were known to visit swift and severe tunnel, feeling sure that he could of enthusiasm tor a country he could punishment on any who ran off horses or cattle. The wild Tulares, take Sanchez with him. the Mexican rovers and the wan- A hooded figure passed Bowie's dering Americanos had long been cell and, without pausing, walked content to do their pillaging else- down the corridor. The Texan tip­ where. toed back to his stool and sat down Seemingly everything united in to listen. that year to make the situation of Hour after hour passed in the cell, Don Ramon and Guadalupe unpleas­ with Bowie straining his ears and ant And at the dinners many were senses to hear the whistle which the regretful expressions that Bowie should tell him the horses had come. had deserted the rancho—for so his Sanchez stealthily appeared at the going was mildly characterized by cell door and unlocked it. Bowie ■ his Spanish friends. drew him in for a whispered confi­ dence. One morning after an especially exasperating report had come in “Two horses will soon be left from Pedro, about a caballeria of hind the guardhouse, I wait horses that had been run off during them." the night by thieving Americanos, "Why two?” i Carmen spoke up with spirit “You are going with “But why,” she asked of no one “Me?" in particular, “why, instead of talk­ "Yes, you. Do you want to ing so much about it, don't we do shot? When you hear the whistle, something about getting Senor Bow­ come back and we will start.” ie back?” Sanchez hesitated. . “Hark! the What could be done, even to get signal,” whispered Bowie. ”1 will track of him, let alone getting him wait for you at the horses. Work back to Guadalupe? Inquiry fol­ fast.” lowed inquiry concerning him. Car­ The Texan curbed his nervous ap­ men epecially took up the subject prehension as well as he could. with energy. It was quite in vain. Slinking around to the rear of the His friends were besought to hunt jail, he found the horses, their heads him up. Dr. Doane was enlisted; roped together. They stood quiet “And whatever happens, you he worked at the task. He had a and Bowie, after patting them, will be ready.” friendly Interest in bringing him walked back to the guardroom. call his own, hoping as he did to back to what appeared to his vision "Sanchez,” whispered Bowie in unite with its fortunes the grandiose an altered situation. the dark, “can you find me a knife domain of the Pacific Coast. At Mission Santa Clara Padre or a pistol?” In California itself he had been Martinez was appealed to. He, too, "Here are both, senor. And I forced to realize how futile any such was very ready to do what he could, have one each for myself; and pow­ effort must be. Much greater na­ which was little, but he wrote to der and lead." tions—the ambitious Americans, the fellow missioners in the South to “Then you are ready?" perennially grasping British, the ask that they be on the lookout. In "Ready, senor." Black-bearded Russians, the easy­ Yerba Buena Nathan Spear, Dr. "Listen. Before I go back to the going Spaniards and the thrice-stu- Doane's friend, told the doctor that horses I will leave my compliments pid Mexicans—were all striving to he had in his safe a considerable to Pico. Take your keys and un­ land in their laps the prize of the sum of money belonging to Bowie lock every door along the corridor." world—California. but had no clue as to where the “Senor!" And now after ten years the re- owner might be. He could write, “Exactly—every door. Give ev­ public of Texas was no more. A and did write, to his Los Angeles ery man his chance to get away new crop of politicians had sprung correspondent. Beyond this, that a from this Mexican scoundrel. Make up. The warriors of Texas were man of the same surname. Bowie, baste.” gone, or their counsels were sneered had been in prison at San Diego on Bowie returned to the horses. He at. The slaveholders of the United a charge of treason and had made loosed them and awaited Sanchez, States were plotting to add the vast his escape, nothing further could be who lost no time in rejoining him. territory of the little republic to the learned as to his whereabouts. The horses’ feet were muffled, and slaveholding states, and they now At Sutter’s neither of Bowie’s the two mounted men, riding with controlled the sentiment of Texas. men, Pardaloe or Simmie, had any extreme care and with Sanchez for Ysabel was right! The wheat is almost cut. track of him. They were told at guide, made their escape without It took some time for Bowie to Ret Sutter's that he had packed up. re­ cattle taken and our horses sold an alarm being sounded. Working all this clear in his head. But the sisting all inducements to remain, how can we buy grain to feed these east by north, daybreak found them clearer the intrigue became, the and left the fort. poor people? And it would break well into the first range of moun­ deeper grew his disgust for the an- A ray of light on the fate of the your heart, señorita, to see them tains to the east of the presidio. nexationists who were seated in the missing man came, after a year or plead with us for food. They look “We are well out of that rascal's political saddles. more, from a least expected quar- to us as children to their mother. reach, Sanchez.” said Bowie. "The He realized that, after all, poli­ ter. Pedro, one morning, brought They do not understand. They only question now is: what do we want tics held no abiding interest for in word that the missing Sanchez say, ‘We are hungry.’ What can we to do? I am on my way to Texas. him. The thing that pleased him had come back; that he had found do?” Do you want to come along?” most was the wild longhorns of the the rascal, Yosco and killed him Carmen’s eyes flashed. "I know “Texas, senor? Where is that?" great prairies. The longhorn of his and he was hiding somewhere near what we can do. Padre. We have “A long way—six, seven sleeps if youth had not changed; the vast Mission Santa Clara and had men­ at Guadalupe every promise of a no trouble on the way. If trouble, sweep of the Staked Plain had not tioned to Indians there news of bountiful harvest. The wheat is al­ no one can say how many sleeps. changed. Bowie. most ready to cut. There is a gran­ Sometimes bad Indians; sometimes And then there was a sense of the Pedro was dispatched to the mis­ ary full of last year's wheat. You lose the way. Wide deserts, high comradeship of these men that rode mountains, deep rivers. But I with him through fair sunshine and sion Indians at once with instruc­ shall have every bushel above our crossed them once. I can do it foul northers, men who had no am­ tions to bring Sanchez back by fair own needs for your poor Indians. This wretched robber Mexican gov­ again. While we rest, think it over. bition but to serve, no instinct but means or foul, to assure him that ernment! What greedy beasts! Talk If you want to come with me, I of loyalty, in whose lexicons there his old job was open for him and about Americanos! They couldn't be that, while he had not been forgiv ­ will take the best care 1 can of was no such word as fear—most of en for killing the man who had tak­ worse!” you." them had fought in the battles of II "Such is our lot, my child,” said Warmed by the sun. breakfasted, Texas for freedom—men who hated en his sweetheart, his conduct would thanking her. and fatigued by the excitement and the greaser politicos with a right­ be overlooked. After two days of Padre Martinez, strain of the escape, Bowie eous hatred and owed no fealty to suspense at Guadalupe Pedro, ear­ "Cease not to pray. Only to heaven ly the third morning, walked into can we turn for help.” stretched before the dying fire and any but their leader. the office of Don Ramon to say he fell asleep. While he napped San­ To Bowie such men were all in In Monterey Dr. Doane's oflflce chez sat drawing figures in the all. His concerns were their con­ had Sanchez with him. Dona Maria and Carmen joined was not far from the water front sandy soil with bits of sticks. cerns, his feuds, their feuds; his Bowie woke and rose to his feet enemies, their enemies. Bowie loved Don Ramon and waited to hear San­ The doctor himself, in the inner of­ "Sanchez," he asked, "what do you his cowboys; they loved him— chez' story. It was vivid and ab­ fice, was engaged one morning in say? What do you want to do?" proved it through storm and stress. sorbing, for Sanchez told everything. reading when the outer door opened The Indian's mind was made up. Yet something, somewhere in his But in the end the question mark and a bearded man looked in on “Senor," he said respectfully, ”1 thoughts, would never quite disap­ of mystery still remained. The two him. The doctor glanced up. “Bowie!” think it better for me to stay in my pear. Banished, it would always men had parted in the mountains, own country. I will go back to come back. Those other nights, Sanchez to go north, Bowie to work he exclaimed. "Where in Texas did Rancho Guadalupe.” those nights glorified by the same his way over the inhospitable Si­ you come from? Sit down.” ■“I hardly expected to see you Bowie could hardly have believed, stars- -it was the thought of those erras and across the trackless des­ until he heard them, how sharply thnt stole in on his wakeful hours. ert and the Staked Plain into far­ again in California,” said the doc­ tor, when the men had seated them­ the words would cut him. Guada­ With everything to invite sleep— away Texas. It was a recital so convincing that selves. "so tell me all about it.” lupe! What that meant to him! peace In the silent camp, peace in What moments of sheer happiness, the stilled winds, a hard day's ride none thought to question it. Surmise “Not much to tell," countered what dreams buoyant with life, what behind, a hard day's ride ahead— fixed only on the possibilities of the Bowie. "I got a letter from Cap­ memories of snow-capped peaks, sleep would not come. The stars of outcome. To undertake such a feat, tain Sutter while I was in San An­ challenging storms, delectable sun­ the vast plains to look up at , . . even in a stout company of fron­ tonio, making me a pretty good of­ shine! What peace at an evening but these same stars lighted the tiersmen. at that early period of fer to join him as a partner. So fireside, with a presence near, while night in California. The cattle— California travel, w as enough to give I’m on my way to San Francisco, he hoarded, miserlike, within hit with their death-dealing horns, were the hardy pause; to attempt it alone as they call it now, to get some breast the silent treasure of his full brother warriors of those long- was a challenge to the most reck­ money from Nat Spear and take a less adventurer. Spanish thought boat Wednesday with my horses up dreams! horns of California. Then the rude awakening! The Everything seemed to say Cali- would dismiss such an attempt as the river. It’s three months now stinging wound, the crushing reali­ fornia. Before he had left it they insanity. Yet the men who were to since the captain wrote, so he may sation that his castle dreams had had told him it would be so. No make California into a frontier em­ have made different arrangements. pire did attempt the hazards of such We’ll see.” vanished. Guadalupe indeed! one, they told him. could forget Cal- i There was a natural bond of sym­ He nodded slowly in response to ifomia. He would, they said, al- endeavor and sometimes, th- ■ugh by pathy between the Irish doctor and Sanchez’ decision. "Perhaps it is ways hear the soft wild call of ’ the no means always, got through. Much talk followed Sanchez’ news. the gaunt Texan. They talked some better so. Yes. I am sure it is. oriole, the plaintive note of the These are your friends, They will meadow lark, the distant coo of ! the Don Ramon gave up at once all time before the conversation turned You are ruddy-throated dove. If he had to expectations of ever seeing Bowie to what Bowie wanted to hear about welcome you. Sanchez, think of California, these were the again. The Indians were divided in But aince both were pretty good wise." In parting. Sanchez gave to Bow­ thoughts he tried to dwell on. One opinion. Sanchez doubted whether at masking their inner thoughts and ie the flint and tinder and the salt he doggedly tried to shun- the mu- Bowie could survive the penis and each waited on the other, it took sic of one voice, a voiee that he hardships that lay ahead of him time to bring the talk around W “But what will you do?" “I will atop at Mission San Ga­ strove so hard not to hear when Pedro could not argue or express Honcho Guadalupe. himself eloquently on any subject (TO HF CONTIXI'ED) briel The padres will give me sleep shunned him. I be it," replied Bowie. I Delicious for parties Van (amp’s PorkandBEANS Feast-for - the - Least " Strange Facts ! ! Jap Bride’s Pledge ’Buries’ Characters Gigantic Sun Trap Wise Course The wise course is to profit from the mistakes of others.—Terence.