Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-06

you means'' said Mrs. Tucker. ~ Of
fered to sell it to him.
Patterson arose from the chair, looked
despairingly around him. passed his hand
sadly across his forehead and said: "It's
come! l knew il would. It's the warn
ing! It's suthing betwixt iim-iams and
doddering idiiocy. Here I'd hey been
wIllin' to swear that Mrs. Baxter-here
told me she had sold this yer ranch nearly
two years ago TO Don Jose, and now
you"
''Stopp' said Mrs. Tucker, in voice
that chilled them.
She was standing upright and rigid, as
if stricken to stone. II command YOU to
/ tell me what this means :" she said turn
ing only her blazing eyes upon the woman.
Even the ready smile faded from Mrs.
BaXter's lips as she replied hesitatingly
and submissively: II thought YOU knew
/ already that Spencer had given this ranch
to me. sold it to Don Jose to get the
money for us to go away with. It was
! Spencer's idea"
! You lie!" said Mrs. Tucker.
! There was a dead silence. The wrath
ful blood that had quickly mounted to
Mrs. Bakers cheek. to PattersOn's addi-
I tl0nal bewilderment faded as quickly.
/ She did not lift her eyes again to Mrs,
/ fuckers, but, slowly raising herself from
I her seat, said. Il wish to God I did lie:
but it's true. And it's true that l never
touched cent of the money, but gave it
all TO hlm!f She laid her hand on Patter-
sons arm and said, ssComel let us go.,,
and led him a few steps toward the gate
way. But here Patterson paused and
again pressed his hand over his melan-
choly brow. The necessity OF coherentIy
and logically closing the conversation i'm
pressed itself upon his darkening mind.
Then you don't happen TO have heard
anything OF Spencerfv be said sadly. and
vanished with Mrs. Baxter through the
gate.
Left alone TO herself, Mrs. Tucker raised
her hands above her head with a littlecrv
Interlocked her rigid fingers and slowly
brought her palms down upon her up
turned face and eyes, pressing hard as IL
to crush out all light and sense Of life be-
tore her. She stood thus for a moment
motionless and silent, with the rising wind
whispering without and iecking her white
morning dress with gusty shadows from
the arbor. Then, with closed ewes. drop
ping her hands to her breast. stiIl press
ing hard, she slowly passed them down
the shapely contours of her figure 10 the
waist, and with another CRY cast them of
as II she were stripping herself of some
loathsOme garment. Then she walked
quickly to the gateway, looked out. re-
turned to the corridor. uniOOseniug and
taking OF her wedding ring from her in
ger as she walked. Here she paused. then
slowly and deliberately rearranged the
chairs and adjusted the gay-colOred rugs
that draped them and quietly re-entered
her chamber.
Two days afterward the sweating steed
OF capt. POindexter was turned loose IN
the corral and moment later the Captain
entered the corridor. Handing a letter
to the decrepit COncha, who seemed to be ]
utterly disorganized by its contents. and
the Few curt words with which it was de-
lIFereds ne gazed silently upon the vacant
bower, still fresh and redOlent with the
delcacy and perfume Of its graceful oe-
cupant, until his dark eyes filled with un-
accustomed moisture. But his reyerie
was interrupted By the sound Of iingling
spurs without, and the old humor strug-
gled back in his ewes as Don Jose impeti7-
ously entered. The Spaniard started back.
but instantly recovered himself.
80, md you here. Ah!-it is weIl.r 1
ne SAID passi0nately, producing letter
from his bosom. Look! Do Won can
this honor! Look how you keep your /
cOmpactr'
POindexter coOlIy took the letter. II |
contained few words Of gentle dignity !
from Mrs. Tucker, informing Don lose I
that she had only that instant learned Of |
MS just claims upon Los CuerYOs. ten
dering him her gratitude for his dPiicatein- /
tentions, but pointing out with respectful |
hrmness that he must know that a mo- /
ments further acceptance Of his courtesy (
was impossible.
''She has gained this knowledge from no /
word Of mine," said POindeXter. calmly.
''RigRt or wrong, l have kept my promise I
TO you. have as much reason to accuse /
you Of hetraying my secret in this" he 4
added coldly, as he took another letter /
from his pocket and handed it to Don Jose.
1t seemed briefer and colder. but was 4
neither. 1t reminded Poindexter that as 4
he had again deceived her. she must take /
the government of her affairs in her own
hands henceforth. She abandoned all the |
furniture and Improvements she had put in /
Los CuerYOs TO him, to whom she now knew /
she was indebted for them. She could not I
thank him for what his habituaI generos- /
ity impelled him to do for any woman, but 4
she could forgive him for misunderstood I
ing her like any other woman-perhaps /
she should say, like a child, When he 4
received this she would be already on her 1
way to her old home in Kentucky, where 4
she still hoped to be able by her own ef- i
forts to amasS enough to discharge her I
obligations to him.
''She does not speak of her husband 4
this woman" said Don Jose, scanning 4
POindexter's face. 1T is possible she re- /
joins him, chi -
him. Don JOSEF said PoindeXter, with 4
grave significance.
Don JOse's face flushed, but he returned /
carelessly, 'And the rdHchO-naturaIIy 4
you viii not buy it nowT'
son the contrary, l shall abide by my l
OFFER" said POindeXter, quietly.
Don Jose eyed him narrowly, and then I
said. 'Ah, we shall consider Of it,
He did consider il, and accepted the I
ta Fr,fF So -.
Capt. POindexter's improvements. so in /
definitely postponed, were actively pushed /
forward. The thick walls of the hacienda 4
were the first TO melt away before them; /
the low lines OF corral were etfaced and +
the early breath Of the summer trade 4
winds swept uninterruptedly across the t
now leYeled plain 10 the ela5GrcG1erO, I
where a newer structure arose. A more
vivid green alone marked the spot where +
the crumbling adobe walls Of the casa had
returned 70 the parent soil that gave II
The channel was deepened, the lagoon was
drained. until one evening the magic mir
rOr that had so long reflected the weary
waiting Of the Blue Grass Penelope lay
dun, dead, lustreless-an opaque quag-
be put away from the sight u man forever.
On this.spot the crows-the titular tenants
of Los Cuervos-assembled in tUmuItuous
coming and going in mysterious
clouds. or laboring in thick and writing
masses. as If they were continuing the
work OF Improvement begun By human
agency. so well had they done their
work that by the end OF week only a few
scattered white objects renamed glitter
ing on the surface Of the quickly driving
soil. But they were the bones Of the miss
ing Outcast, Spencer Tucker!
The same spring breath Of war swept /
over foul, decaying quagmire Of the /
whole land, before which such passing
deeds as these were blown as a yapor. It /
called men Of all rank aud condition to 4
battle for nations life, and among the /
first to respond were those into whose 4
boyish hands had been placed the nations /
honor. It returned the epaulettes 10 Poin- i
dexter's shoulder, with the addition Of 4
double star, carried him triumphantly 70 i
the front, and LEFT him, at the end Of a 4
summers day and a hard-wOn fight, sorely i
wounded, at the door or Blue Grass farm /
house. And the woman who sought him 4
out and ministered 70 his wants said TIM 4
idly as she left her hand il his. Il told 4
you / should live TO repay YOU"
THE END.
WOMEN go 10 s se2shore resort near san 4
Francisco n great numbers unsttended by /