The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-07-06


holdinS the paper like Q baton. and de-.
nnins With sweep Of his arm the whole level
plain. ali these lands were once mine-they
arc mine again to-day" DO want to pur-
chase Los Cuervos you ask. for you will speak
OF the business. Well. listen. have pur-
chased Los Cusrvos. and here 10 the deed"
But It has nevor boon recorded" said Poin-
dexter. with . careiessness no was far from
feeling.
"of q verify. no. Do you wish that should
record I'll" asked Don jose. with return Of
his simple gravity.
Poindsxter bit his lip. you said We were to
talk like gentlemen" he returned. DO you
think you have come into possession Of this
alleged deed like gentleman ?"
Don jose shrugged his shoulders. IT found
II tossed In tho lap Of harlot bought It for
song. Eh-what would you3"
Would you sell II again for song ?" asked
Poindexter.
"Ahi what is thisa" said Don Jose lifting
his iron-gray brows: but moment ago We
would sell evorything-for any money. Now
We would buy. II II sop''
"One moment. Don Jos6." said Poindexter.
with baleful light In his dark eyes. do
understand that you are the ally Of Spencer
Tucker and his mlstress-thnt you intend TO
turn this doubly betrayed wife from the only
roof she has to cover herr"
"Ah. comprehend not. You heard her say
she wished to GO. Perhaps Il may please me to
distribute lareess to these cattle yonder; do
not say no. More she does not ask. But you.
Don Marco. OF whom arc you advocated You
abandon your clients mistress for tho wife-is
| It so7"
What may do you will learn hereafter"
| said Poindexter. who had rcgained his compo-
| sure. suddenly refining mp his horse. As our
paths seem likely to diverge. they had better
begin now. Good morning."
Patience. my friend. patisncei All. blessed
st. Anthony. what these Americans arsi Lis
ten. For what you shall do do not inquire.
The question Ii to me. what I"-he emphasized
the pronoun by tapping himself on the breast
Il. Jos6 Santierrn. will do. Well. shall toll
you. To-day-nothing. To-morrow-nothlns.
For week. for month-nothlngl After. We
shall see."
Polndexter paused thouehtfully. "will you
give your word. Don jose. that you will not
press the claim for MONTH"
Truly. on one condition. Observe! do
not ask you for an equal promise-that you
will not take this time to defend your
SELF" He shrugged his shoulders. mol 1t 10
only this. You shall promise that during that
time the scnora Tucker shall remain ignorant
OF this document"
Poindexter hesitated . moment II prom.
| toos no b6iu ~ lbbW
Good. Adds. Don Marco
'Adois Don jose"
The Spaniard put spurs to his mustang and
| gallopped OF In the direction Of Los Gatos.
| Tho lawyer remained for moment gazing on
| his retreating but victorious figure. For the
| first time the old look Of humorous federation
| with which Mr.. Pondexter was In the habit of
| regarding all human infrmity gave way to
something like bitterness. Il might havo
guessed 1t" he said with slight rise Of color.
He's an old fool; and she-well. perhaps it's
| all the better for horl' He glanced backward
almost tenderly In the direction OF Los
Cuervos. and then turned his hosd toward the
| en1barcaderO.
As the afternoon wore on. creaking. anti
| auated oxcart arrived at Los Cuervos bearing
several articles Of furniture. and some tasteful
ornaments from Los Gatos. at the same time
| that a young Mexican girl mysteriously ap.
| peared In the kitchen. as temporary assist
ant OF the decrepit Concha These were both
clearly attributable to Don Jos6. whose visit
was not 30 remote but that those delicate at
tentions might have been already projected be-
| fore Mrs. Tucker had declined them. and she
could not. without marked disoourtesy. reject
them now. She did not wish to seem discour-
teous; she would like to have been more civil
| to this Old gentleman. who still retained the
evidences Of picturesque and decorous past.
| and repose so different from tho life
that was perplexing her. Rejecting that
II he bought the estate these things
| would be ready to his hand. and with a
womans instinct recognizing their value In
setting of the house to other purchasers eyes.
she took a pleasure In tastefully arranging
them. and evon found herself specializing how
she might have enjoyed them herself had she
| boon able to keep possession OF the property.
far nj vp,tll nat hov hnaN nal q
refined and gentle neiGhbors like this old man.
would have sympathized with her: she had an
| instructive feeling that. In their own hopeless
| decay and hereditary unfitness for this new
| civilization. they would have been more toler-
| ant OF her husbands failure than his own kind.
She could not believe that Don joss really
hated her husband for buying Of the sue
sessiul claimant. as there was no other
legal title. Allowing herself to become inter-
ested In the 9uileless gossip OF the new hand.
| maiden-proud OF her broken English-she was
drawn into sympathy with the grave sim.
p!icity OF Don Jos6's character-a relic Of that
| true nobility which placed the descendant OF
the Castilians and this daughter Of o free peo-
| pie on the same level.
| In this way the second day OF her occupancy
OF Los Cuervos closed. with dumb clouds along
the gray horizon. and the paroxysms OF hys-
| terical wind growing fainter and fainter out
| side the walls; with the moon rising after
nightiall. and losing itsolf In silent and mys-
FERROUS condolences with drifting scud. She
went to bed early. but awoke past midnight
hearing. a. she thought. her own name called.
The impression was 30 strong upon her that
she rose. and. hastily enwrapping herself.
| went TO the dark embrssures OF the
oven-shaped windows and looked out The
dwHrfed oak beside the window was still
dropping from . past shower. but the level
waste Of marsh and meadow beyond seemed
to advance and reoede with the coming and
going OF the moon. Again she heard her name
called. and this time In accents SO strangely
familiar that with slight cry she ran into tho
| corridor. crossed the patio. and reached the
open gate. Tho darkness that had. even in this
| brief interval. again fallen upon tho prospect
she tried In vain to pierce with eye and voice.
A blank silence followed. Then the veil was
| suddenly Withdrawn; tho vast plain etratchinR