The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-10-23


implacable--
IL can go tomorrow at sunrise il like"
"As you will" returned Thatcher gravely.
"Gracias, Senior"
They walked slowly back to the house
Thatcher with masculine sense of being un
reasonably afflicted, Carmen with womanl
instinct of being hopelessly crushed NJ
word was spoken until they reached the door
Then Carmen suddenly, in her old, impulsiv,
way, and in child-libe treble, sang out
merrily: Good night, o Don Royal, and
pleasant dreams. Hasta manana,'
Thatcher stood dumb and astounded at this
capricious girl She saw his mystfication in
stantly at is for the old cat" she wills
pered, Jerking her thumb over her shoulder
in the direction of the sleeping Mrs p.
Good night-gow
He went to give orders for "A Iseon to at
day. He awoke to find Miss De IIaro gone,
with her escort, towards Monterey. And
without the PlodCitt.
He could not conceal his surprise from the
latter lady. She, left alone-a not altogether
unavailable victim to the wiles of our sex
was embarrassed But not so much that she
could not say to Thatcher: IL told you So
| gone to her uncle = To tell him all'
"All D--n it, what can she tell him."
roared Thatcher, stung out of his self-control.
Nothing, hope, hat she should not, " said
Mrs. F., and chastely retired.
] l,n ,,i,r tnl 10
Monterey, running her horse nearly off its
! legs to do it, and then sent back her beast
and escort, saying she would rejoin Mrs.
Plodgitt by steamer at San Francisco Then
she went boldly to the law Office of Sapo-
naceous Wood, district attorney and whilom
solicitor of her uncle.
With the majority of masculine Monterey
Miss Carmen was known and respectfully adj
mired despite the infelx reputation of her
kinsman. Mr. Wood was glad to see her, and
awkwardly gallant. Miss Carmen was cool
and business-like; she had come from her
uncle to "regard" the papers in the Red Rock
Rancho" case. They were instantly produced.
| Carmen turned to the application for the
grant. Her cheek paled slightly. With her
clear memory and wonderful fidelity of per-
ception she could not he mistaken The sig
nature of Micheltorena was in her own hand
writing
Yet she looked up to the lawyer with
smile: "May take these papers for an hour
to my unce'
Even an older and better man than the dis
trict attorney could not have resisted those
dropping lids and that gentle voice.
Certainly"
II will return them in al hour"
She was as good as her word, and within
the hour dropped the papers and q little cour
teSy to her uncle's legal advocate, and that
night took the steamer to San Francisco.
The next morning Victor Garcia, a little thu
worse for the previous nights dissipation,
reeled into Woods Office II have fears for
my niece Carmen She is with the enemy"
he said thickly "I.ooll you at this"
1t was an anonymous letter lin Mrs. Plodg-
tits own awkward fist, advising him of the
fact that his niece was bought by the enemy,
and cautioning him against her.
"ImpoSsible,' said the lawyer; lit was only
last week she sent thee $50"
Victor blushed, even through his ensan-
glincd checks, and made an impatient gesture
with his hand
Besides added the lawyer coolly, 'she has
been here to examine the papers at thy re-
quest, and returned them of yesterday"
Victor gasped-"And ou-you-you-gave
them to her"
"Of courSe!"
"All! Even the application and the sigma
turet'
"Certainly-you sent her."
"Sent herr The devils own daughterp
shrieked Garcia. NO! a hundred million
times, no. Quick, before it is too late Give
me the papers"
Mr. Wood reproduced the file Garcia ran
over it with trembling fingers until at last he
cutched the fateful document. Not content
with opening it and glancing at its text and
signature, he took it to the window.
at is the same" he muttered with sigh Of
relief.
"Of course it is" said Mr. Wood sharply
"The papers arc all there. You're a fool,
Victor GarciaW
And so he was. And, for the matter Of
that, SO was Mr.. Saponaceous Wood, Of coun-
sel
Meanwhile Miss De Hare returned to San
Francisco and resumed her work. A day or
two later she was joined hy her landlady.
Mrs +. hes too large nature to permit an
anonymous letter, written by her own hand,
To stand between her and her demeanor to her
little lodger. So she coddled her and fattered
her and depicted in slightly exaggerated
colors the grief of Don Royal at her sudden
departure. All of which Miss Carmen re-
ceived in demure, kitten-like way, but still
kept quietly at her work. In Iue time Don
Royals order was completed; still sho had
leisure and inclination enough ~ add certain
touches TO her CHASTITY sketch Of the orumb-
ing iuruace.