The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-10-20

nAn0sOm6 lace, was the thought that ragged in her to madness.
 "He will speak to my papa surely,n whispered hope. "Most possibly he knows our hAbitude. Good My papa will say tall right Then she ener- getically brought old Don Tomas, her father, and the Englishman, tete-a- tete over their coffee and card table.
 As for her, she crocheted, counted stitches and the beads of her rosary at once, in awful superstitious despera- tion.
 The young guest lost . nice little sum of money to Don Tomas as a farewell courtesy; this was the result of the Donna's fnesse, this, and noth- ing more.
 Coffee cups and saucers and voluble Spanish clattered.
 At this juncture 6 servant ran in with the news that the broncho had thrown his rider at the gate and killed him.
 There was a general rush of people from the room to the yard but Mar garita, she remained in her chair, and by single imperative motion kept Jack Johns by her side. They were alone at last.
 She threw her crochet needles away, and threw herself in passionate tears, wildly, unhesitatingly, on his breast. She slid down to his feet with little brown hands raised and her black hair streaming in the dust. All the pride of her race and sex vanished like wax before the flames.
 "Take me! am yours-your peOn your dog-anythingl Leave me, you cannot! My God, see! I die truly"
 On this interesting tableau Chico, the cook, broke in suddenly asking for remedies, wine-whisky-restora- tives.
 First the mad little woman rose up, perhaps in shame for her abandonment; then she sprang at the intruding Chico, and smote him stinging blow in the face which would have sent the old man reeling to the floor had he not been SO short and sturdy of legs.
 Mir. Johns recoiled, as if he likewise had been struck by that small hand.
 Disguised or abashed, I know not which, he left her without word.
 Later Miguel found his cousin rigid in faint or fit.
 She regained consciousness and breath with one gasped word "Mdtar!'
 "Poor little onel" soothed Miguel, unheeding her wild talk; Che is gone absolutely, but dry thy tears; l am left to thee, my heart and soul. l am yet faithful-always-ever-eternal . 'ly."
 Struggling to her feet, she said {: "You lie You never loved me wholly, or else" and broke off, and began a restless walk like something wild in 8 cage.
 "Holy Motheri look at this-my cousin! Margarita, thow knowest l live but to look at thy face. A wish, a word from thee-God of Heaven 1 it is done, though stretch myself dead at thy feet! No! No! It is so! True as the blessed creed"
 Up and down che walked, rolling cigarito after cigsrito-one puff of each, then away with it. When Miguel prayed her to compose her. self, she struck her palms together with a shriek:
 "I am dying for that cold devil Tdlgame Dios! he kissed me once and told me that my eyes had sent him crazy. Heretic! Ingles of lies most infamous? It is I-I, who am loco demente-fool! Miguel, swear to me you love me, SO? Listen, then" And she panted out to him an awful com- mand.
 The poor young Mexican's eyes dilated in horror. For all that has been said of him, he was not danger ous. He was jealous, but not a bad man of himself, and this woman had long tortured him cruelty.
 The thing he had to do staggered Miguel.
 "Of truth do you mean it, my life and soul?"
 She stamped her foot imperiously, and pointed to the door. "Mother of Godl" Miguel hid his face in his her.
 "Buenoi I go," said he.
 
 The moon came up, finging out a white light, under which the rising mist hung silvery over hill and bush and canon.
 Jack Johns rode onward thought fully. He was glad to be going home soon-back to his mothers knee, in the halo of her prayers- This world, he was thinking, had dangerous pitt falls for young men, and he was not to be trusted. Why even in this calm solitude, far from the hum and shock of men, he had almost tripped and been shorn of his strength like Sam