San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-09-01

spanish grant TO three leagues OF land for
little over three months pay. Following
that yearning which compels retired ship
captains and rovers of all degree to buy a
farm in their old days, the major, profes-
sionally and socially Injured to border
strife, sought surcease and Arcadlan repose
in ranching.
1t was here that Mrs. Randolph, late
relict of the late Scipion LHommadieu,
devoted herself to bringing up her chill
dren after the EXTREMIST of French meth
DDS, and in resurrecting de" from her
own family to give distinct and aristo-
cratic character to their name. The de
Fontages L'Hommadieus" were, however
only known to their neighbors, after the
western fashion, by their stepfather's
name, when they were known at all, which
was seldom. For the boy was unpleasant
ly conceited as precocious wording, and
the girl as unpleasantly complacent in her
role of ingenue The household was COM
pletely dominated by Mrs. Randolph A
punctilious Catholic she attended all the
functions of the adjacent mission, and the
shadow of a black soutane at twilight
gliding through the wild oat fields behind
the rancho had often been mistaken for a
coyote. The peace loving major did not
object to a piety which, while it left his
own conscience free, impaired a respect
able religious air to his household, and
kept him from the equally distasteful ap-
proaches of the Puritanism of his neigh
bors, and was blissfully unconscious that
he was strengthening the antagonistic for
eign element in his family with an alien
church
Meantime, as the repaired buggy was
slowly making its way toward his house,
Maj. Randolph entered his wife's boudoir
with letter which the San Francisco post
had just brought him. A look of embar-
rassment on his good humored face
Strengthened the hard lines of hers, and she
felt some momentary weakness of her nat
ural enemy and prepared to give battle.
Pm afraid here's something of a mud
die, Josephine" he began with deprecat-
ing smile; Mallory, who was coming down
here with his daughter, you know
This is the first intimation have had
that anything has been settled upon," in
terrupted the lady with appalling delibera-
ton.
However, my dear, you know J told you
last week that he thought of bringing her
here while he went south on business.
You know, being a widower. be has no one
to leave her with"
"And suppose it is the American fash
ion to intrust ones daughters to any old
boon companion"
Mallory is an oil friend" interrupted
the major iIHpatiently. "He knows Pm
married, AMI although he has never seen
you he is quite willing to leave his daugh-
ter here"
THANK youn'
"Come, you know what l mean. The
man naturally believes that my wife will
be proper chaperon for his daughter.
But that Is not the present question. He
intended to call here; expected to take
YOU over to San Jose to see her and ell
that, you know, but the fact of it is-that
is-it seems from this letter that-he's
been called away sooner than he expected,
and that-well-hang it! The girl is &C
tually on her way here now"
"Alone?"
81 suppose so. You know one thinks
nothing of that here"
'Or any other propriety, for that mat
ter
For heavens sake, Josephine, don't be
ridiculous! OF course it's stupid her COM
ing in this way, and Mallory ought to have
brought her, but she's coming and we
must receive her. By Jove! Here she is
nowr' he added, starting up after hur-
ried glance through the window. "But
what kind of I'd turn out is that, any
how?"
1t certainly was an odd looking convey
ance that had entered the gates and was
now slowly coming up the drive toward
~ Irof
messed to a dust covered buggy, whose
strained foreaxle, bent by the last mile of
heavy road, had slanted the tops of the
forewheels toward each other at an alarm
ing angle The light, graceful dress and
elegant parasol of the young girl who oc-
cupied half of its single seat looked ludic-
rously pronounced by the side of the
slouching figure and grimy buster of the
driver, who occupied the other half.
Mrs. Randolph gave gritty laugh. 81
thought you said she was alone? Is that
an escort she has picked up, American
fashion, on the roadW
That's her hired driver, no doubt. Hang
it! she can't drive here by herself, " retorted
the major, impatiently, hurrying to the
door and down the staircase. But he was
instantly followed by his wife. She had
no idea of permitting possible under
standing to be exchanged in their first
greeting. The late NJ L'Hommadieu bad
been able to impart whole plan of in
trigue in a single word and glance.
Happily Rose Mallory, already in the
hall, in a few words detailed the accident
that had befallen her to the honest sympa-
thy of the major and the coldly polite con-
Germ of Mrs. Randolph, who in deliberate
ly chosen sentences managed to convey to
the young girl the conviction that acct