Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-04-22
JUANA'S ORDEAL.

The early morning sunshine Hinged alike
mountain and sea 10 tho beautiful valley
Of Carpenterla, In southern California.
Juana walked slowly down the path that
led from the kitchen door n the quaint
house 20 the more scquesterrd barn. From
here the path led on along the road. In aud
out among apricot aud fg trees. until u
stopped abruptly, rs II quite worn out with
It's erertions. on the outskirts ofthe ranch.
Juana paused moment, then gathering
her akirta tightly In her left hand she 10
gan " climb tho steep trail. She took u
without languor or delay, her strong young
figure moving upward with scarcely
pause for breath iii she reached tho top.
Here an old fence bounded the hill pas
ture belonging 10 juana's father She
fnng herself lightly against the bars Of the
gate TO rcst and 10 gaze upon tho socne
spread out below.
On the east the long dusty road was
fanked by ranches more OF less cultivated.
Here aud there symmetrical rows Of leans
met the eye Olive trees mingled with
walnuts were scattered everywhere. Occn.
slonally rel tiled adolc relieved tho mo-
notony OF open pasture lands and fields
dotted with oaks aud yellow with the blos-
sons Of the golden mustard.
From the foothills rose precipltatcly the
purple mountains. whose cr,sts ar. often
yelled with clouds Of fcathory mist. A fair
land, and dear 10 tho ranchcr's daughter
from her baby hood-ths place Of her birth
aud OF her people before her. Yet 10 any
one else who had been there the most plct-
urcsque thing would not have been the out
spread landscape, but III. young Spanish
girl leaning on the worn gate TO look at II.
She turned now. aud began series Of
low, coaxing whistles, which presently
brought her favorits mustang, Pedro, TO
the bars OF the gate. The gate posts were
worn smooth by the rubbing of patient an.
finals from the adjoining Held. aud had 10
not been for tho friendly hay ripe about
their rickety tops Pedro would have surely
knocked them down Us he stretched hls
neck over tho bars 10 bc carcssed by his
mistress.
They were a pretty plcture-the two
The blue.hlaek hair Of the girl made more
vivid the ripe color In her olive tinted
cheeks Her deep, inhtrou- eyes had In
them that half panied. half pathetic eS-
pression peculiar to the eyes OF the Span
ish girls Of tho south. Yet Juana knew
little Of sorrow. The old ranchrr's only
daughter, sho had lived n pctted lie. She
was a simple hearted child, and whatever
capacity for endurance or courage lay with.
IN her II had never been tried
After serics Of vigorous pats, bestowed
with many cooling Spanish phrase Of en-.
dearmrnt upon her favorltc, Juana pro-
dueed rosy apple from her pocket, which
Pedro munehed with evident satisfaction.
She had not come 10 ask any service of
IN "A Nlt..s a
now, after a lingering farewell pat OF two,
she left the pretty mustang looking over
thu gatr after her. and turned 10 the steep
walk again.
She stepped carefully, for fear OF tread.
fng too heavily on thocrumbling, sun baked
adobe aud getting tumble; her light feet
made hardly n sound 10 DO noticed among
the noises 81 tho country mornlng-pedroi :
reluctant return from tic gate TO his grnk.
Ink fellows, the other sounds from tho pas.
tnrc, tho twittoring OF birds, the chipping
Of squirrels, tho thousandfod murinur
aud breath Of the hour.
Half way down. tho light steps stopped
suddenly, and the girl stood with startled
face, listening. Only keen ear and n
quick attention could have caught, above
all those other noises, that singular and
unusual one for such place and time
the hiss OF whispering voices. pablo
her fathers nanie--that was the one word
she had caught, and half In curiosity, hall
IN fear, she felt she must know why her
fnther's whispered name should thus de
taeh itself from the rustic of leaves 70
strike her ear aud call her attention to the
otherwise indlstlnguishable murmur going
On In the little olump,
She leaned silently forward on the edg,
Of tho haIy screen Of live oaks, every nery,
strained 10 catch tho half whispered, hall
murmurcd words that rose from within
Tho screen, though Il offered no perasp
tible barrier TO sound, was quite dens'
enough to protect the girl from sight O
the men who stood close together bchlnt
Il. looking for no one In her direction.
"Pablo"-hcr fathers namu again. AM
now IL came to her ear sharply, minglc,
with other words. "Stage" "cuin"-"nr
rert"-she caught; and then In an excite,
tone. which the Others immedlatel
hushed, pistols"
She edged closer, listened more intensely
and her hearing seemed to become keenel
bhe knew who the men were we'll enoug
ranch hands Of Fables, halfhrreds,
vagabond set, who would 10 anything 10
money. But they were purposeless an
dull, incapable Of organizing and carryin
out plot to rob the stage Of themselye
And the holder rogue, who planned and II
spired the crimel Tho girl was left In \
doubt Of that-hcr own fathers name WI
distinctly uttered. his directions repeate,
That very night no and his conf,derat,
were to lie IN walt for the stage that lei
Santa Barbara for Los Angeles at half pa,
1o'oloek.
Juana drew back, realizing that she au,
slip away undetected, yet too startled an
horrihed to think OF anything else clenrl,
She was overcome by the sheer sense OF h,
fathers guilt. He was by no means an q
emplary ranehman, Juana we'll knew. d,
shc had no mother aud had depended sol
lyon him for care aud tenderness. whit
he had given, at least In SUFFICIENT measnl
to win the response Of ohild's simple az
uneritieising affection. aud Juann was u,
Tar enough from childhood To have cham,
much In her feelings Nor was the code
Var people 30 exaetlng toward ordlnal
bait And III doipgs Of men that what i