Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1892-01-16

to himself ruefully, when the conviction
of how it was with him dawned fully
upon him, 'but no one save myself shall
know of my folly. will simply enjoy
this ideal life as long as | may, and
when go | will at least have the mem
ory of one perfect woman to carry with
me through life. A man should be
grateful to have known such a creature,
even though he can only worship her
from afar."
Meanwhile, with happy faculty OF
living in the present and forgetting all
possibilities or certainties of pain that
the future might bring, he enjoyed her
presence and the sunshine of kindness
which every one at Mirahores showered
upon him. When he grew stronger,
Don Maurizio placed horse at his dis
posal, and then his dream of riding with
Dona Zarifa found such realization as
not many of our dreams do. 1t was true
that they did not ride alone. Don
Maurizio always accompanied them
or, to speak more correctly, they accom-
panied him, together with a mozo or
groom But there was nothing in this
colnpanionship to detract from Der
vents enjoyment. More and more every
day he liked and admired his genial host
and while listening to his graphic ac-
counts of the country and its people, he
could look at Dona Zarifa. as she sat
erect and square in her saddle, her habit
correct enough for Hyde park, but wear
| Ing broad sombrerolike hat to shield
Der face from the rays of the tropical
sun. Never. he Thought, did she look so
beautiful as ol these rides, when, after a
long. stretching gallop across the mesa
she would turn and say, with laugh
| like child. Was not that deli@htful|
while ponegranate flush came into her
| cheek, and her eyes shone like dark dia
monds under their silken lashes.
| Then there were times when Don
| MaunAo would leave them, when he
would bld them ride on while he paused
with a group of laborers In the vast
| fields, or stopped to discuss the condi
| ton of his colts with their tail, dark
| browed trainer. although when it was Il
| question OF anything so fascinating as
horses neither Dona Zarifa nor Derwent
was always willing to be dismissed
| Miles of pasture on the green hill slopes
| OF Mirahorrs were devoted to the stock
which was its owners chief pride, and
nothing interested him more than i'm
| proving the breed Of his horses Der
| went, with the passionate fondness for
horses which was part of his lifelong
training. soon knew the beautiful, gentle
creatures as well as Don Maurizio him
self. The rides were, therefore, full of
interest as well as pleasure, and a part
OF every day was spent in the saddle.
One morning. as they were about to
start, and while Derwent loitered under
the arcade waiting for his companions,
| he observed that the mozo brought out
two large bags, of the kind made through
out the country of a glasslike fiber, and
hung them over the high pommel of his
saddle They were evidently well filled,
and while Derwent wondered idly what
they might contain, he heard step,
and, turning, found Dona Zarifa by his
side.
Have you come" he said. "to crafty
my curiosity have just been wonder
| ing what those bags contain that Juan
has placed so carefully over his saddle. "
81 hope you will not be sorry to hear
that they contain our lunch," she an
swered. 1--WE are going this morning to
a ranch on the lake; and since the dis
tance is considerable, and my father has
business there, we cannot return until
the middle of the afternoon. There
fore thought it well to provide against
the pangs of hunger; for, though papa
and myself could take some tortillas and
milk at the house of the ranchero, you
know that you do not like tortillas."
No" he answered, with a slight
grimace, IL confess that do not. 1t is
the only Mexican thing don't like"
"Then you shall not be forced to eat
them," she said, smiling, 1--WE will
take our lunch in pretty place on the
border of the lake. But papa fingers.
You may put me up, Mr.. Derwent, and
we will ride slowly forward"
1t was not often that Derwent had this
privilege, for Don Maurizio generally
lifted his daughter into the saddle as
lightly as if she had been an infant. II
was an unexpected pleasure, therefore,
to hold out his hand, to have the slen'
der, arched foot placed within it, to aid
her practiced spring into the saddle, and
then to arrange her stirrup and habit
AS, having done this, he glanced up tc
see if there was no other service he could
render, he caught the CLEAN of some
thing like the handle of pistol among
the scant folds of her dress at the side o!
her short basque,
"WhatT he said, involuntarily, "dC
Mexican ladies carry arms also"
She laughed as she drew out from I
pocket at her waist the smallest ant