The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-12-08

real shadow in the low
town. On the Doctor
wide upper veranda only
outlines could be seen, with the red end of 9
cigar away up at the end where the Doctor
himself SWING. paiama clad, in long, fringec
GuayaQuil hammock.
Mrs Bonsele the Doctors wife, was talking
as she rocked in little chair, which she con-
stantlv moved in her fear of upsetting ths
boxes OF migonet which were sending up damp
homely breatbs into the light, dry sir. Over
by the other railing Alice. the Doctors pretty
sister, WAS sitting. her white dress a mist in
the darkness. Her head was small, snd her
hair was soft and dark, but reflection from a
whitewashed house across the street caught her
delicate, rather pensive profile, and Martin sat
four feet away and worshiped. Mrs. Bonselle
was talking TO the Colonel. A little wind had
come up from somewhere and was Tapping
gently the rope on the flagstaff of the Mining
Exchange across the street.
"What does that sound make you think of? "
cried Mrs. Bonselle; "a yacht" And then
she went on asking questions and answering
them, in her usual vivacious style, while the
Colonel sat, also as usual, and thought his own
thoughts with all the Difference of listener.
He was watching Martin, and wondered how
much longer he would be accumulating such q
superfnity of alteration before some of it would
have TO be poured out in words. He wondered
went back to his own youth; he put himself in
Martins place; he thought Of the things he
would have said, and then he laughed at him
self for an old fool.
But Martin was at no such pleasant task.
He was fighting. He was going over and over
a battle that he had waged for two weeks.
Ever since that day when the Colonel had
brought him TO the Bonselle home, and he had
felt something come out of Alice's quiet, brown
md oil il had Ha hoo
spent every evening there since.
Arizonans have almost of necessity, taken
on the Mexican habit of turning night into day.
The sun on the universal whiteness is too
strong for the people on top of ground. The
workers are ali down in the mines. Tomb
stone in the daytime sleeps A cowboy lopes
by now and then, his hat brim tapping and his
hand on his hip. a few men can be seen gam
bling at scattered tables in the big Crystal
Palace Saloon, with its wide-open doors. Down
the deserted street q ragged Mexican will
drive herd of fuzzy. drab burros loaded with
crooked limbs of oak from the mountains, or a
Gle of ola sellers. tall aud straight and i'm
pressive as religious procession, will walk by,
their heads wrapped in white rags, aud the
great red pots balanced on top. All day long
can be heard the sharp crack of the whips of
the mule and oxen drivers who are taking the
huge wagons of ore to the mill on the river.
Their Spanish curses vibrate unsteady through
the air, and every few rods on the road the
dust is dark and damp, where the blood of an
OK has followed the jab of the goad.
But as darkness came on, Sandy Bob's stage
swung its way with six plunging horses THAT
had begun to plunge on the edge of town.
through dust clouds TO the postoffice. and the
town was awake. The Crystal Palace was full
of men, talking. aad gambling. and leaning over
the bar From 10 until 2 the piano played
Accomplishments and the singers, Especial ar
lists from the musical centers of the world"
sang topical songs and tender old ballads on
the saoun stage. Through Allen street a
cosmopolitan crowd pushed. Stolid Cornish
men, with their oddly musical voices and
queer Use Of the nomaative for the objective,
talked loudly to each other. Slays, Chinese,
Nexicans, MIssonrans and sleek, unmistakable
gamblers Of every nationality jostled each
other on the board sidewalk. Here and there
the uniform of the United States soldier from
Fort Huachuca showed its jauniy cap.
The Doctors house was far away from all
that and coming from the hotel in the midst
Of il to this sweet, pretty home had had its
effect upon Martin He didn't know much
about homes. lie had made his way all his
life long, and the nearest approach TO holiday
he had ever had was the six months be spent
in Freiberg perfecting himself in mining
engineering.
Alice Bonselle was the first young lady be
had ever known very well; and now he be-
Titled those Freiberg months as a factor in his
present success, and cursed himself for ever
having gone there. He was thinking about il
as the Colonel looked at him. He thought of
other moonlight nights in the late German
Springtime, and of Hilds, whose fsther kept
the little restaurant where he ate his simple
meals and drank his beer. He knew still that
Hilda was the most beautiful girl he had ever
seen, but he Indignantly repudiated the knowl-
-
head over those tints OF red and white and
those smooth braids of yellow hair And he
mad promised to 20 back and marry her He
bad begged and prayed for her promise, and she
had given ii against her fathers wishes, who
thought little of poor American student, and
less Of his promises.
That had been year ago. He had not writ
ten; fer Hilda could not receive his letters
would net disObey her father while she was ia
bis house. Her image had grown DINNER and
DINNER as work came TO fill his thought. And
now-hc had met Alice. He had never broken
the smallest promise in his life.
little bank of clouds had piled up from be-
hind tie jagged crest-line of the "Whetstones"
From Its darkness came once, twice, flash Of
light.
"oh, it's going to rain p" cried Mrs. Bon.
selle. "Pm so glad. See the lightning."
Her husband raised his head and looked
around the horizon. Away off down toward
The Mexican liue came another fash.
Indian signals" he said, and lay down
again.
"Oh, hushi you make me shudder," and
madam drew her breath through her teeth and
presumably closed her eyes. 81 can't bear TO
talk about il. Only think they may be plan
ming q raid upon US. Tomorrow night we
may be seal ped in our beds / don't see why
telegraph operator doesn't conc out and read
those signals and find out what they do mean
70 do and stop it."
Unfortunately the Apaches have never
learned the Morse alphabet" said her husband,
dryly.
"Their system must be very elaborate" said
the Colonel, T" for them to extract so much in
formation out of such seemingly simple sig
pals. Nobody has ever learned exactly how
they do IT,"
Undertaking" said the Doctor from his
corner.
lit wouldn't surprise me at all if that were
exactly il, said madam, eagerly. Those In
dams for generations and generations have
lived so close to nature that they must know
secrets that we don't. There are lots of things
we haven't found out yet. You know yourself
Victor, that often and often am just about to
speak OF thing when you take it out of my
lips People do impress things on each others
minds"
Martin gave his thoughts quick check and
stiaed sigh.
The Colonel said to himself: "Now he is
wondering if he can impress his hopes upon
Alice's mind. Better out with it. Boy, you
haven't half enough pluck. Why don't you
toll her of to the other veranda?"
Il wonder If there are any signal fires in the
lrapoonsn he said aloud