The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-04

sought him with mere meteorological in
formation and patiently awaited further
Developments. The vaquero went on:
But one of the things this beast Of .
weather did was to wash down the stalks
OF the grain and to clear out the trough
and holows between. and to make level
the fields and-look you! to uncover the
stones and rubbish and whatever the sum-
mer dust has buried. Indeed, it was even
as miracle that Jose Mendez, one day
after the first showers, came upon silver
button from his calzas which he had lost
IN the early summer. And it was only
that morning that remembering how
much and with what fire Don Clarencio
had sought the missing boot from the foot
OF the Senior Peyton when his body W as
found, he, Incarnation, had thought he
would look for it on the falda Of the sec
ond terrace. And behold, Mother of God
1t was therei Soaked with mud and rain,
but the same as when the senior was alive.
To the very spur!
He drew the boot from beneath his Sc
rape and laid it before Clarence. The young
man instantly recognized it, in spite of its
weather-beaten condition and its air of
grotesque and drunken Inconsistency to
the usually trim and correct appearance of
Peyton, when alive. ut is the same" he
said. in a low voice.
"GOod! said Incarnation, now ii Don
Clarencio will examine the American spur,
he will see-what? A few horse hairs
twisted and caught in the sharp points of
the rowel. Good Is it the hair of the
horse that the senior rode? Clearly not;
and in truth not. 1t is too long for the
TANKS and belly Of the horse; it is not the
same color as the tail and name. How
come it there. 1t comes from the twisted
horse-hair rope of RATA, and not from
the braided cowhide thongs of the regular
lasso of vaquero. The lasso slips not
much, but holds; the RATA slips much,
and strangles.
"But Mr.. Peyton was not strangled."
said Clarence quickly.
mo; for the moose of the RATA was per-
haps large-whO knows? 1t might have
slipped down his arms. pinioned him and
pulled him off. Truly! such has been
known before. Then. on the ground it
to his feet, where it caught on his spur.
and then was dragged until the boot came
off. and behold-he was dead!"
This had been Clarence's own theory Of
the murder, but he had only half confided
it to incarnation. He silently examined
the spur with the accusing horsehair, and
placed it in his desk. Incarnation con-
tlnued:
There is not a vaquero in the whole
rancho who has horse-hair RATA. We
use the braided cowhide; it is heavier and
stronger; it is for the bull and not the
man! The horse-hair RATA comes from
over the range-south."
There was dead silence broken only by
the drumming of the rain upon the roof
of the veranda. Incarnation slightly
shrugged his shoulders.
Don ClarenciO does not know the south
ern county? Francisco Roblez, cousin of
the 'Sisters'-he they call 'Pancho'-comes
from the South. Surely when Don Clar-
encio bought the title he saw Francisco, for
he was the steward J"
II dealt only with the actual owners
and through my bankers in San Fran
cisco" returned Clarence abstractedly.
Incarnation looked through the yellow
corners of his murky eyes at his master
"Pedro Morales, who was sent away by
Senior Peyton, is the foster brother of
Francisco. They were much together.
Now that Francisco is rich from the gold
Don Clarencio paid for the title they come
not much together. But Pedro is rich,
too. Mother of God he CANDLES and is a
fine gentleman. He holds his head high
even over the Americanos he CANDLES
with. Truly. they say he can shoot with
the best of them. He boasts and swells
himself-this Pedro! He says if all the
drive those Western swine back over the
mountains again"
Clarence raised his eyes, caught
subtle yellow flash from Incarnacion's,
gazed at him suddenly and rose. Il don't
think l have ever seen him." he said
quietly. ''rhank you for bringing me the
spur. But keep the knowledge of it to
yourself. good Nascio, for the present"
Nascio nevertheless still fingered.
Perceiving which, Clarence haEded him a
cigarette and proceeded to light one him
self. He knew that the vaquero would re-
roll his. and that that always deliberate
occupation would cover and be an excuse
for further confidence.
"The Sonora Peyton does not perhaps
Francisco?"
'Surely not. The sonora is in mourn
ing and goes not out in society, nor would
she probably go anywhere when she
would meet dismissed servant of her
husband"
Incarnation slowly lit his cigarette, and
said between the puffs: "And the senorita
she would not meet him?"
"Assuredly not"
''And," continued Incarnation, throw
ing down the match and putting his foot
on it, 'if this boaster, this turkey cock
says she did you could put him out-like
thatr'
Certainly" said Clarence. with an easy
confidence, he was, however, far from feel
ing. IF he really said it. which l doubt"
"Ah, truly" said Incarnation, "who
knows? 1t may be another Senorita Sis
beer'
1.-THE senora's adopted daughter is called
Miss Peyton, Friend Nascio You forget
YOURSELF" said Clarence, quietly.
"Ah, pardon" said Incarnation with
ELUSIVE apology. ''but she was born Sis
bee. Everybody knows it; she herself has
told it to Pepita. The Senior Peyton be-
queathed his estate to the Sonora Peyton
he named not the senorita! En-, what
would you? 1t is the common cackle of
the barnyard. But I say 'Mees Slsbee,'
for look you! there is Silsbee of Sacra-
mento-the daughter Of her aunt, who
writes letters to her-Pepita has seen
them! And possibly it is only that Mees
of whom the brigand Pedro boasts.
Possibly" said Clarence. "but as far as
this Rancho is concerned, friend Nascio,
thou wilt Understandable l look to thee
to make the others understand that
there is no Sennrita Silsbee here: only the
Senorita Peyton, the respected daughter
of the sonora, thy mistress" He spoke
with the quaint mingling of familiarity
and paternai gravity of the Spanish mas
ter-a faculty he had acquired at Ell Re-
fugio in like vicarous position, which
never failed as sign of authority. "And
now" he added gravelv, get out of this,
friend, with Gods blessing, and see that
thou rememberest what 1 told thee"
The retainer. with equal gravity. stepped
backward, saluted with his sombrero un-
til the stiff brim scraped the floor, and
then solemnly withdrew.
Left to himself Clarence remained for an
instant silent and thoughtful, before the
Susie's relation to the Peytons. and every
body but Mrs. Peyton. perhaps, knew
that she was secretly corresponding with
some one of her own family In other