Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-26

| Il wanted to thank you, she said. simply,
! "for your good will toward my father. He il
full Of distrust toward you eastern men, and
will do nothing you suggest That is because
no American has ever before spoken to him as
you have done. He does not believe in you,
but do and Thank you"
"who is SarvedraY'' Tarnsey asked, abruptly.
| why, he is Paul Sarvedra." she answered,
smiling. "He lives near San Gabriel. and
breeds race of horses. all black. that sell very
well along the coast. He has helped my father
| to do something with horses. believe he IL a
very distant relative of ours" Then she said
Good night. and turned away. She walked
slowly back to the house, and entered her own
room by narrow door overhung with honey
suckle. Her father and his friend sat outside
| talking and smoking till late hour, but she
did not rejoin them. she sat by the little
window that overlooked the road, with her
rosary in her hand Once she whispered,
II could never marry Pablo now. My heart
rises up against the thought. l would die
rather than be his wife, now"
During the following week Norman Tarnsey
was much occupied in devisng some pretext
for making another visit to the Jurillos. He
was determined to go again, and his relations
friendly visitor. bright thought came to
him. He would buy horse.
Up to this time his fruit land interests had
sufflcedfo his contentment. He never wearied
OF the picture which was month by month I'M
folding before him, the transformation of a re-
gion originally little better than the great Mo-
Jave into a garden of bloom and beauty His
very heart was in those avenues Of eucalyptus,
palm and magnolia trees; more than ALL it was
IN the orchards OF citrus fruit trees. olives and
almonds that shook their glossy foliage in the
sun. promising ere long a golden harvest in
more senses than one.
He allowed several days to elapse then
started to see Jurillo about the horse. 1t was
early moonrise when he left Hedgeway and he
eantered leisurely down the valley. The wide,
Dlaiy, |,
hind him and at his right were the mountains:
San Jaclnto and his brothers Bernard and
Antonio wearing their snow crowns right roy
ally. Time was when these vast areas and alti-
tudes seemed too strange to be agreeable and
filled him with homesickness. But he was at
home among them now. He could comprehend
too. why a Bedouin sheik can never be more
than half civilized.
He was within mile or two of the adobe
house, which had been in his mental sight all
DAY, wheh he heard Ill the distance the sound
OF approaching hoof beats, and at the same
moment a single hcrseman appeared coming
from the direction toward which Tarusey was
going. The rider did not keep TO the road
but followed the course of n dry creek bed or
arroyo, some fifty yards to the left. He rode
on long swift lope. and wt-n he came within
line the still night air was shocked by the sb-
liant rush o. bullet Tarnsey clothing was
pierced, and the missile went singing cross
wise over his breast. His horse reared and
plunged. but did not ulseat him. When he
had controlled the animal sufficiently to look
again not even a trail OF dust marked the flight
OF the wOuld-be assassin
how the blood pounded in his throat and
ears. tie knew he was not much hurt, but for
moment awful sense of the nearness of
death took entire possession Of him. Then
came another thought and With il a troubled
pleasure merging into ali almost savage deter
mlnatlon. That shot was fired by one who
hated and feared him as a rival for Lucia's
love. Even so it should be. He would declare
himself her lover that night.
He found Jurlllo In his accustomed place,
alone with his pipe. A little table stood near,
on which were an empty wine bottle and two
glasses. He arose as Tarnsey approached,
came near to him and said:
There is something strange in your manner,
senior, and you are very pale. What is it?'
''Some bastard fired upon me u mile or SO
above here and barely missed me.' His hand
was on his breast.
''Sit here, said the native, "and let me see"
Il do not think the ball drew blood" said
the young man, as ne threw off coat and waist
coat and opened his shirt. The skin was I'M
broken, but across its ivory wilderness was a
lIvid streak, such as the lightning leaves upon
its victim. Jurillo uttered deep imprecation.
THAT was the act of ID miscreant. an assassin
What would you do ii you knew his name?''
'Having no proofs, 1 would do nothing.
Having proofs. l would use them to the extent
Of their power and punish the villain civil
lied people punish such criminals"
YES" said the other slowly, that is the
way civilized man talks; one. too, who is no
coward. We are a race of ruffians unworthy
the angelic women who sometimes give us their
love-"
He turned his back to the young man, and
stood with folded arms and bent head. The
stiffness Of the nioonlit night was broken by
the yelp of coyote far Oft in the foot hills.
The rocking horse under the pepper trees
paved res.lessly. At length Tarnsey said:
Have your family all retired? 1t is not yet
late. would like to see the senorita, your
daughter. have something to say to her, and
l mustsay it tonight"
Jurillo turned to him with somber SMILE
'YOu cannot see her. She is not here. She
went away three days ago for long absence"
You will tell me where may find her? i
assure you, Carlos Jurillo, am no trifer. and
this is the profoundest moment Of my life.
Though have seen her but three times that
girl is more to me than all the universe beside.
II can win her heart she shall be the hap
piest Of women if an honest mans true love
and the devotion OF lifetime can make her
such. Surely you desire her happiness above
every other thing"
'.Yes, l think SO, and yeti can refuse her to
Sarvedra after this night, and will; but 1
cannot give her to you. No, will not tell you
where she is"
Then 1 must find her for myself" were
Tarnsey's last words, as he mounted his horse
anu WaNcu TIC Oiu uldu u duleu
Naturally she would 60 back to the convent
school in Oakland. So thought Norman Tarn-
sey during the days that followed that memo
rable evening. They were crowded with af-
fairs which he dispatched with reckless haste,
in order the sooner to follow her. His passion
drove him along He must see her and declare
to her this momentous fact-he loved her and
desired her for his own.
AT length he found himself in Los Angeles,
his passage paid and his state room engaged
on a coast steam ship that would touch at San
Pedro-the port for Los Angeies-three days
hence on its course to San Francisco
He had a vacant evening before him. He
was too restless to read, too self-absorbed to
talk with the men he happened to know His
thoughts turned to the one intimate friend he
had in the city, Mrs. Cummings whom he
had known in the east. ''She." he thought.
to aching. but will say something suggestive
and inspiriting."
He started out in the direction of her resi-
dence. band was playing in the plaza, OPP
posite the cathedral whose ancient bells still
vibrated with their vesper chimes. 1t was one
Of the churchs great days, and Il service Of
many hours was in progress Worshipers
| came and went continually. A group of horse
men had drawn up under the trees. They were
| listening to the music, perhaps: or only loung-
ing idly in their saddles and watching covertly
the women and young girls who througed the
plaza near tine fountain
They were Nexicans, and Ternsey's quick eye
singled on. ons Of the group and never strayed
from that one Insrinctiyely he Dlanted him.