Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-12-17
t TERESA.
b Captain Q. A. CURTIS, Q. 8. A.
Copyright, 1904, by American Press Associa-
tion.l

Copyright. 1894. by American Press Associa
tion.l
i [coNTrSUED.1
'Rhymer's rapid srride soon prougn
hin! m!alongside the straining mules ant
,reaking wagons, and he was nearly op
pJsile the convent entrance when he oh
servbd two women and q man coming
down the street One woman was un
misdhkably an ancient ducna, and tn
othef appeared to be u Young lady, hel
facoland figure closely concealed in re
boz and capa The man was young ant
richly clad in Mexican costume o
black, bespangled with small buttons
platts, buckles and lace Of silver. Wher
the party reached the middle Of th,
trai}, brawny. rough bearded wagor
master, dressed in grimy suit of fring'
buctskin, sprang from his horse, anC
thr,k Wing his reins to driver shouted
"H,kc's for the first kiss Of senoritav
at tte same time attempting to pass hi
arm about the waist Of the young WON
an.
1 rSi}l ~
lookb bd to see the Mexican caballero in
terfI Dire. The old woman grasped the
wagbn masters arm to hold him back
and was screaming wildly for help
viii |c the girl appealed TO her male es
cortl for protection. That individual
madb feeble dash at the WAGNER, only
to Meet blow I'm the face that sent him
Tratvling among the wagon wheels.
The officer saw il was time for him
10 Interfere. and with bound he placed
himtelf beside the wagon master and
wrc lched him to right about, saying,
Take yourself away from here, or !
shal hand you over TO the provost"
''ph, you want TO jine the greaser, do
youI my rnilingtary sunfower? Well,
I'm |willin to accommodate you. Take
tha1"
Al blow straight from the wagner s
left Has launched at Raymer's face, but
it whS skillfully parried. while n crush
ing Feturp lit on the jaw of the bully,
Wild measured his length upon the
ground College gymnastics, stroke oar
dice with winning crew and life
in the field had given the lieutenant a
powIr not 10 be- tritled with.
Al this moment an infantry sergeant
andltwo men of the provost guard, at
tracled by the screams Of the duena, ap-
pear aed and took the demoralized wagon
maslor TO the guardhouse. The Mexican
had unaccountably disappeared The
heuI looked around for the two
worhon and saw that the convent gates
wert open, while half dozen excited
nunt hurried through the entrance o
beautiful girl whose mantle had fallen
awsE. disclosing the face Of Teresa Va
lendia- Next morning Raymer stood on
the plaza near the sundial Before the
central entrance Of the governor palace
stoJi large family ambulance with
fou} mules attached. Servants We're busy
loading trunks, bags, hampers and
boxls upon the rack and roof in the
boOI and inside pockets and beneath the
seaf When everything was slowed. a
ser'l lant entered the house TO announce
thai the carriage was ready. Senor Va
len}ia and his daughter appeared,
Dire sed for journey and accompanied
by the governor and his household, who
took veritable Spanish leave OF their
gueEts, following them to the vehicle,
wis hing them happy journey and fire.
quebt returns and embracing them with
much show Of affection.
The driver cracked his whip and
sho bted, the mules sprang into gallop,
and the ambulance whirled out Of the
PLAZA in cloud of flying dust and
graEel. As the vehicle approached the
sunliial Raymer looked eagerly at the
occupants. but ho caught no sign OF rec
ogrition from the object of his thoughts.
AS the last wheel passed the dial a deli
catt hand was thrust beneath the cur
taiIs, and small book fell near him.
Thj lieutenant picked it up and cecog-
nizI zId il to be the ''Libro de Devociones' y
VIII lch had been lent him at the cathe-
dral the previous Sunday.
fastening TO the fort, Raymer entered
hisIquarters, closed the door and stood
for several moments rapidly searching
the|pages in quest Of written name or
sentence, but not line or word met
hisleye. He was disappointed.
CHAPTER ii.
During the following year escort duty
took Lieutenant Raymer twice to AL
bud duerque, and while there he had the
goJH fortune To form the acquaintance
of Senor Valencia and was several
TIMES invited TO dine at his house. Gen
tlelhen only appeared at the table, thus
confirming all his friend Reed had said
of This feature of New Mexican domestic
lifI
Raymer embraced every opportunity
to learn something of Dona Teresa, but
with small success. On his second visit
he determined upon a desperate meas
urJ He called at the Valencia residence
ami asked TO see the ladies' He was
gr.| |ciously received by la sonora and a
few elderly maiden relatives, but to his
REQUEST that he might pay his respects
to The daughter Of the house the mother
politely replied that it would be impos-
sitbe, giving several excellent reasons
fod Ia senorita's absence She told him
that she knew to whose brave assistance
Te..e owed her rescue from the ruffian
in Santa Fe and returned her grateful
thinks for the same She also expressed
MICH regret that Don Ignacio Ortega,
he daughters affianced husband, on
aciount of illness was unable to punish
thu man as he deserved, and she added
thAt it would be an unceasing regret Oh
hill part that he was unable to do what
evkry impulse Of his brave and generous
nature impelled him to do.
The lieutenant returned to Santa Fe
fciling that an attempt to break through
thb social barriers that inclosed Teresa
w,iuld be futile, and to make her &C
quhintance according to society methods
w,|s beyond hope. There seemed but one
re(ource -one repugnant to his honest
anh manly characterize attempt clam
dektine acquaintance. This thought he
diEmissed at once, not only because 1t
wis inconsistent with his own nature,
brit because he believed from what he
hsh learned of her that the Mexican girl
wbuld not encourage him in st'ch o
cohrse.
he had learned one thing during his
laEt visit, which seemed to make any
fuE Ether attempts to form her acquaint-
an |ce hopeless as we'll as useless. Orte.
gd's parents had made overtures looking
toward immediate marriage, and Te-