Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-12-06
LITTLE AM ERICANO.
BY OLIVE GUNBY.

forsaken country, but there's fine gano
there.
"And Atwood viii be homo by the
time we get back, calculated Atwood s
guest who had sought the Concho ranch
as restorative for exhausted energies.
"Thanks. I'll make the trip.
The city man of affairs and the mus
tang hunter had canped together for a
week without seeing Il sign Of human
habitaton, when one morning they
came across flock of sheep feeding
among the thick leaved cactus on high
plateau
Z" In good condition, too" commented
King. Some one must reap the benefit
of the wool. -
His companion's eyes, however, had
noticed something more interesting than
sheep.
"a grill" he exclaimed. "And she
isn't Mexican, either. I'm going to
talk to her -
Dismounting and leading his horse he
overlook the young person, who was hur
rying away from them
"Cood morning!'' he said. eve are
strangers here and would like to speak
to you. Is the lamb sick? ''-noticing
the little creature she held i'll her arms,
whose head she was stroking with one
brown hand.
enc; he isn't sick, but his mother is
dead. I'm going to feed him at home. :"
els your home far from herc?''
"No Just under the bluff "
She ,l' le i'll good English, but with
slight foreign accent.
"chuw us the way, please" said
Holt. we would Ike to speak to your
people. We have not exchanged word
with any one since we crossed the Di-
vide 5"
The girl hesitated and flushed Grim
son.
"You are welcome, She said, "but
Miguel Is cross and doesn't like stran-
gers.
els Miguel your brother?"
ooh, no never had brother, and
my father is now long dead. Roderigo,
Anita and Miguel are Mc&icans. -
''Let us go with you, urged Holt
The abode to which she conducted
bluff that the trail led down over a part
OF the roof. A thick clump of codars hid
it from the view Of any one across the
river.
When lie hunters stopped t. tie their
horses, hlng cautioned his companion
against t,us,ng these n Nicms
Il tHrk we can trust to these, " re-
joined Holt, touching his pistol. Il
mean t. find ont what this girl is doing
here 1 believe there is some mystery
about it"
They walked in under the shade Of
the porch, canopicd with cedar b3ughs
supported on upright poles.
On a broad bench set against the out
er wall a man lay asleep with his hat
tilted over his eyes A middle aged
Mcyican woman was speaking cXcitedly
to the girl i'll Spanish, but she smiled at
the salutation of the visitors and mo-
toned them to step within. Tmec sides
of the living room and the roof were
formed of the solid rock Of the bluff,
but an open door showed another apart
ment, perhaps two others, Nhosc wide
open windows let III light and air.
Hollis exploring eyes caught sight Of
several bound volumes ON shelf
The noise Of their spurs on the stony
ground or their voices reused the sleeper
outside ana as be entered the door the
hunters recognized fcrhiddng looking
Mexican, who bad pissed them on a
marrow trail a few days before. This
was evidently Miguel, who was "cross''
s1J.,v. and "a mud Goop ,,,Itli,,,, t,,,
much strong drink. Upon Hollis cX-
planning that their visit was social
one, and endeavoring to draw him into
conversation, he replied CURLY in tolora-
BILE English and shortly betook himself
again to his bench outside,
"Get the whisky from the saddlebags
and make things pleasant for him while
| talk to the women, Holt whispered
to King, and from Anita, as she tended
her pots suspended over the open fire,
he learned thar the little Amercunu's
father was killed by fall from his
horse many years before; that Ruderigo,
her husbands father, who had waited
on the signCr for long, had then sent
beyond the Rio fer her to take care Of
the child. The kindly face looked Wor-
ried az she spoke of her charge, and
Judging from Miguel's boisterous laugh
Ter at Kings jokes that he was beng
propitiated Holt intimatod that he
would like to speak with the young lady.
"Certez, certez," agreed the woman,
smiling. 1.-THE senorita Il lonely is all re
day. And She pointed through the open
window of the adjoining room.
The girl was fondling the face Of Il
finely formed cream white mare
whose side stood colt Il tiny copy of
its mother "Muncino always comes
down from the bluff for water every day
at this time, she said, STOPPING TO un-
loose the hobble from the fore legs of
the animal.
do you ride her muchi" asked Holt,
as the mare moved away.
Il used 20, but for Il long time now l
am hardly allowed to 20 ont Of Anita's
sight When l do ride Roderigo goes,
too, and he likes not to ride fast.
,rn I.1 l~np1r,, 1-,,, ,,i,lt bor-o