The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1895-12-10
LITTLE AMERICANA.
By OLIVE GlNEY.

lNopYIlHht 1870 by AM rifdn Br'ss AssOc.a-
ton.
Kings gong out beyond Devils
river to get hides. He's a great band at
roping mustangs and the like. Yoa
might like the experience It's man
forsaken country, but there's fine gam
there. "
And Atwood Will be home by the
time we get back, . calculated Atwood
guest, who had sought the Goncho ranch
as restorative for exhausted energies.
Thanks. III make the trip"
The city man Of affairs and the mus
tang hunter had camped together for a
week without seeing u sign Of human
hahitation, when one morning they
came across flock Of sheep feeding
among the thick leayed cactus on a high
plateau.
In good condition, too, " commented
King. "Some one must reap the benefit
of the wool.
His companions eyes, however, had
noticed something more interesting than
sheep.
"A girl" he exclaimed. And she
isn't a Mexican, either. I'm going to
talk to her s.
Dismounting and leading his horse he
overlook tie young person, who was hur
rying away from them.
Good morning." he said Eve are
strangers here and would like to speak
to you. Is the lamb ick?"-noticing
the little creature she held i'll her arms,
whose head she was stroking with one
brown hand.
No; he isn't sick. but his mother is
dead. I'm going to feed him at home. y
Is your home far from here?'
mo. just under the bluff =
She spoke in good English, but with
slight foreign accent.
''Show us the way, please said
Holt. I'VE would like to speak to your
people. We have not exchanged a word
with any one since we crossed the Di-
vide "
The girl hesitated and flushed Grim
son.
you are welcome, y she said, "but
Miguel is cross and doesn't like stran-
gers. -
Is Miguel your brother?"
"Oh, ne. | never had IA brother, and
my father is now long dead. Roderigo,
Anita and Miguel are Mexicans. y
Let us go with you" urged Holt,
The abode to which she conducted
them was set so completely i'll under the
bluff that the trail led down over part
of the roof. a thick clump of cedars hid
il from the view Of any one across the
river.
When the hunters stopped to tie their
horses, King cautioned his companion
against trusting these McXicans.
y think We can trust to these, " re-
joined Holt, touching his pistol y
mean to find out what this girl is doing
here. | believe there is some mystery
about il. =
The walked i'll under the shade Of
the porch, canopied with cedar boughs
supported on upright poles.
On broad bench set against the out
u NtlIi ~ nun LAY thSltN W Ill LII itfN
tilted over his eyes A middle aged
Mexican woman was speaking excitodly
to the girl i'll Spanish, but she smiled at
the salutation Of the visitors and mo-
toned thom to step within. Three 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, whose wide
open windows let i'll 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, and as he entered the door the
hunters recognized a forbidding looking
who had passed them on a
marrow trail IA few days before. This
was evidently Miguel, who was ''cross'
today, and who had been imbihing too
much strong drink. Upon Hollis ex-
planning that their visit was social
one, and endeavoring to draw him into
he replied curt ly i'll tolera-
BILE English and shortly betook himself
again to his bench outside.
Get the whisky from the saddlebags
and make things pleasant for him while
l talk to the women" Holt whispered
to King, and from Anita, as she tended
her pots suspended over the open fire,
he learned that the little Americano's
father was killed by fall from his
horse many years before that Roderigo,
her husbands father, who had waited
on the signor for long, had then sent
beyond the Rio fer her to take care of
the child The kindly face looked wor-
ried as she spoke of her charge and
Judging from Miguel's boisterous laugh
ter at Kings jokes that he was beng
Holt intimated that be
would like to speak with the young lady
"Certez, certez, agreed the woman,
smiling. "The senorita lonely is all re
day. . And she pointed through the open
of the adjoining room.
The girl was fondling the face Of
finely formed cream white mare, at
whose side stood a colt, tiny copy Of
its mother Muncino always comes
down from the bluff for water every day
at this time, She said, STOPPING to I'M
loose the hobble from the fore legs Of
the animal.
Do you ride her much" asked Holt
as the mare moved away
II used TO, but for a long time now |
am hardly allowed to 90 cut Of Anita
sight When | do ride, Roderigo goes,
. a l..