The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-08-03

$500 Oc' NNASN
across the heavens. The rain fell on
the matched root above him with a
mutlcd. pattering sound, and he rested
there lost in reverie, dreaming of her
who awaited him in a distant city-his
promised wife.
After awhile Chonita came to the
dior and told him that his supper was
ready. Dreamily he heard her voice
and raised his head. She stood with
her dark hair falling in a d~isordered
mass over her shoulders, one bare arm
half raised and resting on the door
sill, her body partly turned, showing
the beautiful lines of her figure as She
heSitated. rs though fascinated by his
look. and gazed into MS eyes as a little
child might. and yet not, for there was
to her a strange attraction about this
Americana. this nan of the Saxon race
who was so unlike the nen OF her own,
hat caused her heart to fiutter wildly.
lie looked at her for a long while, and
then arose. She drew aside to allow
him to pass into the house, and. as he did
SO, a gust of Wind blew her hair across
his face.
During the months that followed
Rawlston became 4 frequent visitor at
the little rancho, stopping over night
while travelling between the mines and
Guadalupe Y Calvo.
One afternoon. as the glory of the
sunset spread slowly across the valley,
Rawlston rode up to the rancho, where,
finding no one at home, he LETT his
mule and climbed the trail that led to
a little spring in a gulch back of the
house. Chonita was there filling an
ola. but she did not hear him as he
approached, not until he stood at her
side. Then she started, and as she
arose she slipped on the wet clay and
would have fallen had he not caught
her in his arms.
He felt her tremble as he held her,
and drew her closer to him, asking:
Are YOU hurt, Chonita?"
NO, senior" she replied.
He saw her lips CULVER and. as She
raised her face to MS, he read from the
depths of her eyes her secret. and he
bent and kissed her, murmuring
sweetheart" Then he released her
and stood leaning against a tree,
watching her As she descended the
trail.
He had not been totally unconscious
of her love, though at first it seemed
to him but the admiration of a mere
child; but now he understood, and it
wrought a strange influence Owe him.
He knew that his love was strong and
true for the woman who alone bound
him to the life he had left behind. yet
he felt how easy it would be, were it
not Tor her. to drift into the customs
and adopt the modes and morals OF the
people of hat fair Mexican land, for
there was a certain charm in their
easy-going. languorOus life, with its
beauty and its restfulness, that had ap-
pealed to him from the very first. In
some strange way that he could not
understand. and yet which seemed per-
fectly natural 10 him, he lOngcd to re-
main there, away from the world, as it
were, until the end; and he pictured
her, his aIf:anced wife, there with him.
and-he laughed. His ~reverie was not
broken; the woman alone changed.
and he wondered how life would be
with Chonita-just for a time.
And Chonita.-she reached the house
and hurried to her room. where she
dropped on her knees before a little
shrine. "Oh. Dios." she said, Il am 50
glad. What have Idone that should
be 50 happy. Thank you, God"
Z Slowly night came on. Supper was
over, and the room was but dinly
lighted by 4 suffering tallow dip and
the family fickering blaze of the open
fire in the iacal adjoining. Rawlston
leaned back in his chair, slowly smok-
ing and watching Chonita as she
moved about putting away the supper
things, and ne became duly conscious
of a desire to take her in his arms
again. to hold her and to feel her
tremble. s. ...F
After awhile She brought him Z cup
of coffee and took from his ~saddlebag a
flask oi co-nac that lie Away, carried
there, and placed :: on TIE table al his
side. He touched her hand, and into
her eyes came a look OF longing almost
passionate, and her lips parted as
though to speak. but her father enter
ing the room she turned wa and
sank in a huddled heap on the floor at
the kitchens door.
Juan had been cleaning tho rifle
which Rawlston had allowed him to
use for 4 week past, and seating him
self at the table, giving the gun a few
finishing touches with a greasy rag, ne
exclaimed: ".Ah, senior, it is a grand
gun. Madre de Dios, but the shots l
madei l would give my soul for such a
onel'
Not being the devil, JUAN cannot
take your soul, but what else will you
give?!" said Rawlston.
''Senor. l nave nothing but my two
burros and a cow might spare a lit
tie maze and frijoles, too, perhaps"
Rawlston laughed, then poured some
cognac into the coffee, drank it, and,
leaning back against the wall, said:
Juan, III give you the rifle if you will
give me" .a,..,
WHAT" cried Juan.
'Chonita-" =f... -..l g E.
, Juan sprapg to his feet and Rawlston
reached for his revolver, but he had no
need. The father turned to the girl
and led her to Rawlston, placing her
her hand in his, saying:
at is we'll senior: 81 sta 'ueuo. Your