The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-06-18

4
and blankets for the bed, which was
stretched III a corner behind the tri-
angular fireplace.
| High up in the thick adobe wall,
small square hole admitted the air,
and the heavy door swung on grating
hinges, Juan, whose jealous eyes had
| followed every glance and motion Of
| "Senor Longley,''s since his arrival,
knelt on the floor adjusting the sticks
Of wood as the exigencies of the raised
fireplace and the customs of the colln-
| try demanded-on one end.
He did not speak, and Cleofas watch
ed him rs silently, a sparkle of coquet-
~ in her eyes, already heavy with
sleep.
| Good night, cousin" said Juan. in
the careful English he affected since
coming from school.
The girl nodded, and the young man
stepped over the sill. Then he turned
sullenly. g..
"Senor Longley have love for you.
He says Spanish girl nice, but coward.
Cuidado;' . s.-.s. ss
Cleofas sprang from her seat on the
hearth like an arrow from tense
string. Her eyes shone with anger and
fun. 80
"Cuidado thou!" she cried, and swung
the door to with a crash, forgetting
buckskin and wood. Folding her reboso
tightly under her chin, she crept under
the blankets, and the flames, as they
danced, revealed only a formless shad
oW, from which came the soft, regular
breaths Of sound sleep. Suddenly
Cleofas aWoke. Her cheek flushed again
at the memory Of Juan's speech.
'No grit. That is the queer word the
Senior Longley have use," Cleofas
smiled again and murmured as she
rolled over on her side for fresh nap:
"And yet it is I who will grind him"
The girl had not slept long; but they
had danced late, and already a pale
morning was abroad. Suddenly there
came a slight scratching at the door.
The girl sat up in the shadow listening
for moment, and then lay back again
sleepiN. It was some wandering horse
or sheep rubbing stealthily along the
wall. Then Cleofas remembered the
unbolted door. AS she rose to bolt it,
it swung open cautiously and a head
was thrust ina hideous, shaved head,
set on thick, fat neck. On the hard,
cruel line of the lower jaw there was
the white cicatrix Of a wound, which
drew up the lip with a sneering twist.
To sink down in crouching, limp heap
and throw her reboso over her face
was the girls instructive act Through
it's folds she watched breathlessly. It
was Cuyas, the murderer, who had
beaten his wife to death in rage.
Cleofas had seen him pass through the
streets of Albuquerque on his way to
prison. He had escaped from Santa Fe
and come over the mountains in desper-
ate flight
The convict, fearing only an enemy
from without, closed and bolted the
door, and, without a glance toward the
dusky corner where Cleofas was fiat
tened against the floor, threw himself
heavily down in front Of the dead fire.
The chain still fastened to one wrist
clanked sharply, and the man jerked at
it savagely, with an oath.
Even in the deadly fear that made
her skin prickle like thousand fiery
needles and her limbs feel lead-like,
Cleofas was an Ortiz still.
II will not die like a miserable
Sheep" thought she; "nor will I kneel
and beg for mercy as the little wife
did, and vainly. No, shall say: Muir
der me if thou wilt, thou coward; and
may thy wretched soul burn in hell for
ever"
But the convicts head had rolled
heavily on to his breast, and he slept,
his breath coming in long waves of
exhaustion. Hope grew in the heart Of
the mOtionless spectator in the corner.
''Holy Mother" she prayed, keep me
as mouse. Let me live as if I lived
not, and save me for the little madre's
sake" -.
An hour rolled on. Through the win
dow the day was broadening. Cleofas
was stiff, was cold, was impatient.
"He will sleep on and on, like pig
and wolf that he u.s." she thought, indig-
nantly, land must wait his pleasure
to be killed and eaten. Or he will wake
and go far away and be free-he, the
wicked one 1t shall not be. Dear
Jesu, help"
With her eyes fixed on the face of the
convict, the girl began to fold back her
reboso and the twisted blankets. When
her limbs were free, with one quick,
silent effort, she stood upright. Never
once removing her gaze, she followed
the shadow Of the wall, cropping cat
like, her very breath suspended to the
i faintest futter Of her throat.
She has reached the door, and still
the murderer sleeps. But, at the slight
noise Of the slipping bolt, he stirs and
turns. With a stifled cry, the girl
throws up one slender arm to hide her
eyes from the dreadful death she be-
lieves so near. An instant's silence fol-
lows. Fatigue and sleep weigh on the
man, body and spirit. Cleofas throws
herself against the door, it swings out
with her into freedom.
Appolyer Longley's dreams had been
full Of enchanting visions of coqlottish
girls appearing under different forms,
but all bearing the name of Cleofas.
So restless was he in consequence that
he had risen early to try the famous
counter-irritant of the chase. 9
To have the real Cleofas run into his
arms, to have her point gaspingly to
a fleeing figure a few yards away, and
to bring his rifle to his shoulder. were
all parts Of lively and interesting
moment. .t
His voice rang out with pleasant
tirmness.
''Hold on, pard.''
The man ran on. "A little spirit OF
opal smoke rose on the air, and the
figure became crumpled brown bun