The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-05-29

| manzanito bush which screened hel
| from the road, in what struck me, ever
at that supreme moment, as judicious
and even picturesquely selected couch
of scarlet Indian grass and dry tus
socks. The velvet hat with it's balls Of
scarlet plush was laid carefully aside
her lovely blue black hair retained its
tight coils undisheveled; her eyes were
luminous and tender.
Shocked as ! was at her apparent
helplessness, | remember being i'm.
pressed. with the fact that it gave SC
little indication of violent usage or dis
aster.
1 threw myself frantically on the
ground beside her.
"You are hurt, Consita! For
heavens sake-what has happened?"
She pushed my hat back with her
little hand and tumbled my hair gent.
ly.
Nothing. You are here, Pancho-
EFT is enef! What shall come after
thees-when am perhaps gone among
the grave-make nothing! You are
here-I am happy. For a little per-
haps-not mooch."
"But," went on desperately, twas
it an accident? We're you thrownf
Was it Chu Chu?" for somehow, in
spite of her languid posture and voice,
I could not even, in my fears, believe
her seriously hurt.
"Beat not the poor beast, Pancho. It
is not from her comes thees thing. She
have make nothing-believe mel
have come upon your assignation with
Miss Essmithl / make but to pass
you-to hy-to never come back!
have say to Chu Chu: 'Flyr We fly
many miles. Sometimes not SO mooch!
Sometimes in the saddle, sometimes on
the neck! Many thing remain in the
road; at the end, 1 myself remain!
have say: Courage, Pancho will
come! Then l say: No, he is talk
with Miss Essmithr remember not
more. have creep here on the hands.
Et is feenish!'
looked at her distractedly. She
smiled tenderly and slightly smoothed
down and rearranged fold of her
dress to cover her delicate little boot.
"But," protested, you are not
much hurt, dearest. You have broken
no bones. Perhaps" / added, looking
at the boot, "only slight sprain. Let
me carry you to my horse; will walk
beside you home. Do, dearest Con-
sita!"
She turned her lovely eyes towards
me sadly "You comprehend not, my
poor Pancho! 1t is not of the foot, the
ankle, the arm or the head that can
say: She is broler would it were
even SO. But" she lifted her sweet
lashes slowly, 81 have derrange my in
side. 1t is an affair of my family. My
grandfather have once toomble over
the bull at rodeo. He speak no more;
he is dead. For why? He has der
range his inside. Believe me it is of
the family. You comprehend? The
Saltellos are not as the other peoples
for this. When l am gone you will
bring to me the berry to grow upon
my tomb, Pancho; this berry you have
picked for me. The little flower will
come too, the little star will arrive,
but Consuelo, who lofe you-she will
not come more! When you are happy
and talk in the road, to the Essmith,
you will not think of me. You will
not see my eyes, Pancho-these little
grass" she ran her plump little fingers
through a tussock-"will hide them,
and the small animals in the black
coats that lif here will have much sor-
row, but you will not. 1t ess better so!
| My father will not that l, q Catholique,
should marry into q camp-meeting,
and lif in tent, and make howl like
the coyote" Ut was one of Consuelo's
bewildering beliefs that there was
pnly one form of Observation-Disclosures }
HE will not that I should marry a
man who possess not the many horses,
DIX and COW like him. But care not.
You are my only religion, Pancho! I
have one of the horse, and OK and cow,
| when you are with me! Kiss me,
Pancho; perhaps it is for the last time
the flemish! Who knows?"
There were tears in her lovely eyes;
felt that my own were growing dim;
the sun was sinking over the dreary
J plain to the slow rising of the wind; an
infinite loneliness had fallen upon us,
and yeti was miserably conscious of
some dreadful unreality in it all. A
desire to laugh-which l felt must be
hysterical, was creeping over mel
dared not speak. But her dear head
was on my shoulder, and the situation
was not unpleasant.
| Nevertheless something must be
done! This was the more difficult as
it was by no means clear what had al
ready been done. Even while ! sup
ported her dropping figure | was
straining my eyes across her shoulder
| for succor of some kind. Suddenly the
figure of a rapid rider appeared upon
| the road. 1t seemed familiar. / looked
again. 1t was the blessed Enriquez!
A sense of deep relief came over me. l
loved Consuelo, but never before had
lover hailed the interruption of one of
his beloved's family with such COM
placency.
"You are safe, dearest. 1t is Enri-
quezp
thought she received the informa-
tion coldly.
Suddenly she turned upon me her
eyes-now bright and glittering.
"Swear to me at the instant, Pancho,
that you will not again look upon Miss
Essmith even for once"
! l was simple and literal. Miss Smith
was my nearest neighbor, and unless
was stricken with blindness compli-
ance was impossible. hesitated-but
swore.
"Enofe-you have hesitate-I will no
more"
She rose to her feet with grave de-
liberation. For an instant, with the