Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-01-14

for their pleasures
'"Fes. city man would enjoy the
iishiig and hunting as recreation. !
havdno doubt. for no would be conscious
Of lis power to leave it whenever he
grew tired Of il and feel that world Of
othet enjoyments awaited his return
hout Perhaps l have little cause for
conf Ilaint in summer, but III weather
| like This, and with no wandering maid
en- I'd entertain, think you will admit
that bne can find time to be dull Did
YOU Lnjoy the isolation Of your life in
yourIcabin when masking as La Sonora
viejl?"
''T|he cases are not parallel. They
diffe} rs prison life from liberty. The
onhLement was simply unendurable-a
| veritbble solitary confinement, busy
withlthoughts of home and parents and
how o reach them. To prevent discov.
cry had 10 remain closely in my room,
with nothing to beguile the time-no
bookJ, no games. no work. | tried 10
find amusement in watching from my
windbw the guard mountings, the relief
of sJhtinels, the work of drawing and
prep;lring logs for the fires. IL was III
this |ay that learned your habits and
knew when | might leave my cabin
withIut risk Of meeting you. One day j
passed. your door when il stood open,
and lain was putting the room in or
der caught glimpse of your books.
can bot tell you how much | wanted
one ot them. You can guess perhaps,
for | leloniously entered your domicile.
and III the presence Of your man pur-
loine1 one. Then | returned that and
took another, daring even 10 do SO when
Cain WAS absent, and so gradually be-
came hsed 10 enacting the role of-of-
appro| |riator. found it quite easy 10
yield Ito later temptation and sit by
your tleasant fireside until it was near.
ly TIME for your return
"BIt why did you put things in or.
dcf| asked Raymer. That's what
made bon victim Of the military ogre y
III tw delightfully."- disorderly you
were. thought And so manlikel For
some lays | enjoyed seeing wearing ap-
rarol In all sorts Of places, your toilet
articld mingled sociably with stationery
and slloe polish, but at last it distracted
my attention from my reading yield.
I'd toIa temptation 20 arrange things
The domfOrt consequent upon orderly
surrod dndings and my absorption In the
fortuII = Of heroes ana heroines of ro-
mancd made me oblivious TO the flight
Of tiIte. Your flank movement. too,
made kt an unexpected moment. betray
ed me -
Il Jannot regret the result, bat do
,egretlthat did not think TO send you
some hooks and papers. said the young
ofiicer
"YJu were not so considerate of In
SenorJ Vicja Us of La Senorita Joven.
laughJd Teresa.
quite as considerate as she would
permit returned the lieutenant
"Odthat am willing witness. Mr..
Raym| |r. "
"Be |ides thought the old lady could
undertand no language but her own,
and mF books were nearly all English.
Aft,F supper Cain went to his quar-
tiers, ale Jenny put the room IN order
and scltcd herself with some sewing.
The yjupg man and his guest drew their
chairs h. the hearth and continued their
talk, rlturning at last 10 the all absorb
ing subject of her departure.
"HCW and when can | leave here,
Mr.. uiymor:" asked Teresa, all her
sprigh illness giving place to mood OF
grave Anxiety.
"Ydb can ride on Ramon's horse
Your baggage shall be packed on our
mules With an escort can take You 10
Jery lin day When you can go de-
pends upon the condition of the road
and tai weather.
"Is lhoro no other way home except
by JenI Iez?'
"YeI, by Santa Fe, replied Raymer
"You Ian forward letter 10 the gov
ernor our cavalry express, asking him
to semi an ambulance To the eastern
slope u tho range, and can take you
to meet it on the sled. "
""Tht couriers are due next Saturday.
thinl +"
"Thjy will be here in four days and
will leIye two days afterward, reaching
Santa IL in tho evening. II Carriage
starts Tuesday, it will reach here
Wednelday. You can leave Thursday
morning and be in the city Friday
night
"Thln if tho weather becomes milder
duringl tho next six days will go 10
Santa :"
"ThJt will be tho most comfortable
and thd safest way, l think. "
Isn't it strange we hear nothing
from J kmez?" asked Teresa "if my
uncle knew | was here alone, | believe
nothind could prevent him from coming
to lool| me up. Antonio and Manuel
must h i've perished Oh the road. "
81 d1 not think SO, replied Raymer
"If thlse men were like the one that
ran of with Juana and the jewelry, 1t
is quitd probable they stole the mules
and bolses and avoided Jemez and AL
buquertue. "
'Ho'E unfortunate this journey has
BEEN" Sighed the girl, looking pensive-
ly into fhe glowing Goals.
The lieutenant refrained from ex-
pressii his opinion on this point he
could scarcely be expected TO consider
tho chabce which brought Teresa Valen-
cia to Los Wales Grandes an unmixed
misfortune. He thought it would be one
if she left, and he had no prospect OF
meetind her again. For her sake he re-
grettedl the vicissitudes which had
stranded her in his camp, but he con-
gratulaled himself upon her presence
and dared 70 hope the day might come
when she, too, would not look upon her
involuntary stay in the valley as unfor-
tunate
Wheil Teresa bade him good night
and lef with her maid for her cabin,
the lierkenant sat for long time gaz-
ing intb the expiring embers, going
over foI the hundredth time all the in
cidents connected with his acquaintance
with bona Teresa-the incident in
church, the graduating exercises, the
encounter with the wagon master, his
futile attempts to meet her in Albu-
querqud the report of her engagement
and tl.1 singular chance which had
brought her into the valley and left her
alone ind his camp. How long she might
yet be compelled to stay was question.
Whilf the lieutenant unused in soil
4.aa I'll ,,,idninht wind was roaring