Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-09-07
NUMBER SO.

station when another question occurred
| TO me.
About Lupitag''' asked. You said
that Billy the Kid was devoting himself
to her. How did he succeed? Did he
persuade her into kinder mood?'
well, yes But it's not any too kind,
can assure you. She seemed hattered
and pleased by the attention Of 20 dash.
ing caballero. There was dangerou,
devil in her eye, though, and III wager
she was thinking more Of revenge than
of lovemaking. He said good night &c
her before left Then he sauntered
out to where the maestro and were
sitting, helped himself to glass Of te-
quila, sized me up from head 10 foot
while he drank il, said buenos noches
and went away shouldn'. bc sur
prised il nc had a part 80 play in the
drama ;hat We arc all enacting around
this well in the desert"
Ny limbs were cramped and weary
with crouching ''at attention" while
listened
IL everything's been said, l suppose
we may as well go back to the corral. "
I began and started to rise to my feet
But Felix's hand was suddenly pressed
upon my mouth and forced me bach
among the mesquite roots
"S-s-s-tr' he cautioned me in . low
whisper Don't move or stir, but
listen.
Luck for us that the night breeze,
lightly rustling the leaves, the grass and
weeds, had merged in its sound our
whispered voices To the windward.
not 20 yards away. two persons were
talking together in low tones, and the
breeze brought their words TO US with
perfect distinctness. From their accent
they were clearly Mexicans, and the
language they used, their native tongue,
was well understood by Felix and my
self Pcering intently into the darkness,
we presently could discern the figures
Of the speakers as they stood in the
shadow Of branching cactus that
screened item from observation from
the direction q the station
ton important 20 our story:
1T was the DEVILS own doing, Mi
guel, that should meet Lupita here OF
course, as soon as she saw me, the paint
ed hell cat came for me, knife in hand,
and made great scene. Islipped away,
but the discovery has been made that
am here, and no doubt Don Ramon
will be put OH his guard 80 as to be en-
abled the better to block my plans" "
Truly scnor, the affair was unfor-
tunate. but il is only one more obstacle
to surmount After all is said there are
only her father and Manuel TO be reck-
oned with, and we are five in number.
And the little Indian, Dolores-she, you
know, is my dear friend. She is loyal
to her mistress and will not help us to
do anything against the senorita's in
clinations. But she viii serve her in
anything she desires to do and will take
message TO her if request it. She has
talked very freely with me about how
things go on at the station and all the
people that are there.
"How did you manage TO get an in
terview with herr!
There was no trouble in the matter,
senior. | introduced myself TO the show.
mans people as compadre and was
welcomed to their hospitality. / stood
by the entrance when Don Ramon par
ty came into the tent No one at the
station except Dolores knows my face,
and those who entered supposed that !
| belonged with the show. a whispered
word 10 Dolores as she passed me WAS
enough, and rs soon as she safely could
she stole from the tent to join me for
few minutes. In that time found out
all that was 10 he learned from her. "
What had she 10 say Of the Senorita
| Carmen. Will she grant me an inter
| viewI''
II am sorry 10 say il, Don Gaspar,
but she feels positive the senorita will
not consent TO speak with you unless in
her fathers presence and with his con-
sent ~
"Then il is needless TO waste time in
waiting longer. We must carry away
this scornful senorita tonight " The
speaker seemed suddenly TO have become
aware that lie was speaking too loudly
and continued in a lower tone, "You
tell mo there are door and o window TO
their rCom?"
"Yes, senior, a door opening upon the
corral and Il window thlt locks upon the
plain.
And her father and Manuel where
do they sleept"
"In the front room where the station
keeper and his herdcrs stay. But the
herders will sleep in the corral tonight
1T il well to know that. We must
have our horses in readiness and force
the door that opens upon the corral II
will lie in the shadow almost until the
dawn"
1T will be unnecessary to break the
door in, senor. AT my signal Dolores
will open it to come TO meet Inc. II Is
all arranged between us y
GOOD. Have the men in readiness
and let them understand that they are
to make short work Of any one who gets
| III tilt Wus
Zone word more, senor. There are
two caballeros, Amoricanos, who have
travelled with Don Ramon's party from
the Apaches pass and Intend TO accom-
pany him rs far as Silver City. They
are well armed, and in carrying away
the senorita We may have to reckon
with them.
where do these cursed gringos
sleepy''
THAT Dolores could not tell me, but
she thinks they spread their blankets In
the front room Of the station, with Don
Ramon and Manuel.
PITY it is not upon the prairie, where
we might anticipate all trouble from
them by quietly cutting their throats.
But we will deal with them quite as
efYectually II they presume TO interfere. V
1T is well, scncr Shall go to in
form the men to bring up the horsesI"
"Wait little, Miguel We will rec
onnoiter the station to see that all Is
clear. The moon is too bright to be the
best for our undertaking. Would it
were darker.