Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1897-03-12
THE OPAL SKULL.


OF all places to Cypress one with the
frultlessness Of life there is none like
unto the southern portion of the Colo
fado river. There seems always to be
visible from its banks, if banks they can
De called, some faint blue-gray noun
tain peak off in the distance, beyond the
plain with its rare groups of cotton
woods and its occasional lonely adobe
There was no color anywhere. The
yellow OF the sky was only pale glim-
mer over the whitening blue; the green
OF the trees was dulled by the dust and
the evening twilight. There was but
one house in sight, an adobe 400 yards
or less from the river.
In among the willows by the river was
small, canvas-covered wagon. Two
thin broncos were hobbled near by, and
a man was gathering sticks for fire.
lie wondered II it would be worth his
while to make the acquaintance of the
greasers' who undoubtedly inhabited
1t. They might offer him hospitality
for the night; but he had learned by
experience that Mexican hospitality
usually implies dirt, and he disliked
dirt. 1t was a question in his mind
whether n blanket under the wagon
would not be preferable. And while he
debated the fiat board door Of the adobe
opened, and woman came out. She
was slender, therefore she was young
so reasoned the man, who knew Mex
leans. More than that he could not see.
After q time she went back into the
house, and he fell to gathering sticks.
When the moon rose, and he, having
finished his supper, was sitting beside
the dying campfire, peacefully smoking,
the low willows parted, and the girl OF
the adobe stood near him.
H"Ah! / beg your pardon, senior; /
knew note Eat you wear hicr," she cried,
starting back.
1t gives me much pleasure to see
you. VIII you not sit here with me? ?"
He spread blanket on the ground
near the bright Goals, and motioned to
her, with deep bow. to be seated. She
took her place, and he, stretching him.
self at her feet, leaning upon one elbow,
offered her cigarette.
Her name, it transpired very soon,
was Anitar-Anita Manara; his, he told
her, was Richard Lowell. They fell a.
talking, and he did what was expected
OF him--made desperate love instantly;
while she did what he had expected her
to do, responded with only enough re-
serve to keep up the illusion of fiirta-
ton Here, in the half tropic south
west, with an unwise child of 16, of an
amorous race, the rather lax code of
honor Of Richard Lowell fell from him.
She told him about her life.
II was born hicr," she said, "een Eat
house. But wen / twelf years am, l to
San Diego go to school, an zere Eeng-
lish learn. / speak note much Eeng-
lish now, for Eat have only my muzzer
an my bruzzer, who zey speake but
Spanish; an Carlos he can Eenglish
speake, but he like eet note"
"Who is Carlos, sweetheart"
"IIe ecs my sweetheart, wat I to
marry him am"
"yyherc is he?" The young man drew
little away and sat erect.
"He ees at re mines in Conception He
hat one mine for him, an he weel be
some time reech. He come to see me re
Sunday. Do you note Spanish speake-
talk, sare?"
"No. Just few words. And where
Is your brother?"
"He ees zis night far away. He wee
tomorrow weeth Carlos come back"
Lowell understood. He resumed grad
ually his posture of alteration. When
the cigarettes we're finished, he held
her bands, and in time he put his arm
about her and kissed her, and forgot al
the maxims of wisdom that had ever
been taught to him.
"What is that ring?" he asked, turn
ing and toying with the only one she
wore.
"Ect ecs Carlos. He geef eet to me
Weel you see?" She drew it off. "Eei
you weel one match light"
He struck wax one and held it to the
ring. It was an opal set in silver and
carved in the shape Of skull. Lowell
knew enough Of stones to understand
the difficulty of cutting an opal. lie
knew the skill and patience it must re
ouire to shape it like this one. There
was probably not another like it in the
world; certainly he had never seen IL
IL there were. In the Pickering light i
cleaned and sparkled blue, and red, ane
yellow fires, and the jaws seemed tt
comfort themselves into grin.
"How wonderful" he calculated.
eyes," answered Anita.
He was seized with q wild desire to OBJ
tain it, and he played boldly for 1t. DO
you love me, Anita, sweetheart, beautl
ful?" he whispered, taking her face II
his hands and looking into her eyes.
She uttered a faint but sincere Yes
He kissed her again, not once, bu
MANY times. IF you love me, ANITA
YOU should give me the ring to reInen
Der you by--a keepsake, as we call IL.
she slipped it into his hand.
"Ahl no. Geef Get to me-" she criet
of sudden.
why
"Carios, be tell me Eat Get ees very
wat YOU say?-note nice lucky"
..Thcn why did he give it to your
..IIe say eet ees for man, note TO
4 woman, Eat eet eea Hike Eat"