The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-18

dare do such a thing as that which she
had in mind.
As Chiauita neared the saloon her
father came out OF the door, followed
by two other men. They did not see her,
and, after waiting for them TO get clear
she passed quickly across the path of
light that strcamed from the door into
the darkness that surrounded the cor
raj. There were several horses there;
she could just see them moving about or
lying on the soft sand. Feeling along
the cottonwood poles which inclosed
the corral, she found the heavy, silver
mounted saddle Of Don Ramon. Chi
quita could not lift the saddle, for il
was heavy far beyond her strength. but
the bride hung over its horn, and this
was what Chiquita wanted. She caught
it up, and going TO the slip rails quick
" let them down and passed inside.
The horses snorted distrustfully and
edged away from the little figure,
strange 10 them, that intruded at so
unseemly an hour. Chiquita spoke to
them soothingly in trembling under
tone, for fear she might be heard. She
called to them bys endearing names in
her soft Spanish, and limited of delica-
cies that would eventually be forthcom-
ing. Finally one horse took heart and
allowed her to approach, and. with a
readiness given by lifelong familiar
ity with his kind, Chiquita slipped the
bit in his mouth and passed his ear
through the loop that served as
throat latch. She led him after her to
the opening Of the corral, climbed on
the fence and dropped on his back as he
passed her and was away.
After few plunges To express his
disapproval of this method of mount
ing, the animal settled into a long,
swinging stride, such a stride as only
the horses of Don Ramon could take;
a stride that precluded successful pur-
suit, once they should have got clear
away. Not even one of the other
horses of Don Ramon could catch her,
for she was mounted on the best OF
them, and the effect of her weight on
his powerful back was no more than if
balloon had been tied 10 it.
Circling wide to avoid the people
that might be around the saloons or
houses, Chiquita headed hermount into
the Phoenix road. Every moment she
expected 90 hear voices crying to her
or the sound of hoofs galloping in
chase once she imagined she heard
some one call, but it was only the yelp
Of coyote far OIL on the desert. 1t
was repeated and the only sound that
struck her ears was the regular drum
ming of her horse, muffied by the dust
of the trail.
Mile after mile passed behind her and
still she raced on. What if she should
not find Pablo? If he had stopped away
from the trail she would be sure 10
miss him. For the first time since she
had started that thought occurred to
her, but she would not entertain it for
moment. She urged to a still faster
gait the swinging gallop of her horse.
Finally, far ahead OF her, but still
near the trail, she saw point of light
like the glow of star. 1t was u wan
ing camp fire, there could be no doubt
as TO that, and no one save Pablo would
be likely, at fiesta time, 10 camp on the
trail, SO far away from the pleasures TO
be found at Aqua Caliente. She drew
nearer 10 the fire until she could see
that there were two muiiied forms lying
beside it. The horse was checked TO n
slow lope, then 10 a walk, and finally
stopped, and Chiqulta dismounted and
led him.
II would never do for her TO ride mp to
the sleeping men. One of the horses
would be sure 10 neigh at the advent of
the newcomer That would wake the
men. and then they would shoot, which
would spoil her plans utterly. Chiquita
never thought of herself.
Pulling the reins over her horses
head as an intimation that he was TO
stop where he was, Chiquita crept upon
the camp. Close by the sleeping men,.