Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-10-05
FELIX MARCHANT.
By CLARENCE PULLEI.
loopyrisA., 1907. by the Aushori
CHAPTER M.


10 attempt to repeat fully the tale d
| woe Of the worthy Senior Trinbajo about
the loss to him of his leading lady
would involve q narration too long per.
haps to Justify its introduction In this
story. Felix and Of course had certai.i
definite grounds Of opinion as whom
Lupita had gone away with. but there
was no reason for imparting our belief
to the maestro But for his consolation
we suggested that she would perhaps 10
turn, like the proverbial penny. or at
worst could be well replaced by some
stage attraction not 80 difficult to man.
age and 70 uncertain to keep. Deep ~
was his trouble time was pressing. and
there were i.Iportant things to do, %
the maestro lad soon TO turn to the flal
preparation, for setting his establish
nent in me IN TO travel toward Silver
City. But --rst he rendered his cere-
monious far wells to US and to DON Ra.
mon and Carmen. who now came out 10
take their seats in the carriage.
The static.i keeper approached to say
goodby and wish NJ safe journey.
II don't suppose ! need give you any
wanin 10 look tut for tho Indians. !"
be said. "You know what they are, for
you've fallen in with them once already
durin this trip. It's wise for you all
to travel together. With party 80
strong as yours. unless they should
spring surprise on You. you ought to
be able to stand OF good sized band Of
Apaches. I hope we'll get news that
the renegades have been overtaken by
the troops and wiped out before this
time.
Senior Trinbajo would have liked to
3oin our company for the trip to Silver
City. but our horses and mules, with
their light equipment, could travel 70
much faster than his outfit that IL would
have meant the loss Of more time than
we could afford to spare to slow our
movements 10 keep pace with his The
senor's carriage was rolling of up tho
trail, with Felix and me riding behind,
like outriders. as the showman's outfit
started away from the station, mile
behind us We were all the time widen
ing our distance from the maestro's
equipage M we travelled onward during
the morning. but for the most part IL
was still in sight across the broad spaces
Of the plain as il came crawling on
after us like white sail following In
hopeless chase astern- The people who
had started ahead Of us from the station
that morning had made such progress
in their journey that we did not over
take the Missourian's 3 wagon until noon
time was almost arrived
That the two prospectors were still
somewhere ahead of us was plainly In
dicated hy their tracks imprinted ON the
dusty trail as they had footed it along.
following their pack animals They had
set 50 good a pace that we had not as
yet gained upon them sufficiently to
bring them into our view. There were
other signs interesting to Us, and which
were important enough 10 cause Felix
and me to watch about US with unusual
care. These were the hoofprints Of sew
eral horses which ut some time in the
early morning had come into the trail
two OF three miles beyond the stage sta
tion, followed il mile or two and then
turned of again upon the prairie, head.
ing to the southeast
That the tracks marked the progress
of Sangrado's party OF that Of the Kid
and his companions we felt reasonably
sure, and they indicated that 1t was not
unlikely that we might encounter once
again the undesirable visitors who had
figured in the disturbances Of the night
before. A torn bit Of red silk which Fe-
lix, swinging from his saddle, took from
the thorny branch Of mesquite tree,
past which the strange horse tracks led,
was Of the tint Of the skirt Lupita had
worn in the performance Of the night
before, and it offered hint "a to where
that adventurous young woman might
be travelling. Under the circumstances
it was natural to surmise that her CON-
panions were Of the Kids gang.
All the dangers which environ the
passage over an Arizona trail IN time
such as this could not cast permanent
shade of depression upon the JOY OF
travelling in an air so clear, luminous
and exhilarating. There was great de-
light in the sense Of freedom in being
at large and moving after having been
penned up for day and night ut the
stage station, and Felix caroled stray
snatches Of songs as blithely and We
ioked and laughed as freely as II the
spirit Of murder and hatred were not
casting its ominous shadow upon this
peaceful seeming southern plain. The
effect Of the free air and the motion OF
his carriage. drawn swiftly by the light
footed mules, was manifest with Don
Ramon, and the cloud was lifted that
had rested upon his brow since early
morning. As for Carmen, she had the
eager interest in the scenes revealed BY
the passing Of the carriage, the frank
smile and joyous laugh excited by the
little episodes and passages of converse
ton that marked the journey that she
might have displayed in her fathers
carriage on q feast day as she viewed
the sights and paradings in the narrow
streets and spacious plaza Of the QUART
city Of the Santa Cruz valley. the old
capital of Arizona
At noon our little procession halted
for luncheon and to give the horses and
mules an hour or two in which to rest
and feed The Missourian's s wagon over
took us, and he likewise stopped for Q
incoming, and his family swarmed out
of the wagon. glad to stretch their limbs
and get chance to lock about them and
breathe the open air. He took tin pail
from the wagon and proposed to sell rs
milk fresh from the cow that morning,
o bargain We were glad to make with