The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1898-02-01
"Why2e


wat you say ?--note nice lucky"
Then why did he give it to you?"
"He say Get ees for a man, note for
woman. Eat Get ees like zst."
II expect Carlos wanted to keep you
from giving it away"
NO lie say Eat one man wat keep
eet for Ire years, he die sure"
II am rot afraid. Iwouid be glad to
die to have yorr ri. /, for even year."
mo. Geef eot back to me-"
"Thcn you do not love me-" he said,
you are gad to break a mans heart."
mo. no. lofe you. You can keep
eet. lweel tell Carlos loose cet."
At the moment her mother called TO
her from the adobe. She threw her
plump arms about the erican's neck
and said clinging goodby, as if her
heart were sadly wrung. And for the
time being she was in desperate earn
est.
AT daybreak he saw two borsemen,
both Mexicans, ride up to the house.
He guessed that they were the men
Manara and Carlos; and he hitched up
the team quickly and went, in fash
ion that suggested fight, taking the ring
with him.
Now it happened-as such things will
happen in the new west--that Carlos
Valera grew very rich within a few
months and went to live in San Diego
with his wife, and that they were much
courted and sought after, for Valera was
nj oil , ~
Unlocking, and Sonora Valera was be-
witching, type, more than locally ia
nous for her beauty, and possessed of
n charm that is peculiar to women of her
race who have learned the usages of
the world. They kept open house, in
the grand way of the wealthy Spanish
Americans of not so long ago. Never
a day passed that more than one total
stranger was not entertained. Thus il
came about that, upon spring evening
some years after her marriage,
Sonora Valera greeted with lovely ease
and grace a guest whom her husband
brought home with him, Mr.. Richard
Lowell, of Los Angeles. But as she greet
ed him she glanced down at his hands
and saw that he wore the opal skull.
She turned to her husband and said in
English that was perfect now, though
made dainty by slight lisp: Carlos,
dear, will you see if l left my opal-and-
diamond pin on my dressing stand?
/ think / took it. out to wear, and for
got it. l don't want it to get lost like
that other opal you gave nee before we
we're married. I'm afraid they are really
unluclSy stones; don't you think so, Mr..
Lowell? Would you mind going for
it, Carlos"
Valera left the room.
MIR. Lowell, take off that ring while
you are here she said, calmly.
II have never taken it off. And I'm
sorry that / can't do so now
IF Mr.. Valera sees il, he will be apt
to kill you as not he is very jealous"
81 fancy he has good reason"
Kindly keep your opinions where
such unpleasant ones properly belong
lin your own consciousness. You
will be wise to do as / say. and to be
quick. DO yen know that the five yeal1
is up tonight"
II doubt that sort of superstition. AS
told you before, I'm not afraid. Per-
haps you are, though? It is natural
you should be. | will tell you what
wiz do. I'll take the ring and put it in
my pocket"-he slipped it OF and held
il between his thumb and fnger-"if
you Will kiss me again as you did on
that night"
II will not. You would have forgot
ten that Stiffness of mine by now, IL
you had been fortunate enough to be
gentleman"
"Never.-not all those caresses ard
protestations. Come, kiss me again,
and I'll hide the ring"
mo. Mr.. Valera will finish hunting
for pin that ISM there in n moment
more, and if he comes back it may go
i'll with you-it certainly will if he sees
the ring"
"rhen kiss me-"
81 will not. BE quick. hear him
coming. Quick!"
kiss me. You'd better, for your own
sake"
mo"
"Then don't"
"Oh! hide that ring-do, for me-"
"Kiss me-"
swell, kiss me, then"
He put his hands on her shoulders