Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-02-12

mean by putting that brute into the
shafts when you asked me to ride with
you? And why in the devil did you
jump out and leave me to my fate! You
knew he never could see Il basket of
cotton on the roadside without going
into commissions. Did you want to muir
der me, sir:"
A rich, s%onorous, lazy voice here in
terposed, making IA somewhat inconse-
quent reply to this excited mouologue,
"The blow Of a blacksmith delivered
by a sylph! BY Joye, the most aston.
ishing outcome, l ain lost in Won
der"
Liza emerged just then from behind
her wet handkerchief with crimson
cheeks and sparkling eyes. She had the
rare gift Of crying without making her.
self personally obnoxious or temporarily
hideous.
Quite a group of men had by this
time gathered around the fallen brute.
Most Of them We're field hands. Seth
and the men to whom the runaway had
belonged were the only white ones
among them.
Seth was on his knees examining the
horse. The man who had just spoken
Of her in connection with a blacksmith
was standing with his back to her.
In his left hand he held his broad
brimmed, wideawake hat, while with
his right he mopped his damp forehead
delicately with q handkerchief of ex-
quisite fineness which exhaled the
merest suggestion Of good cologne.
He was explaining the beginning OF
the accident to Seth in that peculiarly
rich, lazy drawl that had brought Liza
from behind her damp handkerchief
some seconds before the tear storm had
quite subsidized. There was something
eminently soothing in his composure in
the midst Of the prevailing excitement
and confusion.
"It is largely due to my venerable
fathers youthful impetuosity. 1 heard
an Internal rattling somewhere under
the trap and got out to Investigate,
when father indiscreetly shook the reins
about the brute's ears to brighten off a
bottlefy, I imagine. I had noticed one
lowering near. The motion always
affected poor Emperor unpleasantly,
and fathers voice did the rest"
What q while it took him to say it
Long enough for the girl perched in the
wagon bed to decide that he was self
poised, well balanced, thoroughly cul-
tured. AS for the rest of them-bah!
Just then Seth drew the coarse cuff
Of his shirt sleeve across his red, moist
forehead. The familiar action had never
Jared upon her nerves more disagree
ably. She sent her imperious young
voice in the direction of the group.
The man who had been explaining
the accident to Seth turned at the sound
Of her voice and lifted his hat in salu-
tation.
II never like to intrude upon a lady's
emotion. I I'M quite sure you enjoyed
every one of those tears. Perhaps now,
however, you will let me thank you for
my fathers life, Miss Martini take
it."
Here the rescued old man interposed
viyaciously:
"It's high time. Yes. Pom my word
and honor it was superbly done-ad-
mirably done for a little grill Now
wasn't it, RAM"
Liza flushed angrily under this pat
ronage.
ut is a pity it had to be done at all,
but l could think Of no other way of
saving myself. I assure you I was not
trying to save any one else."
The younger man was composedly
scanning her, as she sat there, high
perched above them all. Very few men
could have Invested such scrutiny Of
every vestige of impertinence. He was
II of the few.
"'Pon honor, the wonder grows. The
efficacy of the blow seems so c~uriously
disproportioned to the arm that dealt
it. The blow SO accurately plantedl
Now from a trained athlete one might
expect such precision"
1.-THE location of the blow was pure.
ly accidental. Its efficacy was due ell
tirely to my brothers. heavily loaded
whip handle. 1t was a question of
crushing or being crushed. I preferred
the first alternative. That is all there
is to it. Come, Seth, please, il you can
be dispensed with"
Mr.. Randall Chambliss stepped back
ward from the wagon wheel in defer
enc to her evident impatience. IA
natural and feminine preference. I i'm
agine you will go through life main
tanning that attitude"
Seth was climbing into the wagon in
response to an impatient gesture from
her. The old man lifted an arresting
voice.
"Yes, but all this time here we stand
like dots; not a word of thanks to the
heroine Of the occasion"
"Thanks are always embarrassing,
sometimes absurd and on this occasion
entirely uncalled for. Iacted exclusively
in self protection. Good morning,
SIR"
She bestowed an imperious little nod
ON the old man, ignored the young M
entirely and trod furtively on Seth's
foot, by way Of setting the clumsy cot
ton vain once more in motion.
The younger man stood contempla-
lively chewing the end Of his mustache
and looked after the moving wagon.
One Of the field hands had been dis
patched to the Strong stables for a fresh
horse. There was nothing to do but
await its coming. The old man was
walking around the buggy examining
it for possible fractures. The younger
n came out Of his reverie with a soft,
prolonged whistle and put OH his wide
awake.
$50 that is Eben Martins daughter!