The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-08-23
PURCHASED LOVE.

Sofa Vejar, simple child of a guileless
race, believed in her very soul that wealth
would outweigh in the heart of Antonio
Mascavel the beauty of Refugio Garfias,
great and renowned though that might be.
Therefore, and for this only, did she sigh
for riches and hate the poverty with which
Providence had seen fit to curse her. Fol-
Sofa was not beautiful, save for the beauty
that some find in firm chin and power
full mouth, wide forehead and deep eyes
overset with mighty brows, which may
have their charm for the student of his
kind, but not for lover and least of all
for Mexican lover.
Antonio Mascavel preferred the type of
Refugio-small featured, red Tipped, soft
eyed, graceful and lovely as a dar& Venus
and his opinion was also that of the sur
rounding country, of the city of Los An
geles and the mission of San Gabriel The
fame of the daughter of Garfias had spread
even among the Americans and when
strangers asked to be shown beautiful
Mexican they were taken to the house of
Gar6as, upon the outskirts of Sonora
town. So it may be supposed that Refugio
had lovers. They came from far and near
and from every rank of California life
There was an American whose fortune
was vast and as generously spent as for
tunes were in the early fifties. There was
an Englishman with determination to
have her at any cost, even at that of few
lives, tendency of character which ac-
counted for his presence in the States and
for his repatriation. There were innu-
merable Mexicans, ranchers, shopkeepers,
desperadoes and gamblers. All followed
tamely and suppliantly in Refugio's train
But she loved only Mascavel. She ad-
mitted it at last to Senior Garf1as when
that wiry little creature demanded that
she make choice The senior was aghast.
The possibility of it had not occurred to
him.
Antonio Mascavelp' he said "But
you do not know him."
Refugio nodded her little head. Isl,
she said
Where have you seen him?"
She was not minded to tell of the meet
ings in the willow hidden bed of the ar
royo, so she held her peace
But the man is bad Character. He is
a gambler. -
Still Refugio was silent There must be
better arguments than faults vices or
one that a woman loves.
Of this Senior Garfias became gradually
aware after he had protested for hours and
for days and after finding that despite his
prohibitions, despite close supervision, his
fair daughter and Mascavel were in con-
slant communication
Then he hunted out Antonio himself
where he sat playing at cards in the bar
Of he, Iafo IL. I'll x101
with him courteously and respectfully, for
Mascavel was a big man and desperate
one. But he, too answered that he 10 led,
and when all was said and done it had
gone no further than this-that they both
loved and that wisdom might stand aside.
Garfias went with his baffled hopes to
Senior Vejar, the brother of Sofa. The
house of Vejar, two roomed adobe which
had never been whitewashed, stood sew
eral hundred yards farther north along the
road than that of Gartias. 1t was the last
one before the open country and had no
neighbors.
Senior Vejar was much younger than
Garfias. He had the same mighty brow
and powerful mouth that made his sister
hideous to race that loves all things gen
tie and gracious He was one of those
who pinned for Refugio, but her father did
not know this So he told him the whole
story of his thwarted will and plans and
implored advice as he made a cigarette.
If it were not for the cursed laws of
the gringoes, if things were as they were
in my youth, could force my own daugh-
ter to marry the man pleased he said.
Vejar shook his head. You cannot do
that he answered
What, then, shall dop" Garfias was
moved to the point Of tears They hung
on his long black lashes and dropped on
his old blue overalls
The situation was too complicated to be
set straight in moment. 1t was not sim
plified by WEARS having his own suit and
chances to consider. 81 cannot advise you
at once" he said. II will think and will
help you if l can in the morning" He
took counsel with his sister when Garfias
had ridden away.
"Oh, =" snarled Sola, "the love of An
toniol A thousand dollars would bury it
so deep that it would never rise again.
Yet, said her brother, not understand
ing woman. ''you would be glad to have
it"
The deep eyes shone. She shrugged her
shoulders Eyes, | would be glad to have
it. And could have it for S1,000-per
haps less. y
At that cost you must be content to go
without it. What advice shall 1 give to
Don Gartias?''
How should l know? Let him see to
his own troubles and be glad that your
sister is not so beautiful that you have no
peace because of her. p"
1t was long after dark when a horse
stopped at WEARS adobe Vejar had been
asleep. He jumped up and went to the
door. He had his finger on the trigger of
his revolver. A man stood under the bro
ken down ramada Before he spoke the
Mexican had seen by the moonlight that
he was a gringo They talked together in
low tones until Sola joined them, rubbing
her eyes and moving noiselessly with her
bare feet across the dirt floor.
This man, said her brother, sis an
American. He says he has ridden all day
to get into Los Angeles before night but
his horse went lame. 1t is so bad now that
he can go no farther, and he wishes to stay
here until morning"
LET him stay, said Sola, not too gra-
ciously He can have my bed. l cannot
sleep.
Vejar grunted in much contempt.
eNIascave1 does not lie awake for Won - he