Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-04-09
Continuation

ed and expired just as they were enter
ing q small grove Of thorns where ths
slaves burying ground was located
They were left in total darkness.
Mercy Mamie gave a smotheret
scream and violently embraced her in
trepid leader.
Lets go back. Liza. Please Lett,
turn back"
mo, l am going forward. You maj
60 back it you choose"
"Choose9 I never expect to choos.
anything on earth again. Life has re
itself into one great. big, horri
BILE must.
Poor little Mamiei But indeed VIZ
are in no more danger just because on,
lantern went out"
perhaps not, but | should like to gel
one glimpse Of the man who is going tc
murder us just one. | might be called
on to identify him in the next world,
you know"
Listen. / hear voices now. We are
there"
They stood still. quite close together,
Mamie still maintaining her hold Wig.
orously upon the skirt Of Liza's basque.
Singing"
Eyes, singing. That ia encouraging.
you suppose men can sing when they
are meditating murder3"
do be serious, Mamie. Here, give
me your hand. Now, step up-one,
two, three. The weeds have about tax.
en- these steps. Now then-wait. We
have a right to eavesdrop."
"Call 1t reconnoiter. These are war
times. They've pitched their camp right
by Gabriella's tomb. I see the fire, not
much Of one. They're just building it.
Liza shifted her own position with
noiseless r~estlessness.
"That big tree trunk is between me
and everything" Tho song that had
doated to them across the wasting fields
Of cotton had ceased abruptly, and the
only audible sounds within the shrub
Enclosure was the swapping Of
dried sticks broken by an unseen hand
70 feed the new made fire. Presently a
vigorous revealing fame sprang into ex-
giving the entire scene to the
TWO pair Of eager eyes peering over the
rusty spikes Of the iron graveyard gate.
With their lips close to each others
'ars they exchanged items Of excited
comment.
There r two Of them"
IA black man and a white one."
1.-THE white n certainly looks as II
10 belonged to a graveyard. What
lreadfully hollow cheeksl And, oh, Ii.
a, look! His poor knees. He is hug
ying them SO close they are actually
through his trousers.
II wish be would push his hat back. II
could SEQ his whole face, l might
make out who he is. 1t can't be Adrien
strong"
"Adrien Strong! Heavens, no! Adri.
n Strong is q dandy. Oh. isn't that
ust too heart breaking?"
Without the movement Of . muscle,
With his head still dropping forward SO
hat nothing was visible but the thin,
follow cheeks and the long uncared for
,eard that almost touched the frayed
.nees OF his ragged, gray trousers. the
nan, had begun a new song.
A plaintiye, simple ballad, already
rown hackneyed about the campfres,
where countless war weary heroes, rest
ng beneath the sentinel stars, with no
heller other than the dafk blue canopy
I the midnight skies, let their homes
ick fancies wander back to the dear
mes left behind with an exquisite an
Of longing that found utterance
a song. But to those two listening,
Watching girls it was all new and fresh
nd thrilling.
Who will care for mother now?''
ane the wan faced wayfarer. resting
here beneath the laurel tree that shed
Is blossoms over the silent sIeepers in
he little graveyard-sang il in the per-
unctory fashion Of one who performs o
eed more from force Of habit than from
conscious effort, but his voice was
lear and sweet. and no false note jar.
cd upon the music loving ears of his
,1ditors
Mamie, silently weeping, softly sub.
lded among the weeds on the cemetery
teps and buried her head In her lap. It
IaG torture. but Ghe wouldsnof l0so 0ne