The evening times., 1898-02-09

/ 1es, some tdmaleS.
"Ah, i wish" But he did not
complete the sentence. II was cut off
| by snort from the blue mule, now
/ pulling and kicking as il in a resentfuI
/ state of mind. Steady he shouted
/ To the mule, snapped his azOte. then
! turned to the girl again.
She had started off. why don't you
ccme, then?" she asked proyokingly.
! turning half around.
Wait a moment Teresa" pleaded
the mule driver. viii you dance with
me tonight?"
IN sect" she laughed, as if to prove
/ that the sex has the same tantaIizing
instincts in all Iatitudes. -... .... =.
Ricardo heard mutter of derision
| from the arrastrar next belew his as
the girl went on down the path. He
turned simply. Another voice accosted
her inquiringly. She answered gayIy.
as was her wont. but did not hnger.
"Hombre brutal,' mumbled Riea Pdo.
1T was that Ramon who stoned the
mule. But he was too busy with
thoughts of the dance he had bespoken
to give Ramon more attention.
Ricardo thrived.. and the blue mule I
was his most helpful ally. Often did
he call down blessings on the head OF
the stranger whom he had denounced
as a cheat; and sumptuoUsly did the
mule fare. as sumptuousness goes with
mules and in QuitOvic. OF all the mules
that labored in that quaint desert town,
Azul was the most trustworthy the
most intelligent. Why should he have
driver, when he would so honestly
drag the pole for the whole Of his sly
hours shift, night or day, without a
word from his master? That rare Wis.,
ltor to the arrastrar town. the Spirit
of Enterprise. touched Ricardo He
contracted with the alcalde to take
charge of second mill near by, and
with the aid Of the loyal Azul he oper-
ated two arrastrars at once and earned /
double pay. He was the rising young
man Of the village
Azul. mi favOritO," he exclaimed 1
night after night, as he embraced the 4
blue mule. gave him his straw with the \
little measure of corn that cost So dear.
and encircled him with his hair larfat
to preserve him from rattlers
they don't know-nOt one Of them
knows"
] am sure that Ricardo had other
and suitable expressions Of attachment
and admiration for SenOTita Teresa. in
whose sight he had found increasing
favor as the months went by and
whose alI-impOrtant father did not
frown upon his suit. Ricardo felt at
peace with his little world: but is IL
not sad that prosperity and peace ever
heart OF Ramon?
One day the jealous one betOok him
self to the court of the aIcalde I'm the
store of baked mud, among the beans
and peppers and miners kits He had
come with complaint, he said. his
own and others. There was something
new and something wrong in QuitOvic.
Tomorrow l VIII listen to YOU" said
the alcalde, for tomorrow was always
the alcalde's busy Cfay
There We're manyi tomOTrows, but /
Ramon persisted till the great man I
paused to hear Kim
1t is a cheat" said Ramon. One
man is doing the work of two"
1T may be So replied the alcaIde,
There will be mischief"
We shall see.
"Creame. your worship! II will waste
the ore and lose the gold
The alcaldes eyes cleaned DO
you know that lie asked.
Il am sure, your Worship
Il will see, tomorrow" and the great
man waved off the little one.
Ricardo and AZul worked faithfully /
as tomorrows approached and reCeded.
unconscious of the disaster that had
taken shape in kamon's mind. The lat /
ter held his peaca and flung no more
taunts at the mule. sanguine that ne I
had laid the train for the catastrophe
and had only to apply the match
How happy 1 ami" murmured the
happy Ricardo to Teresa. as they sat q
on a rock near the arrastrars. next 9
lay. Il have spoken tO the padre |,
Il have told nobody" she answered
softly.
No, let it be a secret till all is in
readiness. Then We shall have a
iesta,"
Shall we go to San AntOniO?7
Yes, and you shall have flowers
Flowers" .
Many flowers and g4rlands They
shall come from SOnoyta." {
Ricardo arose and bestirred the mule
to greater activity-the other mule.
Azul was ever active. and Ricardo :
,ould return to his sweetheart. :
1t was late in the afternoon and near
he end of Ramon's shift. In half an 7
lour his alternate would come TO re-
ieve him. If he was to carry out the
plan which his tempestuOus brain had :
.yClVed as he lay sleepless and tOrtur- =
ID on his bel of straw through the / =
night. he. Ramon, must act soon: and
now. when they were absorbed in the
me another. when RicaFdO's eyes saw
10 more than those of the bandaSed Z
mules, new was the time. the very =
lick of time, q
So, behold Ramon creeping TO tie ar :
'astrar where AZul was sweating at
lis toll. Behold him stealthily crawl. =
ng To the further rim of the mill with I
IN open knife in his hand. while The y
,lue mule. unconscious of the danger. D
,lodded around, and around again to e
he spot where he hid. and the two !.
overs chatted blitheIy. u
''DiablO." muttered Ramon flercely. l
knife flashed once. twice and the
Iced was done. With an oath of salts
action. Ramon Crept back to his work I
and the blue mule. apparently ignor- I
ng him. displayed some petulance to-
ward a snat which had alighted on his d
shoulder, then TRANQUILITY pursued the :,
ong road which led to nowhere
For how could Ramon have achieved ,
lis ignoble purpose by the murder of Il
AZul? That would have been but half { N
revenge, while the retributiOn he had y
dotted was alI-shattering and COM
,lete. He had laid the train for an eX- ~
'losion, an earthquake. The two n
trokes Of his knife had cut the band h
ge from the mules eyes. that was eli: ~
ut was not that enough? Azul would n
row dizzy and dizzier and would fall i'm +,
is tracks: the mill would stop. and Ri n,
ardo, all given to his charmer. would
Ot notice the episode. The alcade h,
7ould soon stride by. for had not the al
unning Ramon sent q false message to ot
Ire him home? He would observe the r.
lie mill and the fallen mule: he would h,
ee Ricardo neglecting his duty to.GaIIy m
18th Teresa. "Ah." he would say. no w
uch lazy. careless fellow shah be son W
{ mine! Up, you loafer, Leave my W
aughter and attend to wOrk.-NO. be II
one, i viii not have YOU work for S.
lie. PoltrOn. Never come near my ar M