The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-02-11

Ldil ldrldI 10 preserve Hill iioiiA A
tlers-"And they don't know-not one
of them knows!"
| am sure that Ricardo had other
and suitable expressions OF attach-
ment and admiration for Senorlta Te-
resa, In whose sight he had found IN
creasing favor as the months went by
and whose all important father did not
frown upon his suit. Ricardo felt at
peace with his little world; but is 1t
not sad that prosperity and peace ever
generate the poison that ranked in the
heart of Ramon?
One day the jealous one betook HIM
self to the court of the alcalde, in the
store of baked mud, among the beans
and peppers and miners kits. He had
come with a complaint, he said, MS
own and others. There was something
new and something wrong with Quito
vic.
Tomorrow I will listen to you,"
said the alcalde, for tomorrow was al
ways the alcalde's busy day.
There were many to-morrows, but
Ramon persisted till the great man
paused to hear him.
1T is cheat" said Ramon. "One
man is doing the work of two"
"It may be so,'' replied the alcalde,
| deliberately.
There will be mischief"
1--WE shall see"
"Creame, your worship! 1t will
| waste the ore and lose the gold"
The alcaldes eyes cleaned. do
| you know that?" he asked.
Il am sure, your worship
II will see, tomorrow" and the
great man waved off the little one.
| Ricardo and Azul worked faithfully
| as tomorrow approached and receded,
unconscious of the disaster that had
taken shape in Ramon's mind. The
| latter held his peace and flung no
more taunts at the mule, sanguine that
he had laid the train for the catas-
trophe, and had only to apply the
match.
How happy I ami" murmured the
happy Ricardo to Teresa, as they sat
ON rock near the arrastras, next day
II have spoken to the padre
II have told nobody" she answered,
softly.
mo, let it be secret till all is in
readiness Then we will have a fies-
| tar
Shall we go to San Antonio?"
| Eyes, and you shall have flowers"
| "Flowers!"
| MANY flowers and garlands. They
shall come from Sonoyta."
/ Ricardo arose and bestfrred the mule
to created activity-the other mule.
| Azul was ever active, and Ricardo
could return to his sweetheart.
| 1t was late in the afternoon and near
| the end of Ramon's shift. In half an
hour his alternate would come to re-
lieve him. If he was to carry out the
plan which his tempestuous brain had
evolved as he lay sleepless and tor
tured on his bed of straw through the
| night, he, Ramon, must act soon; and
now, when they were absorbed in one
another, when Ricardo's eyes saw no
more than those of the bandaged
mules, now was the time, the very nick
| of time!
So behold Ramon creeping to the ar
rastrar where Azul was sweating at
| his toll. Behold him stealthily crawl
ing to the further rim of the mill with
| an open knife in his hand while the
| blue mule, unconscious of the danger,
| plodded around and around again to
| the spot where he hid, and the two
lovers chatted blithely.
"Diablo!" muttered Ramon, fiercely.
A knife flashed once, twice, and the
| deed was done. With an oath of salts
| faction Ramon crept back to his work,
| and the blue mule, apparently ignor-
ing him, displayed some petulance to-
ward a gnat which had alighted on his
shoulder, then TRANQUILITY pursued the
long road which led to nowhere.
For how could Ramon have achieved
Azul? That would have been but half
a revenge, while the retribution he had
plotted was alI-shattering and com
plete. He had laid the train for an ex-
plosion, an earthquake. The two
strokes of his knife had cut the ban
dage from the mules eyes, that was
ALL but was not that enough? Azul
would grow dizzy and dizzier and
would fall in his tracks; the mill would
stop, and Ricardo, all given to his
charmer, would not notice the episode.
The alcalde would soon stride by, for
had not the cunning Ramon sent a
false message to lure him home? He
would observe the idle mill and the
fallen mule; he would see Ricardo neg
Letting his duty to daily with Teresa.
"Ah," he would say, "no such lazy
careless fellow shall be son of mine!
Up, you loafer! Leave my daughter
and attend to work! No, begone! ]
will not have you work for me. Pol
iron! Never come near my arrastrars
or cast a shadow across my path
again!' Ramon could see and hear it
all, and his little soul dilated Mean
while Azul pursued his circular pill
grimage as constantly as the earth re-
volved in it's orbit and the lovers pratt
tied as increasingly as the spheres
sang to each other in the heavens
Then Ramon's successor came to de-
liver him, and he would be free to wit
ness the denouement. The blue mule
could not keep on his feet much
longer; he must soon stagger and fall
and by that time the alcalde would
pass. There could be no failure: all
was going we'll; and Ramon, making q
skilful detour, hid behind the alcalde's
chicken-house to watch and wait and
see his triumph.
Yes, there was the alcalde across the
arroyo. He had received the message
and left his store. Patience! But the
mule! Why did he not pause? Why
| did he NOT stumh1e2 Wby did Io moi