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

lntO Setn S milo due eyes.
is Adr'n Strong been pesterin your"
II think / pestered him more than he
did me-.
Such an unaffected ripple of laughter
broke from LiZa's parted red lips that
Seth's threatening aspect melted in
simultaneously into one of the most alb
ject alteration.
I'D ruther hear one laugh like that
from you, sissy, than to lis'n to the
brass band of Dan Rice's circus, b'dog-
ged if l wouldn't, for a fac. But
what's that about Adr'n Strong sp'ilin
your mornin?"
Then, as together they traversed the
peafield toward whore the wagon was
waiting for them, Liza told him about
Adrien and Sarah Jane and the broken
ramrod. About the revelation contained
in the crumpled piece Of paper which
Adrien had meant to cram into the bar
rel of his gun she did not speak. The
wallet she put into Seth's hand, saying
briefly:
"He left this behind. Give it back
to him, please"
"Did you think l warn't never com.
in back for your" Seth asked, lifting
her lightly into position on the wagon
and putting his fruit offering into her
lap.
81 thought you were staying longer
than usual. but I suppose it was the
posts o an extraordinary good picking
to weigh. Which was it,"
"No, it warn't the posts, nor the cot
ton. nuther. 1 found the pickers was SO
close to Neck d. Nothin that I JUS
stepped over to see how Strong was
maxim it,"
"Wcll, how is he making it,"
"Po'ly enough, poor boy. I'm trou-
bled bout him, sissy. He's gettin
mighty our bout everything. Strong
didn't use to be one of the sour sort. I
think he's got a bigger contrac' on hand
than he bargained for in runnin that
place, but he won't own up to it. I
wisht l could help him some way, I
do, for a fac'."
Liza put her hand caressingly on
Seth's rough coat sleeve and left it
there.
"Seth, you've got the tender heart Of
a gentle woman under this rough coat
somewhere. You are worth all the Mar
tins put together"
Seth looked down sidewise at her I'M
comprehendingly. The instinct Of help
fulness was simply one way Of breath
ing with him. Liza's outspoken praise
made him uncomfortable.
"Are you maxim fun Of me, sissy"
"The idea! You are a simpleton,
Seth. But what / was going OH to say
was more complimentary to myself Than
to you. Strong needs me. He does not
need you. He very politely requested
me to stay away from his cabin, and I
have respected his wishes so far. Moth
er is afraid Of Strong. Any one can see
that" Then, with a quick gesture of
Impotence, "What does it mean any
how? What has imbittered the boy?
Does any one know? Do you know,
Seth?"
"Parshully, said Seth mys~teriously.
II reckon I know more'n anybody else
does, but that amt sayin much
He broke off suddenly, shading his
eyes from the sun glare with one long,
brown hand and stared intently across
the broad, fiat fields which spread for
more than u mile in unbroken cotton
culture OH either side the narrow wagon
road.
"Look a yonderl Good Lawdl A
runaway, O. I'm a Dutchman. Kin you
hol' these reins, sissy? The mules is
steady as milk cows"
He flung the heavy reins into her lap,
and, springing from the wagon, ran
with the leetness Of an Indian straight
toward a thick rolling cloud of dust
that was approaching with the impetu-
osity Of a whirlwind.
Liza, following his flying motions
with wide eyes, saw him plant himself
squarely i'll the road directly in the
pathway of the advancing danger, saw
him clutch wildly with futile courage
at the foam iecked head stall Of a mad
dened brute, saw him dashed aside like
a storm tossed autumn leaf and knew
that but a few rods of the wagon road
now interviewed between herself and
that flying terror.
With swift decision she twisted the
heavy leathern reins about her slim
wrists and turned the clumsy cotton
vain broadside to the runaway. He was
already close enough for her to see the
swaying trace and the loosened single
tree that had caused all the trouble.
Seth was limping helplessly toward
her, far in the He was shouting
something at her, with both hands held
to his mouth. His words were lost OH
the air, swallowed up in the gathering
of Infatuated hoofs and the terrified
snorting Of the brute SO neal at hand.
With an instinct Of self preservation
she stopped and possessed herself Of the
heavy whip Seth had flung from him.
Its thong was Of plated rawhide. It's
handle a clumsy combination Of wood
and lead. There was no time to plan
her mode Of attack. 1t was reduced to
matter Of seconds, to a question Of
dealing or receiving humiliation. Ris-
ing, the better to deal her blow, she
grasped the driving whip by its plated
thong, swung it tentatively in both en-
circling hands and aimed it with tell
ing force at the broad, shining shoulder
Of the beautiful brute, who, swerving
and snorting as he reached the barricad-
ing team, received the full force Of the
loaded handle between his luminous
eyes.
A shiver convulsed his noble frame,
. moan almost human in its expression
Of pain, and he sunk between the shafts
powerless evermore for evil or for good.
Liza. having performed her act of