The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1898-08-20

the moonlight that he was n Gringo.
They talked together in low tones until
Sofa Joined them, rubbing her eyes and
moving nolselessly, with her bare feet,
across the dirt floor.
''This man." said her brother. ais 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 morn
Ing"
LET him stay" said Sofa, not too
graciously. He can have my bed.
cannot sleep"
Vejar grunted In much contempt.
"Mascayel does not lie awake for you,"
he said.
Sofa made no answer. She accepted
the fact. She put the American upon
the blanket-covered willow boughs that
she called her bed. Her brother tied
the horse beside his own In the roof
less adobe clubhouse, and fed 1t some
hay. He did nothing for Its lame foot.
The suffering of a dumb brute Is
matter of utter Indifference to Next
can, when 1t Is not cause for laughtr.
The American was a mere youth.
Sofa saw that when the patch of moon
light finally worked around to where
he lay. He was 80 still that she began
to think he might be dead. So she rose
from where she sat upon the floor, lean
ing against the wall, and went near to
see II he were breathing. 1t seemed
that he slept very lightly. for he start
ed up, with his left hand upon his belt
and his right hand upon his revolver.
You were so still thought you
might be dead" said Sofa. In her deep,
placid voice, full Of the Indian sweet
ness of sound. He took his hand from
the weapon and lay back shamefaced-
ly. 1t was only woman, thick-set,
lazy, good-hearted Mexican. He had
not been able TO see her face, and he
did not know that the comfortless pal
let was her bed. He turned on 1t and
fell asleep again. But Sofa was think
Ing. Long after her brother was
dreaming In the next room she crouch
ed, looking Into the darkness with her
great wide eyes-seeing nothing. And
In her brain ran the clink of the coins
as the young Gringo had put his hand
to his belt. There was purpose In her
unflinching mind. That she debated 1t
therein was due only to her uncertain
ty as TO how many coins had clinked,
as TO whether there were enough to
buy Antonio Mascavel. Five hundred
dollars would do it-for a time. After
that he might kill her: or he might let
her live and go away with Refugio-
which would be worse. He was
gambler through and through, and
none the less SO because Of being luck
less. A few hundred dollars In actual
cash would present to him unlimited
possibilities of the wealth that 1t might
win. And there is always the poor
chance, in wonan's mind, that the
man may learn to love as she loves.
He might forget Refugio; or she might
marry some one else.
Fifteen minutes later she went into
the room where her brother lay upon
a bed like her own. She reused him
with her bare foot. He turned with a
sleepy grunt
"Get up and come here" she said.
She was not a capricious creature. 1t
was her way to do little, but that in
logged earnest. SO Yejar sprang up
aud went with her. She stopped be-
side the bed and pointed down to the
body.
IL - oh
Yejar made no answer. He did not
understand.
II have killed him." she repeated.
you take him away and bury him."
1t flashed upon Vejar that what his
sister said was true. He was fright
ened. He dropped down beside the
body and dragged 1t into the streak of
moonlight.
Take care" Sofa warned him; III
there is blood on the floor 1t can be
seen. | can burn the blanket that Is
on the bed; and no one saw him come"
Yejar let the body fall, and stood up
facing her She could see the dreadful
light in his eyes, but she did not care.
You can turn his horse loose and II
will never be known" she said indif-
ferently. HE had money. There Ia
eight hundred dollars have counted
II. Antonio will marry me for that"
yejar struck her down with blow
on the breast. She sat upon the floor as
quietly as II she were basking In the
sun, dreaming the eternal Mexican
dreams.
IF you hit me again, shall say that
you did 1t. They would believe me-"
Yejar stood thinking. with the body
and the woman at his feet. He knew
that she was right. The Gringoes
would believe n woman. 1t was the
custom of the fools. She held his life
in her hard, broad hands, and she
would give 1t for the sake of the soft
eyed gambler as calmly, as relentless
ly as she had given that of the boy
between them.
lie carried the body out and buried II
before dawn, far from the adobe, and
so skillfully that there were no traces
of the spot Then he turned the lame
horse loose, and 1. wandered into the
town.
For the sake of the forty gold pieces
that were Sofa WEARS dowry that she
had come by, he did not ask how-nor
care-that conjured up visions of limit
less wealth to be won, Antonio Mas
cavel consented to take her and let the
ungilded beauty of Refugio Garfias go.
Many Americans disappeared In
those days, and were never accounted
...aa so NTH tho mn xyho hod