Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-04-16
eosYMeAT. 1897 sS rns AurHoR,

"LdSa, your bustler"
Without slaokening her speed Liza
flung . reinsurance behind her. "That's
all right Have been wearing it for .
week"
my LAwd!" This ejaculation Of hor-
ror, not Of piety, came from Mrs. Mar
tin.
"It's more'n enough to give you our
ryture Of the spine o. something else
spiney, Liza Martin, wearin a pad with
100 $40 goldpieces quilted into 1t. You
oughtn't to put 1t on. child. till you was
'bliged to-"
"There. there, minnie, please don't
worry about my spine. It's all right"
She paused on the stairway just long
enough to fling a kiss from the tips Of
her fingers toward the two anxious
faces uplifted from the hall below. Pres
emily they could hear her disposing Of
the loose silver with careful carelessness
under the heaps Of dried palmetto that
strewed the floor Of the upper hall, in
the bags Of wool that Seth had robbed
their few remaining sheep Of, and any
where else her ingenuity could devise.
Annabel's door opened and closed
softly, and Mamie Colyer Joined her be.
fore the task was completed.
"There now" said Liza, stufing the
last fork In a crevioe behind an unmov-
able clothes press, "unless they get to
kicking that palmetto and wool about
for pure malice they will never suspect
what is under it"
Then they stood silently waiting and
listening with fast beating hearts. The
moment wal too intense for common
place. The storm, whose mutterings in
the distance they had been listening to
with strained attention for so long, was
about to burst upon their own heads
They looked into each others eyes
lovingly, confidingly, and in that brief
communion both found fresh strength.
Suddenly Liza drew her friends soft
round cheeks within kissing range and
pressed her lips fervently to each in
succession.
my dear, my dear, what should l
do without you? The rest are all so con
fused, so helpless. Just go many dear
children to be cared for"
Listen, Liza!"
The rapid thud Of iron shod feet upon
the grassy yard below, the merry, care
less whistling Of . rollicking rou.
lade, the unwonted sound Of mems
voices in laughter. Sans Souci had al
most forgotten the sound. How cruelty
jarring it sounded now. The laughter
Of an enemy is not contagious. Its inso-
lent security set every nerve in Liza's
overwrought system a-quiver. They
must know that their men were not
there to strike awe into their souls
What next?
Liza. you are not going to faint
J Your lips are as white as the walls
Please don't faint, Liza"
Mamie laid violent hands upon her
friends shoulder and shook her almost
angrily.
II am not going to faint, Mamie. Let
me alone. There is too much to think
Of. What have you done with Annabel?"
"Given her a dose of valerian. She
said her herd ached, and I wanted her
to sleep through it. Let us go down
stairs"
"Yes, let US go down stairs. Where
is Adrien?"
"Unole Dolbear took him to the
woods with him, thank goodness"
Without other preamble than a brief
military salute, with two fingers upon
the visor Of his cap, the sergeant in
command Of the squad halted before the
white faced group upon the gallery OF
Sans Souci.
"Am sorry to intrude, ladies, but we
are acting under orders. This house
must be searched Men, inside!"
"Men, insidel STRIP The sergeant's
face clouded irritably at this distressed
female chorus.
Sam really sorry, ladies, but u o..
ders are to search the house."
Observation-Disclosures Search-what
! house? Search-it-for-what?"
Mrs Strong, trembling with wrath =
the sacrilege, but blushing with shame
for the duplicity that made her plant
her feet yet more firmly over the scars
Dolbear's clumsy carpentry had left on
the smooth planks Of the gallery floor,
repeated the words in a series Of gasps.
"Rebs and weapona"
"We are all rebels here" she waved
her white hand comprehensively, "but
~ for weapons, I suppose that means
The lie would not come at her bid
ding. A flush Of shame mounted slowly
to the very roots Of her soft, waving,
white hair. Had she not punished Adri.
en- severely In his childhood for the
Gliehtest deviation from truthfulnessf
Anything, everything, from . pop
gun up to . gatlin. Iguess, now, yoe
don't happen 10 be carryin . % poanA-
q round In your pocket"
I The faoetia Of their leader produced
spasms Of mirth in tho squad. Mrs.
6trong's pallid face grew yet . shads
whittier.
Liza, CHANGING in hot wrath from the
pain in that patrioian fAce to the coolly
insolent ones Of the men on the sward
beneath them, stepped to the front At
this juncturss snA with haahing eyes
took the lead.
"If you ne looking for rebel soldierA
you will not hnd one nearer than the
family graveyard. he has received his
discharge from the great commander,
reverently lifting her small right hand
heavenward. If you are looking for
guns and-and things, you are wasting
your time We certainly have not left
them WHORE, you could hnd them. Il
you are here for purposes Of plumber, We
have nothing to ~. You are our supe-
ricsa"