Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-03-02
lCUNTlNUED.j

tlemen, said he "You practically own
the ship till we get to Guaymas There
we pick up some Mexican families go
ing to Frisco and two mighty pretty
girls. y
who are they2' asked Tnrnbu!!
slanguidly as he sat on the upper deck,
heels lifted on the taffrail, gazing out
over an apparently limitless plain. half
q dim vista of far spreading sand, half OF
II star dotted, fawless salt water, the
4 smoke of his cigar curling lazily aloft
as the black hull rode at anchor
Daughters of old Roman de la Cruz.
for two that know of, and some cousin
of theirs, believe. They came aboard
on our up trip The old man likes our
tap of champagne and doesn' care what
it costs. He has more ready cash than
any Mexican know. You're married
man, colonel, but how about the lieu
tenant here?''
Loring, still pallid and listless
smiled feebly and shook his head
Well, here's your chance, young
man, +" said the bluff salt, unconscious
of giving offense. "No time like voy
age for lovemaking once the girl gets
her sea legs on You ought to capture
one of 'em before we're half way to the
Golden Gate. They rate EN- at 5000, !.
00G apiece Don't know how long it
takes a soldier to win prize like that
but give sailor such a show and she d
strike her colors before we sight S:
Lucas, If you don't care for ducats and
Nv tl~
cousin, She can sing and play your
soul away, give her half chance and "a
good guitar.
WHO'S she?' queried Turnbull, bal
ancing his half smoked cigar between
the fingers, as he blew fragrant cloud
to the cloudless vault above
Didn t get the family name-Pancha
they called her, a slip of l6-year old
going to school perhaps, and the cap
tain turned away to answer question
from his steward, leaving the two SOL
diers looking intently at each other
with new interest in their eyes.
Blake's destroyer was l6-year- old
Pancha, WASH It she?" asked the colonel
in low tone. He had had no mercy
whatever on Blake and was outspoken
in condemnation of what he called his
idiocy.
Loring was silent "A moment; then he
drew letter from all inner pocket. It
had come with TurnbuIl-the last news
from Arizona Read that when you We
time. colonel, said he Perhaps had
you been in Blate~ place at his age
you'd have forgotten everything but
the stage and the fight. as he did
think | should
And. as this was the longest speech
.Turnbnll had ever heard from Loring 5
lips except his arraignment OF Nevlns
over it not little He took the letter
and read it when an hour later the Idaho
was blowing her lazy way southwark
through dull and eaden sea
i'm not the first man to be fooled by Sill,
Of girl Loring-wrote Blake-lt isn't I'll,
first time that Il woman has got the better o.
me- and 1t may not be the last But tn,
chagrin and misery feel Is not because have
suffered so much but because you have ans
all through my fault | suppose you know The
general has ordered me relieved and sent buci
tony company as no longer worthy to be callec
a cavalryman All the same. one OF thes,
u
long for the doughboys anyhow Meantime
with all meekness RI bear my burden de
serve it But you II believe ME when say i
isn't the punishment, the Humiliation this hu
cost me that SO weighs upon me now 1t Is til,
thought of your loss ana your prostitution
One OF these days | may find means 10 shoa
you how much feel II lust now have only
hint Last year at tins time my most cher
ished possession was my new SPRING style 81
Amldon silk hat Is rs uut Of place in Arr
iona as SunSlnde III Sltka vet my strikes
has just unpac!ied IT ana asked with grin OF
his confounded mug What II | lie dom VIC
this, sor? know Sole leather hatboX ant
all, it goes. by blackboard. to your address a
division headquarters our heads abou
of the same cnllber The main difference l.
that yours seems loaded The Alta says sill
hats are now worn on sunny mornings Spur
mine for me. though it be of the vintage of
bygone year. | shall not show my face III CIV
llizatlon till have lived down my shame 81
for two years at least OF Yuma and TIL
consolation to be derived from the solitar,
study of philosophy and Shakespeare Your
IN meellness of spirit. GERALD BLAKE
P. S.-They say that 5ancho's brothers rea
name is Escalante II ever you come acros,
one OF that race. keep your eyes peeled
Another day and the pillows OF th'
gulf were breaking under the Idaho
counter and Kissing sternward in snow,
luuNl, dusWGrluR luo tuSu Vi strOuf
southwest wind. 1t was late at evenin,
when the black hull went reelng III TO
ward the lights Of Guaymas and tn
massive anchor, with prodigious splash
dived for the sandy bottom, but late a
it was the shore boats and lighters CAM
pulling to the gangway stairs, and mer
chants, clerks and customs officers MIN
bly, scrambled up the side, and then fol
lowed number Of passengers, cigarette
smoking and cackling about the swarm,
ing deck, and Turnbu and the enginee
hung over the rail and watched for tn
promised boatload of beauty. and pres
emily it came Two or three small boat
were rowed alongside, and there wer
glinipses of shrouded forms and ther
were sounds of Joyous laughter and muir
INJURED gallantrles and dark eyed darl
skinned caballeros. and the GROWING
iniunctlons Of presumably patertaniil
las And presently the ladderlike stair
were cleared and, one after another
woman after woman was assisted N
1,np mr.,