Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-03-16

The engineer and Pancha, arm n, arm.
pacing SlUutl3 up and dolpn the deck.
rail of the Idaho, she so slender, dark
and willowy, he almost Saxon in his
blue eyed, fair haired, fair skinned
manliness, alone with each other and
their prize The child who had tainted
at sight of him less than week agone
was peeping shyly up at him now and
thinking how good a face was that, so
fresh and fair and strong with its
smooth shaven chin and cheeks, its
round white throat and the f1awless
testh that glistened under the curling
mustache whenever he opened his lips
to speak and that showed so seldom at
any other time. Not until this moment
had she ever seen him smile.
The fringe of her Mexican rebosa had
caught the button OF his snugly fitting
sack coat, and it needed her deft. slim
fingers to release it, Then in its frantic
strueg es the dolphin threatened to
spring back to its native element, and
Loring had to head him off and thrust
| him to the middle of the deck again.
close to the skylight of the saloon, and
there he babe her come and watch the
vivid, swiftly changing, iridescent hues
of the beautiful creature, and she obe
diently drew near and stood bending
over in mingled triumph and compass
| sion.
"Ah, que es bonito!" she sighed as
the frantic leapings seemed to cease
and the prize lay gasping at full length,
exhausted by the violence of the long
battle
Presently Loring called the steward
to send up for the senorita's captive
and to serve it at the senorita's table
for breakfast, and then perhaps he
might have returned to his solitary
walk, but the study Of Spanish is never
more fascinating than when rosy lip:
and pearly teeth are framing the courtly
phrases. Whatever the cause of her agi
tation the night of the meeting, what
ever his preconceived idea of her com
plicity in the scheme that robbed hin
of his guard at ella Bend and laid hin
low in the dust of the DESERT Lorint
found as the result of five days observ
ance and reflection that his origina
views had given place to doubt, ant
doubt at last to confidence in her ute
innocence.
Knowing what ordeal was before hir
at the end of the voyage, he had studi
ously avoided her, but now avoidanc
was no longer possible For few me
ments they stood there, saying little, fo
he was not practiced in the speech c
, Spanish, and at any time his word
! were few, and then he asked her if sh
, would not like to walk. When Turf
bull clambered up the stairway just 8
the breakfast gong was banging, he wa
amazed to find the engineer and Panchi
arm in arm, pacing swiftly up and dow
t the deck in perfect step and APPARENT
in as perfect accord, the girls delica
face lighted up with glow that WI
+ not all of exercise, her wonderful eyt
l looking frankly into Loring's fin
b thoughtful face, her free hand gesticl
q lating eagerly as she chartered blithel.
t almost ceaselessly, for Loring was
: fattering listener to men or women, o.
o or young.
It 1t was TRANSPORTED maiden that m
!. the sisters De la Cruz as they venture
l. from their staterooms to the table. Eve
g Inez, their boasted beauty, looked sa
d low and wan beside her radiant cousi
i, and the fat duenna, their aunt, gazed
,, mingled establishment and disapprov
J. at the sight.
l. But Panoha was the heroine of Il
D. day. Pancha's hand had caught Il
ct dolphin, and the captain showered h
n loud congratulations, the purser hand
!. her to her seat and would gladly ha
n sided into the chair of Senior Sepulvid
who had come aboard with them
5, Guaymas and kept his berth until t
I'd previous evening, yet now came for
Ia to face the gathering company at brea