Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-07-19

al Use " ~ las dNtSA'-
ton. Nevertheless that same day after
luncheon he said to his host as they sat
smoking under the ramada: "Who lives
in the house on the Xxi street, where the
two mockingbird cages hang on the
VALE"
II saw you meet her. the civilian told
him: "her name is Lopez, Manuela, I
think"
1t took him two weeks. but he got him.
self introduced to Senior Lopez, and then
taken to call upon him. The senior was
a we'll educated man. and the most hos
pitable of his hospitable race. He made
Hurlburt free of the house at once and
showed him everything it contained, save
only Manuela.
you must come again, often" he said,
as they parted. Hurlburt replied thai he
would. and went again in three days. He
addressed himself to Sonora Lopez. who
was handsome and well-preserved.
You a a daughter, have you not,
senCra?"
Sonora Lopez understood only just so
much English as she chose. She did not
moose to understand this. She turned
her soft eyes upon her husband and he
answered for her.
w have a daughter he said, but
she is very young"
1t having thus been made obvious to
him that Manuela would not be produced
by her parents, he went to an early mass
at the church, met her, and introduced
himself. It CHANGED that she was alone.
1t was but a few hundred yards to her
home, but he made the most of his time.
Manuela answered in monosyllables and
raised her yes but twice. Hurlburt's in
was complete. Senior Lopez
was angry. He was very civil to the Of
ficer, but he sent the girl to her room at
once.
Il met the senorita at mass" Hurlburt
explained.
Are you, then, a Catholic" inquired
the Mexican.
"No," said Hurlburt-and determined
to pursue the policy that sages who knew
nothing of mankind tell us is invariably
the best-"I went to the church on pur-
pose to meet your daughter. / saw her
on the street car the other day and l adj
mired her very much. That is why I
came to call upon sou. I thought l would
see her openly under her own roof. AS l
did not l encountered her elsewhere.
Now" said Hurlburt. leaning back in his
chat in an easy pose that did not meet
with the punctilious Mexican's approval.
Ct should like to ask you to be allowed
to pay my court to your daughter
My daughter. sir, is too young"
MAY l ask her age, senor?"
"She is 10 years DID,
"You have told me that you married
the sonora when she was but 15."
THAT was in the old times. We do not
do SO any more"
"But I will be willing to wait for a year,
if senorita Manuela will love me-"
"ssir. we will talk no more concerning
this. MY daughter is too young to be
married. and l do not wish to give her to
an American'-which was not in the least
true. Up to then it had been his plan to
do so, but his destination was reused.
The result was one that any one, most
of all a Mexican. should have foreseen.
He sent notes to Manuela and got them
from her in return. The notes led to
meeting by night. The meetings led to
~intatuation. Warm, southern nights and
| a soft-eyed, ~sofI-voiced girl can work
mischief within the mind of a man. And
a tall, blonde officer saying the first
/ words of low she has eve heard, can
turn the head of any omar
The %clandestine interviews continued
for several months. Then Hurlburt made
one last attempt at frankness. He went
| to Senior Lopez again and renewed his re-
quest to be permitted to pay his daugh-
ter court. The senior had conceived All
! unreasonable and great dislike to him
and refused.
A week later they went across the line
ana were l1lhlIleu. L hey IctuIlleu llllIlS-
diately and had an interview with Senior
Lopez.
The Mexican was %enraged. Hurlburt,
having obtained what he wanted. was
not inclined to be conciliatOry, but Manu-
ella and her mother patched up a peace,
Manuela behaved beautifully. and Hurl-
burt was more enamored than ever. He
took her back to his home, and for three
days dreamed of a lifetime of bliss.
Tl>~,, 1ootlnJ chN l,aI 1ol
! enough of living on honeycomb and that
she had tired of scented time. With Nc
explanation and no reason save that she
wanted to go, she went. Her father
charmed with Hurlburt's discontinue,
refused to make her return to him, and
guarded her closely. Hurlburt begged 70,
one final interview, which was granted.
"Manuela," said Hurlburt, have you
not changed your mind? Will you not
come with me"'
She shook her head. mo" she said.
"Why not? Was I not kind to you;
Did l not love you?"
Yes. you We're very kind. But I like
better to be with my father"
When Hurlburt finally went away he
decided that his heart was broken. He
thought of suicide. This frame of mind
lasted for a year; then he became resent,
full: then he obtained a divorce: then he
was ordered east. and it was 10 years
before he returned to the coast.
He had with him his wife-a woman Of
his own people, very charming, very wei
suited to him in every way. She knew
the story of his first marriage, and sht
knew that whatever he might say to the
contrary, he still regretted deep down il
his heart the sweet, soft Mexican wife
of his youth, of his season of dear belief:
and illusions. The knowledge was the one
grief of her life. But she kept it to her
self, and for this nfeminine virtue tn,
gods in due time rewarded her.
They wont one day by ambulance from