The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-01
passed away.

mouths.
The villagers endeavored to show their
thankfulness at the destruction of their
enemies by the profuse hospitality to
their guests, and the latter thoroughly
enjoyed their stay there. On starting on
the return journey Clara rode
with VIII, the two vaQueros and
the Indian chief to the foot
of the cliff. and was shown the spot VIII re
Will had climbed up. After looking at il
for some time she suddenly burst into
tears.
at is dreadful even to think of your go
ing up there. Will" she said, II should
never have forgiven myself if you had
been killed when risking your life in that
way 10 save me-"
You would never have known it," he
said.
81 should have known it, she said
earnestly, when we met in the here
after"
The journey home was conducted in
easy stages. Wolf, the Indian, and one
of the vaqueros had been sent off the
day after Clara rallied from her attack
of fever. If they found the Apaches sill
in the valley they were to return to
warn them; if not, they were to ride on
until they met Senior Sarasta and told him
of his daughters safety.
when half way back they met Juan
with ten we'll armed vaqueros. The meet
ing was a joyful one although sadden-
ed by the loss. now confirmed. of their
mother.
"Ah! WILL" Juan exclaimed, after his
first tender embrace OF his sister, you
are tenfold my brother now You have
saved Clara's life, as well as mine; your
messengers have told me how you scaled
a cliff that seemed to all of them so inn
possible that none had the slightest hope
that you could succeed"
And how are things in the valley?"
Better than might have been hoped.
The redskins only remained there three
days, some 10000 of the cattle have been
recovered, many were found in the
woods in the hillsides, more still had gone
night up the valley, and when the red
skins tried to follow them they were as
sailed with such showers of arrows by
the Geniguehs that they fell back, having
indeed already as many cattle as they
could drive away. Two of the men from
the raft brought us the news TO San Di-
ego, and the commandant at once told off
100 cavalry 10 accompany us, and in fu-
ture, fort is to be built near the haci-
enda and fifty soldiers are TO be sta
toned there. The commandant was rath-
er reluctant to agree to this, until he had
received orders from government, but on
our undertaking to always supply the
garrison with bread and meat he consent
ed, seeing that it would be a distinct
saving of expense. So we need have no
fear off the redskins meddl.ng with us
again. My father has already sent down
to Monterey to arrange for the purchase
of 10000 head of cattle from the ranches
there. so In two or three years we shall
be in full working order again. We
found twenty of the vaqueros assembled
at the hacienda they had taken 60 the
woods at the first attack and had re-
manned In hiding until they found that
the redskins had gone"
A messenger was az once sent on ahead
to inform Senior Sarasta of the time at
which the party would arrive, and he met
them at the upper end of the valley The
meeting was an affecting one. After
embracing his daughter the Mexican
threw his arms around Will with as much
affection as If he had been his father
II did not think" he said, when the
first emotion was over, when l left you
In charge that the duty would be SO on
erous a one, but you have nobly fulfilled
your trust. most nobly. and thank you
from the bottom of my heart
On arriving at the hacienda they found
that great efforts had been made to re-
move all signs of the visit of the Apaches.
Donna Sarasta had been buried in the
little chapel near the house. The broken
and torn up shrubs had been replaced,
and although. inside, the rooms were
bare, for the furniture had been hacked
to pieces by the redskins, everything was
spotlessly clean. Will did not enter with
Senior Sarasta into the house, but went
straight to the stables with the vaqueros
and saw his horse and iona cared for.
When he went to the house Don Sarasta
and Juan went out to him.
1--WE have heen talking tOoethar Will
the Mexican said, "and the result is this:
/ do not know what your sentiments may
be, but have ascertained those of my
daughter. We have been as one family
for seven or eight months. We all wish
that we shall continue to be so in real
ity, and 1 now offer you formally the
hand of my daughter, Donna Clara Sa-
rasta. in marriage. l know that l can
intrust her happiness 40 you, and the
match will afford both myself and Juan
the most lively satisfaction"
"It would be altogether beyond NV
hopes. senor," Will said, greatly moved.
II will not deny that l have from the
first had profound admiration for your
daughter but I should never have spoken
of 1t, seeing that 1 am al present a pen-
niless man, and am. indeed, much below
the age at which to think of marriage
in the States"
lHe MeAIcdH Sfnlleu- according 10
| Spanish law, and our own policy, the le
gal age of marriage is IA for the man and
Il for the woman, and although il is not
often that marriage takes place quite so
young as that, they are very frequent
when the man is 16 and the girl Il or IL.
therefore, that is no obstacle whatever
Then, senior. l accept your generous
offer most gladly and thankfully, and
shall consider myself the most fortunate
man alive in winning such a bride as
Donna Clara"
well, you had better go in and tell her
So" the senior said. II think that that
will be more in accordance with your
American customs than for me to go in
and formally hand her over to you"
Three months later a double marriage
settled a large sum OF money upon his
! daughter, and with Juan's co dial assent
arranged that at his death the hacienda
and rancho and indeed. all of his prop
erty. should become the joint property of
his son and daughter, with power TO make
any future division of ii that they might
| think fit After remaining a week at San
| Diego VIII sailed with his wife 10 Pana-
ma, crossed the isthmus and took shin 70
| New York, where he astounded his father
and mother by presenting to them his wife
| and mentioning casually that she had a
| fortune of $780, goo, and was Joint heiress to
| estates and property worth at least 1000
| CO., which caused Mr.. Harland senior to
acknowledge that WINS mania for the sea
| had not turned out so badly after all.