Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1901-03-29


healing toward the orange wsls which
I had long since learned wa; known in
the family as "thc ioyers' walk." She
d!d not lock IL my direction, Cid not
turn toward me NJ nli. but like many
another fool I was puhed UP In my
folly. What Earm is there in IT," !
missed. 'f I Take my lesson In Dutch
In the shade Of the orange treesT'
Tossing my cigar away. I sauntcred
after the flying figure out 81 the flower
garden. over the hcld. into the shady
walk. I meandcrcd Ike a lie goat
through a gap IN n hedge. | walked
about 80 yards and saw no one heard
no one. Then all Mt Cncc I found my
sclf looking right into the face Of n big
Hairy savage who wore n tweed coat
and a bnudolier fun OF cartridges. In
his hands he carried a handy little
Mauser carbine.
"wcll. Mr.. Spy" said tho hairy ind!-
vidual. you are my prisoner"
tried t. smile. hut somehow the
springs in my face had got out Of order
and would not work.
what did you want sneaking after
me FOR. you beastly E~ngilshuaanF'
snarled the man with the gun. Il could
have shot you last night and the night
before that II | had liked. hut | dbl not
want to bring trouble on tL;s farm.
What 90 you want to hunt ne forf'
l found my tongue Tor 4 me.0Ft
then.
"uunt you? I dihn't know such a
clap existed"
He lowered his carblne an ,nch or
two. Then what the devil arc you
doing n the lovers walkY'
what are you doing here? ] burt
cd.
We stared at each other like two
grass fed calves IN the starlight. and
edged n foot or two away from the
gun. lust then I heard the patter Of
glrlish feet on the gravel behind me
and. turning my head. saw one CT the
plain sisters hurrying toward US, and
almost 1T tho same second the reddish
gold head OF the beauty" the head OF
the Gin VINO had been teaching me
Dutch. passed from a patch OF shad-
ow into the streak OF starlight where
the Hairy Young giant was standin :
fondline his gun. ! saw her clasp bis
arm. heard her hurrIcdly whisper some
thing IN Dutch which caused the giant
10 grin rs If half his head ached 70
part company with the other half. Tic
beauty pointed toward me and thC
olain sister. who had come Ia = hal
1rsidc me. The plain girl put her han,
xindly on my shoulder and whispered
"pon't you think its too chilly on
hcrcf"
Chilly was no name for Il. was ~
cold az Klondike. The sight Of tina
rarhlne in the starlight had taken al
the warmth out of the atmosphere n
far rs wa concerned. | turned 4
20, wien Il little hand touched mif'C
The girl who had been teaching IN
Dutch was at my side. Before yo'
gentlemen leave" she said. IL whi
you both 10 make n promise. 70
, arc enemies now. Soaic day ~hcn In
war IS over You may be friends. Hu
promise rot to hurt each ether by tals
Z ing cf this meeting. Otto bad TO l'us
acss to come. Father had forbade
, him until the trouble ended with th
British
al came out Of love for YOU" great,
+, the man with the gun.
= And you came ont u: fcn1ncsa fo
=, me-" murmured the plain girl, he
. voice shaking with laughter that wa
almost choking her. ! muttcred ia
biggest lie | had over parted with.
! The hairy individual rested his 81
! against Il tree. stepped forward m
lifted his SLOUGH hat ia the plain gtr
For your sake | promise"
a / lifted my helmet 10 the beauty
and said something similar. 4 fe'
, minutes later ~ | was hucl!ins m
=, girths | heard him galloping OF soCtl
ward to join Olivier's commando. y
swung into my saddle the plain sistC
: slipped away. and the "beauty" llfio
her hand il farewell. AZ u hand
/, met she said. why dtd you come
h lovers walk
4 ''To get a lesson IN Dutch" sale
with n shecpish grin.
q "Well.' she answered, * hope you
4 remember your lesson" And | lraI
= the two Of them laughing 10 S1liore
out on the veldt.-Arg0naut.