The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-02

-just-tired, and out he stretched
| again and off he went to sleep.
| The clock licked distressingly loud at
| nrst, and the wind continued it's sigh
| ing, but the busy thoughts soou drew
Lucy away again to a fairyland of
| hopes and plans for an ideal future She
! was rudely reused by a knock-a rath-
| er hesitating one, it seemed. She had
hardly time to rise before the door OPP
| ened and a Mexican woman polzed her
| head in
'Buenas tardes. senora,'' and her
| body followed. Such appearances We're
not uncommon in this scattere COM
| munity where Mexican women did the
| washing for the ranches, though night
| fall usually found them in their own
'dobe or that of a dark-skinned friend.
The woman's face looked familiar.
though, like all her class. little of it
was to be seen because of the Inuf-
filings of a dirty wooden shawl or re-
bozo. So with nod Lucy pushed a
chair toward her and said. Weir"
POGO frio.'' said the woman and
shutting into a corner of the fireplace
squatted down and wound her arms
into her shawl with a SILVER
Poor thingi" thought Lucy, she
looks cold. Father will be home soon.
and he'll know what to do with her
So, after venturing few remarks and
finding that the woman could under
stand little and answer less, she at
tempted to resume her musing. But
covert glance from the stranger set her
on the alert, and she felt that she vas
being watched. She arose, arranged a
few things in the room, shook out some
goods that were lying the machine
and folded them up, more and more
conscious that every action was noteG.
Why was it? Before five minutes had
passed she discovered that the wonian's
foot in a boot and spurredi That
the peculiar appearance about the Mex
leans face was caused by the shaving
off of a bristling mustache, and that the
features were those of old Giacomoi
No need to tell Lucy that this was
the murderer fleeing from the armed
men and hounds securing the country
for him-like as not ready with his
stilletto to be used on Robert and her
self a a moments warning.
Something must be done, and done
quickly. Plans flew like lightning
through her heated, beating brain. Her
fathers entrance at any minute might
precipitate matters; the sleeping boy
was unconscious of any danger, all
rested with her. Two things must be
done; she must arouse no suspicion,
which would make either herself or her
brother the victim: and she must cap
ture Giacomo-the soul of her dead
friend seemed to appeal for that.
a few minutes elapsed before she
could overcome the ra pid beating of her
heart, and begin to hum tune. She
went out into the lean-to shed.
mot a drop of water, as usual, when
one wants drink" she muttered,
noiselessly opuring out a half bucketful
upon the ground. Il never saw such
bucket for being always empty" as she
came into the ROOM Rob. RObi YOU
sleepy head Go TO the spring for some
water. She playfully walked him, alter
nately scolding and laughing while ne
fused and complained.
'tOh, femme alone," Rob was awake
at last at the sight of the stranger.
Hello, how did that old witch Gomez
On a bromstick?''
Here, Rob. I'll go for the water. But
get out the dominoes and We'll have
game Want to play, .senora?,'
twinkled. his native gambling instinct
overcoming all prudence, and Lucy with
relief saw them employed in not only
arranging the dominoes, but actually
commencing a game before she left.
The spring was half way down the
decline of the arroyo, close to the house,
and an absence of ten minutes would
appear reasonable, and neither Robert
nor the Mexican notice it. 1t was her
purpose. instead of going to the spring
at the left of the house, to slip off to
the right, and run the quarter of a mile
up the road to the rock corral, where
her father was to be. The fate of the
three, the whole of that precious house
hold which her father daily thanked
God for keeping together, lay in her
discretion, her courage, her action
oHppihS dIouilu the CORNER u TIE nou9s
she crept under the yellow shaft of
light streaming from the end window,
and-but her heart seemed to stop and
the blood to flow back in a warm flood
all over her, as the old adobe ruins
grew out of the dark toward her. These
remains of an earlier homestead had
been peopled with many ghosts anu
other apparitions since Lucy's resi-
dence here, caused by shadows and
twilight legends. The old walls and
chimney had resisted time and weather,
and now came as a bugaboo to daunt
her. Could she pass that place? Yes.
she was strong in her responsibility.
and shutting her eyes, she ran past,
when upon the clear night air came
from it's recesses a light neigh that was
responded to by Roberts horse at the
house No need now to call on duty.
on courage. on Godi Away, away like
a flash, across the smooth turf. into
the scrubby mesquite, whose thor1ls