Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-10-17
~ n. S. CAN FIELD.

citt bdhh WIS ItdIitu anu tONlu lttl
her stout pony clambering up the in
cline After slow progress for fifteen
minutes or so, there was a halt. A lit
tie afterward she heard the other mem
bers Oi the band mounting horses
which had been left in the Mexican
chaparral. Navara placed his hand on
her shoulder with a muttered apology,
and then the scarf was removed
Looking about her, she saw that they
We're in a tanglc of mesquite and cac-
tuS. The view was limited to ten feet
in any direction. The trees branching
over them hid the sun so that she
could not tell whether she faced north,
south, east or west. Ahead ran a mar
row trail. merely goat-path, that
twisted crafty Navara said:
Il ask a thousand pardons for the
scarf, but the Sonora will be returned
to the rancho sOon-when she is paid
for-and she must not know the road
to our camp
Lois made no reply 1t was evident
from his manner. which was dcfcren-
tial in the extreme. that she would he
treated with respect II was money the
gallant captain wanted. not beauty.
AS for the others. sweeping her eyes
over them she could not tell that they
were aware of her existence. They sat
their horses with the ungraccful but
sure seat of their kind They did not
look at her, or away from her Some
were whispering. others were rolling
cigartos. 1t was merely matter of
business with them; so much Of a days
work If they had an expression nj all
it was one of gentle melancholy be-
cause their breakfasts were delayed
She learned afterwards that they had
crossed the river on the evening before,
lain hidden in the thickct all night and
had intended moving nearer 10 the
rancho during the day in a desperate
effort to bear her off when she took
her afternoon walk. Her wild attempt
to catch a glimpse of Weston had saved
them much trouble. There was some
philosophy in the girl, much courage
and strong dash OF romance. As they
wound their way through the masses Of
thorny vegetation she began partly to
enjoy her novel situation. She was not
fearful of any harm and looked upon
her release in little while as ctr-
tainty, Here was sensation enough to
last any reasonable young woman for
lifetime, and whether the experience
was to prove pleasant or the reverse
the memory of il was certain to prove
indelible. There was even a sense of
the ludicrous in being mistaken for the
tall, pale and languid Mrs. Glynn and
she smiled as she pictured the conduct
of that novel-reading lady under SINH
lar circumstances. Vavara did not
speak again. but rode at sharp trot.
Her reins had been restored to her be-
cause there was no possibility that she
could diverge from the trail in an ef
fort to escape, and she followed him
closely. Behind her clattered the men.
gay brides jingling, stirrup feathers
creaking and the frou-frou Of the
slight. thorny branches catching at
their leggings.
After an hours ride between high
hills. Vavara tui nod sharply to the left.
crossed a bold, clear stream which owl
IDENTITY made its way To tho Rio Grande.
rode up the further slope at n eallop
plunged down into hollow swept two
hundred yards to the left. still AZ gal
lop checked his horse and pointed
ahead of him.
She saw camp pitched ny creek
that ran through large and beautiful
grove of pecan trees. This grove was
in the middle Of a level space some
acres in extent and green with laic
grasses. On every side it was sheltered
by the rising hills II must have been
very furnace Of heat in summer. but
at that season its temperature was de-
lightful. No tents We're visible In-
stead, iacals Of mesquite poles had been
erected and rooted with water grasses.
They were arranged regularly upon
either side of the stream, facing IL some
twenty feet away They thus presented
the effect Of n rude single street with
the bright water in its center At the
far end. under the low spreading limbs
of a mighty pecan. was a hut twice the
size Of any one of the others and con-
strpctcd with more care. Vavara aig-
nifed 70 her that It was his palace"
and contained his offices and living
qua tiers. 1t was to be given mp to her
exclusive use he assured her, until the
Senior. her husband. chose to buy her
back. He himself would be content
with ruder quarters elsewhere.
"Ths Sonora shall have d maid he
went on. who viii prepare her meals
She need fear no harm While we are
cortrabanGistas. we admire, we rever-
ence, we worship beauty, and the Sem
ora will forgive me for saying that she
IS very beautiful we have quite q 1T
tie colony here Most Of my men are
married and live with their families
in the houses you sec"
Indeed Lois had already noticed a
half-dozen brown. semi-uude children
rolling about on the grass and felt
mach cheered thereby. i, came 70 Ter
that her value in Vayaras eyes rested
rolely upon his mistake. it was evil
dent too that he regarded the Glynns
as people II great wealth and import
ance Tt followed therefore that the
more Of hauteur and nonrhalanoe she
showed as BETTING hidalgos wife, the
more respectfully she would be treated
So. with Q languid and naughty wave
of the hand She signifed her desire 10
be conduct "a 10 her hut The smurgler
fastened t. obey. He helped her from
the saddle gracefully and strongly and
led her tn the door, With an implied
apology, be entered after her and pro.