The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-06
On .lumaflIa Creek.
BY H. S. CANFIELD.

friends. He did not care to make ac
quaintances. He was an orphan and in.
herited wealth. To say truth he was
something Of boor and it was his boor.
lshness which led him into the semi.
wilderness. 1t is your self-centered mar
VINO goes most wildly off his center IN.
Ger the centripetal driving of love.
ne Fought the passion with argument
ana resolve He told himself truly that
Inc Inc slrI was child in years, basely
porn, lIllterate, of different blood and
DeneTS, unSulted to him in every wav
he determined to discharge her father
11Il0 Sl1ls resulted In raising his wages.
ne determined to absent himself until
cured, and this resulted in his returning
10 the ranch within a week, He tried
cooks Eoo5s, and they were of no avail. He
Irlea hqqor, and that made matters
worse lis asked himself If he was pre-
pared TO spend his life in mesouiteland
the husband Of that scrt of woman-he
nao seen Mexican married women older
man tWenty-fve-and he laughed saw
70 him that the girl could be his ana
sun not be his wife, for there was a
strong New England morality in him
Notwithstanding the fact that she was
projected thoroughly by her religion. He
could not check the growth Of his alb
sorplng idea for her; he would not admit
that he wished to marry her; so he drift
e f6o Let 1t be said that she understood
" "A V
teen may be unlettered, but that does
not take the woman out Of her.
Pomfret, with the bride over his arm.
waited for her to approach. She hung
! IN front OF her. The path broadeoed
somewhat, he walked by her side q LITTLE
way and then spoke:
You have been a long way Nita.'
A SWIFT upward glance of the black
eyes, a shy, fleeting smile, then down
dropped lids. Only since this morn
ing, senor.'
1T has seemed long to me-"
NO answer. but again the shifting
smile His face whitened, and he set
his teeth together. His riding whip
Swished savagely at an overhanging
HAS it been long to you, Nita?"
Senior, have been to my father The
way was short because I was to see
him. Then I hurried home''
A sudden tide Of passion surged In him
He dropped the reins and laid hand up :
On her shoulder. She turned toward
him, half frightened, and noticed that
his fact was a dark red, his eyes spark
ing. The wild growths hedged them
round The scent Of the yellow huisache
bloom was heavy on the air. Today that
scent wakes memory in Pomfret. Gone
were his resolutions, his doubtings, his
argulngs. The primal man was awake
and ne wanted the woman as the first
man wanted his mate. Yet for all Of
his longing perhaps because of this
phrases came rudely, it seemed to him
harshly and slow:
II love you, Nita-I love you more than
my life! See! You are looking at me
and know that love you. I want you
for my wife. Your father and mother
will be happyi ="
She leaned slightly toward him, silent
STILL and he took her in his arms Her
face was against his breast He raised
it with his hands to kiss her She strug-
sled hard and turned away, so, as half a
loaf was better than no bread, he kissed
her hair Then he released her She
started rapidly toward the house, now
in view. He caught up with her and
whispered
you will marry me?'
For answer she turned and laid her
hand in his, then hurried onward.
Fcmfret had time for reflection, yet
he did not regret. He saw as much of
his love as her fat Mexican mother
thought wise, and no more Her father
made major domo," or master, Of the
focks, in which capacity he sat in the
shade of the house all day and smoked
cornshuck cigaritos. Her mother was
taken from the kitchen and yawned OPP
Fressively from room to room. The girl
went about quietly, a little pale Her
demeanor toward him was respectful
not tender. The Mexican employees look
ed upon her as one blest Of fortune.
She showed neither joy nor sorrow. Her
dark eyes We're inscrutable. This was IN
April
In May she went to Laredo, twenty
miles distant. prayed in the church there
and bought her wedding garments Pom
fret paid. "A carload Of furniture came
from San Antonio. He set it up loving
~ Then showed it to her. There was
a rich gray and green carpet on the
floor, at which she exclaimed, wonder
iEgly, "Valga me Dios!" She had never
walked on a carpet. He led her to the
center of the room and they stood under
a bright brass chandelier, whose arms
bore coal oil lamps. He kissed her, while
ner mother chuckled and said Fl! Fir
lie was happy. They were to be mar
rled In June He did not write home
SAYING to himself that there was no
che IN the. cold North who cared for him
or anything connected with him except
keep.
There came. to Las Aninlas ranch. rid
Ing out of the west on a hot afternoon. a
Gregorlo. Garza,s young and 1.-the, who
SAID that he was a horse breaker f'rnJv
bravo. Pomfret gave him work and
found him as good as his word A more
reckless devil with a surer seat never
backed a plunging broncho. His task
was the tanning of half-mustangs intend
work kept him much about the ranch
house, the "home corral being placed
there. 1t was inspiring to see him. cling
ing burr-like to the saddle, his gray SOM
brero back-tilted. his black eyes flashing.
his muscular right arm rising and fall
ing in savage blows with the short raw
hide whip which he carried slung to his
wrist. Once he was Wrenched by a horse
falling upon him and the women nursed