The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-26
ON JUMATILLA CREEK
BY H. s. cANFIELD.

@sSsSsSsSsSs%Ess%sg in front of her. The path broadening somewhat. he walked by her side a little way and then spoke:
 You have been long away, Nita."
 A swift upward glance of the black eyes, a shy, fieeting smile, then down. dropped lids Only since this morning.
 Ut 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 savageiy at an overhanging limb.
 Has 1t been long to you, Nita?'
 "Senor, have been to my father. The way was short because I was to see him. Then hurried homc."
 A sudden tide of passion surged in him. He dropped the reins and laid a hand upon her shoulder. She turned toward him. half frightened. and noted that his The wild krowths 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 argu-- ings. The primal man was awake and he wanted ,he woman as the first man wanted his mate. Yet for all of his longfng-perhaps because of it-his phrases came rudely. 1t seemed to him harshly and slowly:
 T love you, Nita-I love you more than my life! See! You are looking at me and
 
 my wife. Your father and mother will l be happy! l."
 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 hand to kiss her. She strug- l gled hard and turned away. so, as half | a loaf was better than no bread. he kissed her hair. Then he released her. now in view. He caught up with her and | whispered:
 "You will marry me?''
 1 For answer she turned and laid her hand in his. then hurried onward. Pomfret had time for reflection. yet he | did not regret. He saw as much of his | love as her fat Mexican mother thought taken from his herd of sheep and made major domo" or master of the focks. in which capacity. he sat in the. shade shuck .cigaritos. Her mother was taken from the kitchen and yawned oppress- lively from room to room. The girl went about quietly. little. pale. Her de- tender. The Mexican employees looked upon her as one blest of fortune. She showed neither joy nor sorrow. Her dark eyes were inscrutable. This was in
 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 then showed 1t to her. There was a rich gray and green carpet on the floor, at which she exclaimed wonderingly. "Valga carpet. He led her to the center of the room and they stood under a bright brass chandelier. whose arms bore coal-oii smI He kissed sas her Sfs her ss happy They were to be married In June He did not write home saying to him self that there was no one In the. cold connected with him except his money, and that he purposed to keep
 There came to Las Animas ranch. rid ing out of the west on hot afternoon. said that he was a horse-breaker. "muy bravo" Pomfret gave him work and found him as good as his word. A more reckless devil with surer seat never was the tanning of half-mustangs in- tended for the San Antonio market and his work kept him much about the ran,h house the home coral being gso piaeed SIgt clinging burr-like to the saddle. his gray sombrero back-tilted, hls black eyes flashing, his muscular right arm rising shS short iaHE raW6ide whip s1S which he carried slung to hls wrist. Once he was wrench ed by horse falling upon him and the women nursed him. He spoke no English and said of himself that he came from pert monte dealer. was Gregorio. and won all the money of the other ranch hands. Also he played the guitar and sang songs of love and border foray in a sweet plaintive tenor, the final notes drawn out into a long whine.
 June came and Pomfret stood upon the the tSsU ranch. Two undersized. wiry ponies were hitched to q road-wagon. There was drive to Laredo for the license and drive baIk with the priest, who was fat and did not like to be hurried:
 "Tomorrow. then. my sweetest" he said to her. "Till then adois!
 With a swift passion, unlocked for in her girlish calmness, she threw two slen- der arms about his neck and pressed her lips to his cheek.
 "Adols! AGois! Adois!' she whispered.
 Gregorio stood at the horses heads smile on his brown: handsome face.
 They are full of corn" he said, ge. nially. They will go fast when the Senor Is ready, but will come back last
 At this the mother laughed and Nita cast down her eyes, wave of color sweeping upward from her throat. Old Trinidad blew out a thin cloud of smoke were shlmmering in heat haze. Pomfret sprang to the seat and a minute after ward was half hidden in dust. The mother retired to hammock; the father with cronies; Nita went into the dark, cool house; Gregorio followed her.
 Pomfret did not heed the complainings of the fat priest. He drove the twenty miles next morning in little more than two hours.
 "There is a plump. fee for you, at the end. Father" he said. Cake and plenty of sweet wine. dinner and a siesta. Don't bother me with grumbhng. My sweetheart is waiting"
 Hurry is bad my son." was the re- jonder "A year from now mayhap you will be as anxious to drive from her"
 There was no ans yer to this. Pomfret did not think it worth an answer. He brought his whip down and the ponies broke into a gallop. The valley curved and the white adobe building showed. The space in front was bare. There was no sign of life. No smoke came from the dirt chimney at its end. The lover felt a sickish sinking of heart. He stopped the team and rushed inside. At a table sat Trinidad, his white head on