Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1902-01-10
Out On the Pampds
o q. a. nsNTy



"'Not a bit,' said Rube, with a laugh.
He was the lightest-hearted fellow, was
Rube; always gay and jolly, and wouldn't
fight and as n matter of business.
".What is it, Capy said I; you've only
got to give us the word, and we're off,
"sI've had n message he said, from
Col. Cabra of their service. that he is
ready to turn traitor, and hand us over
some correspondence of Santa Anna, Of
which he has somehow got possession.
Being a traitor, he won't trust any one,
and the only plan we can hit upon is that
he shall make a journey to San Miguel,
thirty miles north of this, as il on bust
ness. l am to make an expedition in that
direction, and am to make him prisoner.
He will then hand over the papers. We
shall bring him here, and, after keeping
him for a time, let him go on parole. No
suspicion will, therefore, at any future
time, arise against him. Now, / want
YOU to go on tomorrow to San Miguel.
Go In there after dusk, and take up your
quarters at this address. Get up as Mex
leans; it only requires a big cloak and ii
sombrero. Stay all next day. and till day
break ON the morning afterward, AMI
then ride back on this road. You will find
out. in the first place, whether Cabra has
arrived, and. in the next place, whether
El Zeres is in the neighborhood. l shall
only bring forty men, as l do not wish it
to be supposed that l I'M going on more
than a mere scouting expedition. You
understands
".All right, Cap; we'll do it, l said,
and we went off to our quarters.
1--WE had better start early, Seth said
Rubc, say at %daybreak.'
"'What for, RubeY l said.
"Iube laughed. Il don't want to get
there before dusk. You remember Pc
pita? You know l did feel uncommon
soft toward Pepita, and really thought
of marrying and taking her pack to Mis-
souri,
"'Only she wouldn't come, Rube|
Just so, Seth said he. laughing. So
we agreed we would be the best friends;
and she asked me, if ever l went out to
San Miguel. to go and see her. She lives
in a small hacienda, n league this side OF
the town.
II saw that it was of no use to argue,
hut | didn't like it. The Mexican women
hated us worse than the men did, and
that warn't easy to do. But next morn
ing off we started, and by ten O'Clock we
rode up to the door OF the place which
Rube said answered to the description
Pepita had given him. 1t was Il pretty
place, with trees around it, and might
have been the residence of a small pro-
prietor such as Pcpita had described her
father to be. AS we rode up to the door
it opened, and l saw at once that ltube
was right, for a dark-eyed Mexican girl
came out and looked at us i%nquiringly.
"'What can l do for you, %seniors:' she
asked.
".Don't you remember me, Donna Pc
pita!' Rube said, laughing, as he lifted
the sombrero which had shaded his face.
"The girl started violently. 'Ah, Sig
nor Americana, is it you? IVnight have
known indeed she said, smiling, by your
size, even wrapped up. This, of cour
is Signor Seth-you are always together.
But come in she said.
".Nho have you got inside, Donna
PepitaY Rube asked. Il know that L
can trust you, but l can't trust others,
and l don't want it known 1 am here
".Ihe house is empty Pepita said.
J My father is out. There is only old Ja-
, cinta ut home.
AT this moment an old woman made
her appearance at the door, and at a
word from Pepita took our horses, while
Pepita signed us to enter.
"'lINcuse me, signora.' / said. We Viii
go first and see our lorses1stahh1eed n is
our custom; one never. knows when he
may wan them
II thought Pepita loolJed ,nnnved. Int
it was only for Il moment. and then sh.
said something in one CT the country dia-
lects to the old womani She nodded bar
head ana went oil ROUND to the back Of
the house, we leading h,,r horses and fol-
lowing her. The stabl8s. / observed. were
singularly large and Nell kent for a ho,sr
of its size, but, to my. surprise, instead of
going to the long raSge of buildings, the
old woman led the WAY to n small sIn1
s1raetor in dairying in thiiiss H., ...
" 81 u Lyon. Acting Directors
Avs lssSn1skircs -slso arc always e
succsssfut 4 thu leading expeditions,
an idicateT by. the following awards: U.
M. separators were awarded the kings c'