Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-06-07
CHAPTER II.-(ContiHuedD

Thanking him, but declining this invi-
-stion. Lois resumed her walk. Her three
,rupks were piled at one end of the plat
form and as she passed and repassed
,bem she noticed that they much Worn
and battered Evidently some of the
men up St Louis way had been in a
hurry. After half-hour of exercise She
began to feel hungry. Then away to the
eastward her eye was attracted by a
small cloud of dust. So faint that it was
scarcely discernible, it grew rapidly larg-
or Fifteen minutes later it resolved
itself into a large vehicle, with canvas
ton and sides, drawn by four mules. On
the front seat was a Mexican driver do
ing nothing BY him sat slender young
fellow who held the reins carelessly in
one hand while the other swung a whip
with a long lash. His feet were braced
and his elbows were squared He was
.tooling" the outfit in approved London
fashion The mules dashed up to the
platform at a swinging gallop, half-cir
cled and came to a dead stop, the ambu-
lance not foot from the boards. The
Young fellow shifted his whip to the left
hand, raised a huge gray sombrero.
heavy with silver tinseI, and bowed
gravely. There was flush of pleasure
an his face. Mr.. Tom Allyn, of Dew
onshire rather fancied his driving Lois
returned the bow Already she liked the
dash and swing of the arrival and the
frank blue-eyed face of portentous grav
ity which looked at her from under the
sombrero. 1t was all so unlike Graybor-
ough. At this moment the station agent
reappeared and announced that 1.-The
mules" had come Seeing that all four
Of them were within twenty feet of her,
Lois looked at him moment in aston
ishment, then thanked him gushingly for
the information. The young fellow with
the reins laughed gaily and tossed them
10 one side of him. The sleepy Mexican
had sprung to the head Of the leading pair
of animals and held them by the bits.
Allyn leaped to the ground, remarking:
That's one on you, Ransome. Bear a
hand with these trunks, will youE To-
gether the luggage was piled into the rear
end of the vehicle and the tail-gate put
in place. Only then did the director of
ceremonies turn to Miss English, remove
his hat and hold out his hand with a
frank smile, and look of unconscious
admiration in his eyes:
y
English he said I'VE are little late
because coming along one Of the mules
took it into his long head to climb on
another's back. However we are here
now. We shall start as soon as you give
the word. Let me introduce myself.
am Mr.. Thomas Allyn, one Of the belong
ings of BALCONIES rancho. Believe me
they will all be glad to see you-AIrs.
Glynn especially, She is the only white
woman there now"
Lois thanked him and asked: Where
is the rancheI"
Twenty miles due west, on the river.
We shall make it in two hours. We left
there this morning after breakfast. The
mules are good for a greater distance in
less time"
She climbed into the ambulance taking
her place on rear seat. Allyn climbed
beside her and reaching over grasped the
reins and held them until the Mexican
had resumed his position. With a crack
Of the whip they were off Thinking
that she had been forgetful of a courtesy,
Lois looked around to bid goodbye to
rhe operator. He was not in sight, doubt
less inside, sleepily listening to the inter
minable clicks of the railway orders GO
ing over the line
For an hour she leaned back silent. her
eyes fixed on the wide country, lulled by
the easy swaying motion. Her brain was
busy with thoughts of the possibilities
ahead of her. To what was she goingE
What were they like, these people who
lived in an almost tenantless land? Would
She come to regret even cherries, pro
sale GrayborOugh? The man beside her
was young, handsome, gentle hammered,
well bred, slender of form and clean cut
Of feature. Evidentlya gentleman born,
probably an aristocrat in his home coun-
Try. Were they all like that? She was
not at all timorous and she said to her
self that if she did not like the land or
its inhabitants, she could only go away.
back to that north which seemed so dis
tant. The Mexican in front, swinging
his whip and keeping his four mules al
ternately at trot and at gallop, spoke
often, but his vocabulary was limited
lie said only "Carambaw and "Carajo"
The soft explosives did not jar upon her
ear and her companion apparently did
not hear them. He had been watching
Aer out of a corner of his blue eye. men
SLY apprising her beautiful face and fig
nre, the perfectly fitting travelling gown
Of brown, the neatly gloved hands, the
strongly shod little feet which peeped
from under the edge of the gown and
there were growing admiration and ap-
probation in him. He reflected that the
other fellows at the rancho would envy
MN this ride when they came to meet
the girl and he intended to lie TO them
at length that night about the witty
'hlngs he had said and the good COM
Iades they had become. By way Of
breaking the long silence he remarked
quietly: I'm hungry"
She smiled in instant response and half
'urned to him. He caught a fash Of her
ied-hazel eye as she answered demurely:
30 am l. How far is it to the rancheg'
Why" be replied, you are on the
rancho now; this is BALCONIES land but
me rancheria, the ranch house, is ten
miles away. 1t would be fourteen miles
-.on our house TO our front gate and four
mics from our house 10 our back gate,
-. We had any gates. but we haven't.
viii be there, however. in an hour.
hal L