The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-05
L g L | I A
By IzoLA L. FoRREsTER

You know. He was so young, and he
thought he could make fortune out here
guess he hasn't, though"
Lolita laughed. It was cornical to think
OF Llndell making a fortune OF anything
else. It was growing dark, and already
lew couples had made their appearance
|. ana passed indoors, with gay greeting
10 Manuelo's daughter. The strange girl
looked at them curiousy
1T is the dance" said Lolita shortly.
resentlng the amused surprise in the
others eyes. She would show her shs
| was not AFRAID to speak his name as she
mad. Attain, he like to dance lots with
| me-
."Yes?' The stranger looked at her
K1ndly. :! DO not wonder at it. You are
dear, with those big brown eyes. And
the other-does he dance, too?"
Who-Ted? No, no. He is not one bit
like Lindell. He is still and all wav off
somewhere. He never care to dance"
The music had begun, and the blue
eyed girl rose hesitatingly 81 wish
could go and meet them. l want to sur
prise him, you know. Could I?'
Lolita rose, too, in quick, hot anger.
They would meet, and he would take her
| In his arms and kiss her. She thought Of
last night and the night before and the
nights before for, weeks. Was it for this
Lindell had sung and laughed with her
and told her her lips were the sweetest
in all the world? Suddenly she looked
flood OF wild, unreasoning jealousy swept
over her. She pointed southwark.
f you walk that way straight on to
where the ground dips and the cacti grow
tall, you will meet Them she told her.
lt<ls only short way. You cannot miss
them. 1t Is only two or three miles to
| stopped there
| After the girl had gone she went in TO
the dance, laughing, with the lie fresh on
| her lips. There was no house for thirty
miles that way, and once she had passed
the giant cacti she would 20 down into
| Death valley, that terrible wilderness
where only the snakes and the ella mon
| STEERS and tarantulas could dwell in safety.
| one night spent there, and Lindell might
call and cry for his wife in vain
| Never was there such dance at Man.
uelOs as that Saturday night Lolita
| danced and sang with feverish gaiety her
eyes ever on the door, watching for Lin
dell. Then suddenly, at the very height
| OF the merriment, she was missed. Out
into the clear, bright night she went
silently to the shed where the horses
stood, and, choosing her own rough little
| mustang, she mounted and rode away
| toward Death valley
If Lindell loved this fair, blue eyed
girl he would hate her for sending her to
her DEATH The thought terrified her.
Anything but his hate she thought, any,
thing but the look in his eyes when
! he knew. And was it not right? She was
fair like him and gentle voiced. She was
not Mexican girl to smoke a cigarette
with and sing to in the moonlight and
| laugh when her love was won.
| She caught her breath in deep sobs, and
the tears fell on the mustangs brown
neck as she urged him on over the miles
that lay between them and the valley,
and at last there were the giant cacti
ahead, guarding the entrance to the val-
ley like grim sentinels. She turned to-
ward them bravely, but before the mus
tang had gone a dozen PAGES past them he
reared and backed away from something
that lay upon the ground.
| Lolita knelt and caught her breath as
her hand touched the hand of the strange
girl. 1t was warm, and she raised her
head upon her lap. The blue eyes opened
Wonderingly.
1T was such long way, and I could
| not find them" she said family. you
| did not know it was so far, did your
Lolita pressed a kiss on the hand
she held. 1t was white, dainty hand. No
wonder Lindell loved it. She helped her
up on the saddle, and with one arm
around her for support she guided the
mustang back over the long stretches OF
sand and sun baked alkali on through
the night until the lights at Manuelo's
showed like fireflies against the sapphire
darkness of the skies.
| Manuelo could tell you the rest-how
the two Americans returned at midnight
and just as they were to lead the search
| for Lolita there came the three figures
! through the moonlight, and Lolita fell at
Lindells feet.
II bring her back to YOU" she said
pleadingly. But it was Norris who sprang
to the strangers side with a glad cry,
and Lindell held the Mexican girl in his
arms there before them all and told her
she was all in all to him.
So that Is why it is Lindell's Rest
now, and if you stop there on your way
to the fort or to San Luis old Manuelo
will tell you how it happened over a lit
tie glass Of the deep red Mexican wine
he loves and bid you shake hands with
his handsome son-in-law. And If you
are courteous and pleasant Lolita will
fash a smile up at You from under her
long, dark lashes.
And Lindell? He is perfectly happy
and full Of a gay. careless content that
comes but seldom to man in this world.
1t comes with the moonlight and the
music down there-and Lolita.