The Cook County herald., 1902-11-29

ahead of him. -.'.- I
| She saw a camp pitched by a creek
that ran through a large and beauti-
ful grove Of pecan trees. This grove
| was In the middle Of level space some
| acres in extent and green with late
grasses. On every side it was shell
tered by the rising hills. It must have
been very furnace of heat in sum-
mer, but at that season its tempera-
ture was delightful. No tents were
visible. Instead, jacals of MESQUITE
poles had been erected and rooted with
water grasses. They were arranged
regularly upon either side of the
stream, facing it some twenty feet
away. They thus presented the effect
OF rude, single street, with the bright
water In it's center. At the far end,
under the low spreading limbs of a
mighty pecan, was hut twice the size
OF any one of the others and con-
structed with more care. Vavara sig
n1fied to her that it was his palace
and contained his Offices and living
quarters It was to be given up to
her exclusive use, he assured her, un-
TIL. the Senior, her husband" chose
to buy her back: He himself would
be content with ruder quarters else
where.
"The Sonora shall have maid" he
went on, "who will prepare her meals.
She need fear no harm. While we are
contrabandistas, we admire, we rever-
ence, we worship beauty, and the
Sonora will forgive me for saying that
she is very beautiful. We have quite
little colony here. Most of my men
are married and live with their fam
~>lies jn the houses you see."
Indeed, Lois had already noticed a
half-dozen brown semi-nude children
rolling about on the grass and felt
much cheered thereby. It came to her
that her value in Vavara's eyes rested
solely upon his mistake; it was evi-
dent, too, that he regarded the Glynns
as people of great. wealth and i'm
portance. It followed therefore that
the more of hauteur and nonchalance
she showed as beftting a hidalgo's
wife, the more respectfully she would
be treated. So, with a languid and
naughty wave of the hand, she sign1-
fed her desire to be conducted to her
hut. The smuggler fastened to obey.
He helped her from the saddle grace
! fully and strongly and led her to the
door. With an implied apology, he
entered after her and proceeded to en-
large upon the comforts at her COM
mand. 1t was rudely but substantially
furnished, with a table, some chairs
and hammock. Hanging to hooks
upon the wall was carbine, which he
proceeded hastily to remove. The
| caDin was of two rooms and in the
| rear chamber was a rude washstand
jug and bowl of gaudily figured Mex
lean pottery, huge water jar sus-
pended by grass-plaited cords from a
joist, an iron bedstead and a closet
nailed to the wall, which contained
tableware of various kinds. There was
also fireplace with cooking imple-
ments. The floors of both rooms were
Of the hard earth, Vavara stepped to
the rear door and called softly. In re-
sponse there came a slender figure a
| Mexican girl Of not more than four
teen years old, with the plump oval
face, straight black hair, liquid ewes
and white teeth of her age and class,
She was sipgularly pretty, with a seri-
.ous, wistful gaze and a footstep as
| light as fawn. - X = - \
! "This," said Vavara, 'is' Jocosa. *of
our band. Her father was killed be-
low Eagle Pass last year and her
mother went to the good God long ago,
She is fond of English and Americans
because Of the sbfaye Senior Weston ou
now unhappily dead. He was kind to
her and while in this city''-it. was
characteristic of the bombastic rascal
to speak of his camp as a. city she
taught to- her something of the read
ing, She will be to you a companion
of your own adored sex. I 60. hon
ored Sonora, to communicate with the
noble Senior, your husband. 8. I shall
hear from him, the latest, day after
the morrow when L trust you j will be
restored to your friends and kindred. :
| With "a sweeping bow. which carried
the rim Of his sombrero to the dirt
floor Of the jacal, he was gone, walk
! ing backward. : u I III H.. t5s ~ = i i
Lois was growing faint with hunger
and Jocosa rapidly prepared a., break.
fast Of strong coffee; tortillas and eggs
This was served on red earthenware
with no knife or fork It IL the NICK.
lean fashion to use the tortilla as
knife i*and fork In eating eggs. ! Red
t pepper permeated the food and chilli.
con-carne gravy was poured over il
ina stream. Lois was we'll enough
il acquainted with. the. cookery OF |. the
country to understand Its Epeculiarities
and to enjoy II. Ihile she ate, she
talked to the girl who stood apart re:
specially watching and admiring the
/ strange and different beauty Of he,
new companion s.:* .S hs II y
~ Oh knew and liked the Senior Yves.
i ton? Jocosa was asked 81 s 81 81
s""Oh well much I, I, was the quick
! reply rep & the hands passionately clasped
n SitS
i tsJ- He was 50 strong, sos brave, 2so
IL IT, Il a. -