The Van Buren press., 1903-12-26

JOY at sttiLB MIN maui LtI IOIStl uei
husband.
so you run off with the senior
Americano?" he said after a scant sal
utation. You come back now with me
-yes?"
mo, no. He marry me; he give me
dose" She held up a slender brown
hand and showed him the plain band OF
sold, her wedding ring, guarded by a
superb diamond Me wife now"
"So But you come to me-my Ninita
that make no difference-you hear?"
He grasped her shoulder rudely and
turned her about to face him His
teeth clicked savagely, and the force of
that cruel hand was crushing her arm.
But the violence was dearer TO her than
caress-the Americana lover was TOO
tame. She often longed for blow.
Me so with you leetle Of the way"
she said, temporizing. Eow splendid 10
her eye the rude bearing the barbaric
opulence of his dress, while she was not
any more like her people, not even a
reboso or the common tapia to remind
her that she was the descendant OF a
don.
"Me ride to the chapparal with you,
Jim; you wait"
She sent Teresa for her horse while
she ran upstairs and slipped into the
braided cloth habit that she wore whe n
riding. Her husband permitted a con-
cession here. Every button was mug
get of solid gold, with the initial letter
of her name engraved on it. When she
rejoined Apache Jim she called his at
tention to the buttons There are wom-
en- who play with fire. Nina was one
Of them.
Her horse was a fiery mustang that
never felt whip or spur Its nature was
to run like the wild things Of the plain,
and Nina was allowed to ride it because
it could carry her swiftly out Of dan
ger Now she hurried and sprang to
the saddle before her old lover could
reach her She did not want to have
the so good Senior Americana find
them together. She was beginning, too,
to feel afraid, not Of Apache Jim, but
of herself.
Teresa, watching them, saw the two
talking earnestly together as they rode
rapidly down the darkening sides Of the
great valley. Once her young mistress
turned back, but the man caught the
bride Of her mustang and the two dis
appeared, swallowed up in the dark
ness.
Philip Delmar made no search for his
lost wife. feeling absolutely certain
that she had gone Of her own free will.
But he marked the time when Apache
Jim would throw her aside, and there
would be none to care for her Never
could he see her again, but through
others he would save her from the
final wreckage which was sure to come.
And one day he heard a strange story.
Apache Bill was in Yuma-had been
there for a long time, but Ninita was
not with him-had never been with
him, Then Philip Delmar went to
meet his enemy and have reckoning
They faced each other at table in
the public plaza, and neither flinched
Apache Jim was wearing in his short
front the nugget buttons that belonged
to Nina. Philips sprang upon him like
a tiger and caught him by the throat.
Where is she? Where did you get
those buttons?" he asked, deliberately
"She-Ninita-give them-me," he
Easped forth.
Wretch! You liel" Philip loosened
one hand from the half-breed's throat
that he might strike him in the face
again, Where is she? Speak before
| kill you, hound"
There was the glitter Of deadly
knife, which Philip flung froH his en-
emys hand as II 1t had been child's
toy. Men gathered about -he two, but
made no interference; they knew bet
ter than to interfere in such quarres
in that country, A revolver shot struck
Philip In the arm, He drew his own
and a fusillade left them alone. Apache
Jim sank TO the floor.
I'm done for, curse you" he gasped,
but have the sweet revenge. You
feel mooch bad-when Nina go with me
she not with me-neyair She lofe
the Senior Americana all the time
id him"
Philip bent over the carr!on, fearing
he would lose a word.
Where is she? What have you done
with herr"
She so not with me-Ninita-no.
She say; Keel me before leave Felipe
80 keel her so you have no wife-my
NInita-she bury--there--by the--old--
Pima claim-she-"
Thank Cod" cried Philip, spurning
with his foot the now lifeess form,
Nina was true, she loved met makes
It easier 70 bear that she is dead, and
not false" He knew that the Desperate
spoke the truth, and his next move was
TO prove t.
Yes, for once Apache Jim had told
the truth, Those who live In the coun-
try about Williams canyon are famil-
lar with the entombmcnt Of Nina In the
magnificent granite mausoleum, near
the spot where the poor girls remains
were found, whore she had persisted for
her fidelity to her Senior Americana go
Chicago Record. Herald.