The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-02-01
Soldiers of Fortune.

= softly. Supper" she said. They want
support
Their suffering did not seem to impress
Clay deeply. He sat swapping his whip
IT the palm trees above him and smiled
happily In an inconsequent and irritating
manner at nothing.
See here! Do you know that we are
lost?" demanded Langham. Indignantly.
land starving? Have you any idea at all
where you are?'
Il nave not" said Clay. cheerfully. IAN
| 1 know is that a long time ago there was a
| revolution, and a woman with Jewels. who
escaped in an open boat: and j recollect
playing that 1 was a target and standing
up to be shot at in a bright light After
that 1 woke up to the really important
things of life. among which supper Is not
one"
Langham and MacWilliams looked at each
| other .doubtfully, and Langham shook his
head.
Get down off that box!" he commanded.
IF you and Hope think this is merely a
pleasant moonlight drive. We don't. You
two can SIT in the carriage now. and we'll
I take a turn at driving, and We'll guarantee
to get you some place soon"
Clay and Hopa descended meekly and
seated themselves under the hood, where
they could look out upon the moonlit road as
it unrolled behind them. But they were no
longer to enjoy their former leisurely prog
~ Z VIA uohSu AS hciSNS ~
a gallop and the trees flew past them on
either hand.
do you remember that chap in the Last
Ride Together" said Clay.
ST and my mistress. side by side.
Shall be t~ogether-forever rider
And go one more day am / deifed-
Who knows-the world may end tonight.
Hope laughed ~triumphantly. and threw
orrf har arr,c 90 fho,revh cha would eohrac 90
the whole beautiful world that stretched
arourd them.
"Oh, no. she laughed. Tonight the
world has just begun
The carriage stopped, and there was a
confusion of voices on the box seat. and
then a great barking CT dogs. and they be-
held MacWilliams beating and kicking at
the door of a hut. The door opened for an
inch, and there was a long debate in Span
ish. and finally the door was closed again
and a light appeared through the windows.
A few minutes later a man and woman
came out Of the hut, shiverlng and yawn-
ing. and made a fire in the sun-baked oven
at the side Of the house. Hope and Clay
remained seated In the carriage and
watched the flames springing UP from the
oily fagots and the boys moving about
with fiarfng torches of pine, pulling down
bundles of fodder for the horses from
the roof of the kitchen. while two
c'S AsoPpVaItu lD"dIu Il NOUN
tain stream, one carrying a jar on her
shoulder. and the other lighting the way
with a torch Hope sat with her chin ON
her hand. watching the black figures pass.
ing between them and the fire. and standing
above it with its light on their faces, shad-
ing their eyes from the heat with one hand
ana SURFING something in a smoking cali
dron with the other. Hope felt an over
nowlng sense of gratitude to these simple
strangers for the trouble they were taking.
She felt how good every one was. and how
wonderfully kind and generous was the
world that she lived in.
Her brother came over to the carr,apa
and bowed with mock courtesy.
II trust, now that We have done all the
work." he said. that your excellencies Will
condesend to share our frugal fare. or must
we bring 1t to you here?"
The clay oven stood in the middle of a
hut OF laced twigs. through which the
smoke drifted freely. There was a row of
wooden benches around it. and they all
seated themselves and ate ravenously OF
rice and fried plantains. while the woman
patted and tossed tortillas between her
hands,, eying her guests curiously. Her
glance fell upon Langham's shoulder, and
rested there for so long that Hope followed
the direction of her eyes. She leaped to her
feet with a cry of fear and reproach. and
ran toward her brother.
"Ted!' she cried, you are hurt! you are
wounded. and you never told me! What is i
1t? Is 1t very bad" Clay crossed the floor
in a stride. his face full OF concern.
Leave me alone!" cried the stern brother.
backing away and warding them off with
the cofee-pot. TITS only scratched. You'll
spill the coffee" |
But at the sight of the blood Hope had
turned very white, and throwing her arms
around her brothers neck hid her eyes on |
his other shoulder and began to cry. !
Il am SO SELFISH she sobbed. 81 have