Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1903-07-22
The
"0paI From %IrapuatO.'
By F. H. Lancaster.

way he urged on his horse and
looked behind him showed me that
he know he was pursued. II he
is expecting an attack from the
heart he will be unprepared for an
assault from the fore. / reflected,
and clapping spurs to my pony l
dashed forward at full speed. The
distance between us was so slight
that before he realized my inten-
ton l was upon him. To drop the
lines upon my pOn's neck and
catch the girl in my arms as | tore
by was as easily done as said. 1t
was a moment OIL two before he
could cheek his horse and turn In
pursuit, and when a pony is rae
ing full speed down a mountain
side, a moment means a good deal.
at was his time to hold fire,
but l heard the jingle OF the sheath
as he drew his knife, and at every
plunge my pony made l expected
to feel that knife blade between
my shoulders. Not a pleasant
sensation, l can assure you. Well,
not to be tedious, we met the pur-
suit 10 the nick Of time, and my
rescuer proved to be the daughter
OF the hacienda. / had an over
dose Of Spanish politeness and at
parting this ring an opal from Ira
puatO, was presented to me. ''It
is beyond price,"
The girl came from behind her
paper and went on deck, her face
pale with passion.
"He is lying, lying" she whis-
pered, fercely.
"Didn't know you we're on
board" remarked a big voice at
her elbow.
FIf my memory serves me true"
she remarked, frigldly, ''the Opals
of IrapuatO are neither costly nor
rare"
"No," he replied, carelessly (;
"plentiiul as peas at PentecOst.-
/ picked this one up Tor a song"
The girl started at him, dunn.
founded by his audacity. He was
looking away from her the water,
one hand in his trOnser pocket,
iingling the loose coins slowly, alb
stractedly.
"Then," she began, sternly,
"when you told that wonderful
tale you were''-she hesitated at
the bitter word.
"Eh, what Lying Yes, oil
course. You did not believe it for
an instant, did youf'
"NO," she said viciOusly, 81
could not"
s'There was no need for you tC
try" he replied, still with that all
of being bothered by something
far away.
"NO need !" she exclaimed
cit seems to me that Whenthe las
vestage of respect for a friend il
slipping from one there is bite.
; need to try to save at least a LITTLE
of it."
{ The man returned to the pres
emit with a start of glad surprise
"Then you do care" he said
T.
eagerly, as he gathered her hand.
. into his large grasp. "Dear littl
! girl"
: aI am not a little GIRL" she Gu
: in sharply. II am a woman will
some sense of honesty il my soul
, He looked at her with q touch 0
wonder and frightened his grasl
upon the hands she attempted +
withdraw.
Every we'll, a woman, and q
G much soul and honesty as 20.
o please you cannot deny that 20
n are dear to me and''-he leane
nearer and lowered his voice
"that I am dear to you"
"You are nothing to me-" sh
! returned, Indignantly.
!, "My dear, that is as big a on
: as my opal from IrapuatO. 70
: nearly broke my heart, going 0
y that way without a word Of par
e ing. have followed you all OVC
! Mexico and always missed y0u.-
When I came on board today
!, had about decided that you vel
! avoiding me Intentionally. IT
! thought troubled me, dear, mo-
!. than I can tell ycu.'
! 81 always knew I was nothiT
= but a purple bordered Pharisee.
"Not at all. You are the dea
est little girl mean, the deare
little, highest-sOuled woman in 81
world"
Of She slipped her lips from B
: meath his, with an anxious que
IA ton.
Il. "But you are net going to ke'
"a on doing it ~
Au~a~.a Tom nwnafhaarf Il