The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-21
At THE BADEN CORRALS.

MdiQE4 me
Golden lights came into Bonita's dark /
eyes as she answered with a soft, pleas
ed laugh:
mo. senior [ was busy in the garden I
You must remember that this IS violet /
time. and the time is short. so they
must be watered and gathered each
day Father says the market was new
er better. so we must work hard until
they bloom TO more. But thought ~
-yes-often. and the violets whls-
pered of you"
Then. with a swift blush. she drop
ped her eyes shyly-saw her shabby
shoes and coarse skirt
When she looked up again, Juan was
shutting his lips firmly. He had start
ed to speak. but now, sitting erect, he
gathered up the RATA which nung from
his saddle and remarked cheerily.
We'll the father must surely let yon
come tomorrow. We are to have
great time at the corrals. for we have
500 new cayuses and a neWspapf re-
porter will be there L. ps up ana
take our pictures. Maybe you would
like to see how she does it2'
"She2" questioned Bonita GREATNESS
~ rs she pretty?'
NO I believe not" answered Juan
carelessly. AT least-wen you can see
her for yourself tomorrow
Then swinging the sombrero from his
handsome head, he put the spurs to ms
horse and was soon out of sight
Bonita stood with tightly clasped
hands, watching the fog as it rolled up
from the sea to swallow the strong
erect figure on the galloping horse.
yes / win go tomorrow. if only to
see this girl. Something tells me-puI
no. you must love me You must-you
have loved me always 1 know 1t,
know it," she sobbed Dassionately-
And Juan Sylva2
He. too. was murmuring to himself
lsF ora W
clad figure whose crown OF golden
brown hair was half hidden by trim
sailor hat.
Are YOU beautiful he was asking
mo. not beautiful as Bonita Alvarez Is
She is lovely, a dark-eyed queen, but
as untutored as the vioiets she groWa-
While you-you make me think Of those
other days. of the life that might be
mine if it were not for my old father.
Why did he give me that taste Of civil
lization, only TO snatch me back to
thjs2"
And vet in his heart he knew that
only the sight of Mildred Ayres. special
reporter on the New York Blazer had
caused the old restlessneSs to reaSSert
itself. She had come west to rest her
tired nerves, but when she heard of the
big roundup at Baden, a few miles
south of San Francisco. where she was
visiting. the old passion for turning out
interesting copy rose strong within
her, and she was doing a series Of sto-
ries gathered among the best rough
riders of California, or for that matter,
of the entire coast
The next morning the corrals present
ed an animated scene. and Miss Ayres.
with pad and camera was on hand
early. The foreman who received her
spoke English but poorly, so after try
ing in vain to secure the information
she desired she asked.
Where is the young man I talked
with yesterday-the one with black
hair and eyes2 He rode d black horse"
Il
After all she was a woman.
Juan SYLVIA ."
Il believe that was his name. Can
sou spare him2"
Again the foreman SHRUGGED his
shoulders
1t is for him to say He owns it ALI"
Inen noting the surprise in Miss
Ayres face he added:
Juan's father is the richest ram
chero, yes-and Juan he sent east to
college. Now he is back. and the
father is old and IN, and Juan is mas
ter. And the Senorita shall talk with
the master If she will"
All that day Juan walked at Miss
Ayres' SIDE, chatting of the wonderful
ieats of his riders and the glories of
range life or grouping pictures for her
greedy camera. Late in the afternoon.
Bonita left her violet garden long
enough to make a hurried trip to the
corrals. but she stopped only a few
moments Juan had forgotten her COM
AAAhs AA1 Was lii the UllEl she OF the
big corral. talking with Miss Ayres.
And so, leaving the cowboys behind
with their significant glances, their
struggling shoulders and plying eyes.
she took her embittered way back to
the little garden where she could pour
her grief into the ears of her ViOlets
And while Bonita suffered and grew
pale and lost the golden light i'm her
midnight eyes the intimacy between
Juan and Miss Ayres grew The latter
thought much of the information she
gathered from her darkhaired knight.
but little of his personality. She was
improving in health. and the old work
and the old life called to her. So there
came a day when. as they walked to-
ward the tiny depot where she was to
take the train for San Francisco, she
said to Juan.
II think this will be my last trip to
Baden. Mr.. sylvia, for day after to-
morrow ! start east. How much you
have done to make my stay pleasant
and how much your excellent stories
have helped to advance my position
on my paper. I cannot explain TO you
but. believe me. l am most grateful
Upon these inlpersonal. conventional
words. broke the voice of Juan
You shall not gol love you and
you must stay herewith me In my
glorious west, where you shall never
write for money again, but only the
most beautiful things, as you feel
them"
Inen came a torrent or nalI English,
half Spanish love phrases that fairly
stunned the New York girl What should
she say2 1t all sounded so peaceful
so inviting. to one who had fought her
way for several years. And the weeks
of cOmpaniOnship, she found. had not
left her quite heartwhole. though in her
eagerness to gather material She had
not realized how large a part Juan
was playing in her daily life. She was
lonely, too. in her little New York apart
ment.
The train came and went. and she
still stood, gazing out to the sea. where
the evening fog and the setting sun
were battling for supremacy At last
she sighed and turned back to the man.
Tomorrow I viii tell you. Come to
my hotel in San Francisco and YOU
shall have your answer. And now that
] have missed my train, while we wait
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