The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1903-09-17
LOLITA
BY lola
L. FOR RESTER
oopyrish.. lse, by t. G. Mcclure

Half way between the fort and the
Arizona border lies LindelPs Rest. 1t
10 q low wooden building. duh yellow
| like the sun baked plains around, and
there isn't even cactus sprout to cast
q shadow near 1t.
Saturday night at LindelPs Is thing
to dream of evermore once one has
lived through 1.-THE crazy, witching
Mexican music; the dancers with their
1.-the, southern grace; the violet smoke
rings curling over all; Lindell himself.
tall and thin. with his happy eyes and
everlasting cigarette-and Lolita.
She was seventeen the summer Lin
dell came to San Luis; a slim Mexican
girl, with long dashed. teasing eyes Of
velvety brown and dusky hair curling
around her small, piQuant face.
Lindell was merely a gentleman
tramp In those days, one of the crowd
OF boys who drift here and there once
the spirit of the gypsy is upon them,
accomplishing nothing, caring for
nothing. but happy and true hearted
and quick to lend a helping hand when
a call comes. He and Ted Norris came
down together. with plenty Of grit, but
neither cash nor credit, except at the
low, yellow half way house where old
Manuelo kept open inn with his daugh-
ter, Lolita.
Those things happen of themselves
moonlight on the little rough veranda,
Lolita singing comical little snatches
OF American songs in her soft, broken
English, under Lindell's tutelage, with
her small brown fingers playing lightly
ON her mandolin:
IT can't tell why 1 love you. but do-o-o;
There lotta girl in town so sweet like
you-o-o.
But there something I can't tell.
Seem to hole me in 1t spell,
I can't tell why love you. but I do-o-o."
Lindell would smoke and smoke and
look up at her as she sang. lazy and
happy and full of a joyous, don't care
responsibility that comes to one.
somehow, with the climate down there.
and the music and the white, strange
moonlight.
One Saturday Lindell and Norris
rode away to town, seventeen miles
away, with a promise to return in
| time for the dance. Lolita watched
them out of sight, and Manuelo laugh
ed when he heard her singing. She
was the prettiest girl this side the
border. The American boy was clear
eyed and young and quick to laugh.
II they loved. why not? There were
the house and a good bunch Of money
when he was gone. and little Lolita
would sing eyermore. He smiled
shrewdly. Maybe, perhaps, quien sabe?
At Z the mail coach from San Luis
drew up at the yellow house, and a girl
alighted. Lolita was firing a hot shot
Of smiles and repartee at the driver,
Billie Slogan. when she saw her and
stopped short. The stranger was fair
and blue eyed. and, though the Indian
summer day had been hot and dusty.
she looked cool and charming.
Lolita was dressed for the dance.
She wore yellow and had wound
long red silk scarf about her Shout
ders, crossed 1t and tied it below her
waist on one hip. Billie had just told
her she looked like one Of the little
dark red roses the ladies wear In
their hair over at San Luis on the
plaza when she caught sight Of this
other girl, and she hoped Lindell would
not see her. There was q difference.
Mr.. LIndell and Mr. Norris2 oh, yes,
Lolita told her. They were living
there. They had gone for a ride, just
a short ride. She brought chair out
on the veranda and talked with the
stranger after the coach had gone.
She called Lindell Allan, this girl, and
Norris Ted. and she hoped they would
return SOON
You have not seen him for long
time, yesY' said Lolita, her eyes full
OF half frightened suspicion.
mot for a year." said the other soft
". 1--WE had only been married few
months when he went away. 1t SEEM
ed better, you know. He was so
young, and he thought he could make
a fortune out here. I guess he hasn't,
though"
Lolita laughed. 1t was comical to
think of Lindell making a fortune or
anything else. 1t was growing dark.
and already a few couples had made
their appearance and passed indoors,
with a gay greeting to Manuelo's
daughter. The strange girl looked at
them curiously.
at is the Dance" said Lolita shortly,
resenting the amused surprise In the
others eyes. She would show her she
was not afraid to speak his name as
she had. "Allain. he like to dance lots
with me-"
"YesT The stranger looked at her
kindly. 81 do not wonder at it You
are a dear. with those big brown eyes.
And the other--does he dance toor'
"Who-Ted? No, no. He is not one
bit Ike Lindell. He is still and all
way OF somewhere. He never care TO
dance"
The music had begun. and the blue
eyed girl rose hesitatingly. II wish !
could go and meet them. I want to sur
prise him, you know. Could IP'
Lolita rose. too, In quick, hot anger.
They would meet, and he would take
her in his arms and kiss her. She
thought OF last night and the night be-
fore and the nights before for weeks.
Was It for this Lindell had sung and
laughed with her and told her her lips
were the sweetest In all the world?
Suddenly she looked at the fair, calm
face beside her. and a flood Of wild, un-
reasoning jealousy swept over her. She
pointed southwark.
IF you walk that way straight on to
where the ground dips and the cacti
grow tall. you will meet Them" she
told her. 1T Is only short way. You
cannot miss them. 1t is only two or
three miles to the next house, and they
may have stopped there"
After the girl had gone she went in
to the dance, laughing, with the lie
fresh on her lips. There was no house
for thirty miles that way, and once
she had passed the giant cacti she
would go down into Death valley, that
terrible wilderness where only the
snakes and the ella monsters and ia
rantulas could dwell in safety. One