Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1903-07-23

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
10 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
ransulas could dwell In safety. One
night spent there, and Lindell might
call and cry for his wife In vain.
Never was there such dance at
Manuelo's us that Saturday night Lo-
lita danced and sang with feyerish gay
ETY., her eyes ever on the door, watch
ing for Lindell. Then suddenly, at the
very height of the merrimcnt, she was
missed. Out into the clear, bright night
she went silently TO the shed where
the horses stood. and, choosing her own
rough little mustang, she mounted and
rode away toward Death valley.
IL Lindell loved this fair, blue eyed
girl, he would hate her for sending her
to her death. The thought terrified her.
Anything but his hate, she thought;
anything but tie look in his eyes when
he knew. And was it not right? She
was fair like him and gentle voiced.
She was not n Mexican girl to smoke
q cigarette with and sing to in the
moonlight and laugh when her love
was won.
She caught her breath in deep sobs,
and the tears fell on the mustangs
brown neck as she urged him on over
the miles that lay between them and
the valley, and at last there were the
giant cacti ahead, guarding the en-
trance to the valley like grim entinels.
She turned toward them bravely, but
before the mustang had gone dozen
PAGES past them he reared and backed
away from something that lay upon
the ground.
Lolita knelt and caught her breath as
her hand touched the hand of the
strange girl 1t was warm and she
blue eyes opened wonderingly.
1T was such a long way, and | could
not find Them" she said family you
did not know it was so far did youf'
Lolita pressed a kiss on the hand
she held. 1t was a white, dainty hand.
No wonder Lindell loved 1t. She helped
her up to the saddle. and with one arm
around her for support she guided the
mustang back over the long stretches
Of sand and sun baked alkali on
through the night until the lights at
Manuelo's showed like tirehies against
the sapphire darkness Of the skies.
Manuelo could tell you the rest
how the two Americans returned at
midnight and just as they were to lead
the search for Lolita there came the
three figures through the moonlight,
and Lolita fell at I.indelrs feet.
II bring her back TO you she said
pleadingly. But it was Norris who
sprang to the strangers side with Il
glad cry, and Lindell held the Mexican
girl in his arms there before them all
and told her she was all In all TO him.
SO that is why it is Lindelps Rest
now, and if you stop there on your
way to the fort or to San Luis old
Manuelo will tell you how it happened
over little glass of the deep red Mex
lean wine he loves and bid you shake
hands with his handsome son-ln-law.
And if you are courteous and pleasant
Lolita will fash a smile up at you
from under her long, dark lashos.
And Lindell? He is perfectly happy
and full of a gay, careless content that
comes but seldom to a man in this
world. 1t comes with the moonlight
and the music down there-and Lolita.