Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-04-11

Il. too. can sling" she volunteered
after time. modelling toward the .ui.
tar.
: lie offered II to her with bow.
1t WIS. perhaps. not the sweetest
singing he had ever heard: the all bat
inevitable harsh note OF the Mexican
song was there. but it answered very
well. and he listened--Mnd speculatpd.
The canZone~ were all of love, and
they were all directed to him. so much
NO, and with such patent intent. that
ut length the cowboy rose up with a
! grunt. which was not entirely of
amusement. He would 20 see how the
cattle were coming on. he said: and
departed to unhObble and saddle his
own horse Clifton and Currita were
left alone.
Then shortly Currita's songs stop
ped She looked at Clifton with Il ten
der glow In her eyes.
You are tired, senor:" she said.
Now, Clifton was tired but he might
have been too civil to admit it had it
not been for suspicion that the little
Mexican wanted him to.
81 have ridden since the daybreak,"
he confessed.
"Will you not sleep, them Currita
was eager. She glanced about, and sa W
Il hOrse-blanket. She made it into a
roll. Then she held 1t out to him.
Used to looking out for the COM
forts of u.s." decided Clifton.
1T Is for your pillow" she said;
you will sleep. and will sing to you
a lullaby"
1t struck Clifton as an idea not half
bad. He reached out for the blanket.
But she put it down little further
black shadow Of a tree. Clifton won
dered why she wanted to get him ont
of the freight. But he was accepting
things as they came. He stretched
out upon the ground. his head on the
blanket-roll. and sighed profoundly.
with content.
Currita sat down near to him. meas
uring the distance carefully with her
eyes. 1t was just an arms reach. So
Clifton put out his hand. and took hers.
She let him hold it for a moment then
she drew 1t slowly away.
II will sing now" she said, land you
will sleep"
precious anxious You seem to he to
get me to sleep" said Clifton. in Eng
fish.
nOS0 ('urrifo sro
"Nada." answered Clifton, nothing
begin"
She began, singing softly, sOothingly.
never stopping. but starting her love
lullaby over and over again After n
while she heard Clifton snore. Still the
song kept on. But the snoring kept on
as well. and gradually the song died
down and away. Then. gently. very
gently. Currta laid the guitar aside
She listened. She put her hand in the
bosom Of her gown and drew some
thing out. She listened again Then
she rose to a kmeeling posture AMI
moved nearer to Clifton-Quite noise
lessly.
There was not the echo Of II sound,
save for the low and even snoring Of
the man on the ground. and the dis
tant. vague murmur OF the cattle graz
ing somewhere beyond. 1t was dark
in the heavy shadow Of the tree. Cur
rita knelt close beside the gringO. and
listened once more. Then she raised
her arm.
Clifton was holding her by the wrist,
with hold from which there was no
escape. A log shifted on the campfire.
and sent up squirt of spark and fame.
1t showed red on the blade of the
knife in Curritas hands on Currita's
wild-eyed face. defiant still. and on
Clifton's calmly cynical smile.
1T is not amiabIe," suggested C!if-
ton. ito kill gentlemen while they
sleep"
you did not sleep" spit out Cur
rita. She swOre an oath.
But you thought | did. little pig
con- And then he sat mp deliberately.
still holding her by the wrist. "I.et
fall the knife. chulita." he said.
She opened her fingers and let 1t
drop He took II mp. and then set her
free After which. he scrambled to his
feet. and went of to the tree where her
horse was tied When he came back lie
was leading the horse. He held II
while she mounted. and he settled her
skirts attentively.
And now" he said, his hand on the
bride still. just above the bit tell me
a thing or two. Surprising you had
stabbed me- what would you have
said:"
"'rhat you made too much love to
me-" she answered promptly. She was
ready for that
Clifton smiled. ut might have been
objected that II was probably for that
purpose you came. But never mind.
And thcn-was IL Sewell. your lover,
who sent you. or did you think OF it
all by yourself!"
Il have no lover" lied Currta un-
hcsitatingy.
THAT isn't so. and you bunglcd his
suggestion rather badly. But you're ii
spunky little wildcat" he commented.
tor his own benefit The English aside
exasperated Currita very much. She
ierked on the reins. But Clifton kept