Bradford County telegraph., 1906-08-03
Serlorita Rita
By lz0LA FoRREsTER
Copyright 1903. by Ruby Douglas

I Copyright, 1903. by Ruby Douslas
o~~~~~~>~~~~~~~~s~~~ ~~s~~~s>~~~s">s~O
$50 you are going home. senorT Tne
girl looked straight ahead at the wide
sween Of level prairie pasture. her REQ
lips parted In a smile-a most tantaiS.
ing, annoying smile Carruthers thought
as he caught glimpse Of It sideways.
Perhaps" he returned moodily. \
have stayed too long already"
"You do not like Texas. senorr |
"You did not call mo senor last
week" He bent toward her slightly
but she did not turn her head. "You
called me-Jack."
She laughed and flashed a hasty
glance at him from her soft, dark eyes.
THAT was long time ago-iast
week-but I will call you Il again II
you wish. Mr.. Jack"
Carruthers did not noticeSthe conces-
sion or her gay scorn. He Wtared Out
to where the cattle browsed-a sea OF
still, brown waves, hundreds'of them'
motionless and peaceful In the morn
Ing SUNRISE Here and there On tne
outskirts stood a figure Of q horse' win
a silent rider watching the grazing
herd. Caruthers' gaze swept OVERTIME
mass until It rested on one herder at
the extreme north. Even with the dis
tance Of nearly mile between them
he knew what the figure looked Ike.
knew that 1t was watching them a. he
was watching 1t. 1t was not pleasant
knowledge.
yea have changed your mind. eeno-
rita Rita" he said bitterly, 'since Ra-
mon came to The ranch. was very
happy--tn Texas-until your old sweet
heart appeared"
p!ta laughed again, deliciOusly, warm
ly, with full -u:oyment OF his mood.
"vou are ~, tired Of Texas, MI
Jack she said merrily. You are tired
Of ms-ah, yes. say you are. You love
me SO madly. 30 p"trarctngly, unu
somebody else COMES who also Loves
me go mad'v, so entrancingly, too; and
then all al 49, YOU are Jealous and
6'stant and diss~ 10. !. and, presto
no tuls nMdte, y0u say you VII
leave Texas, you will never, neve
come to the Fortuna ranch again. Y0'
are-whet did you call me the day
cried when Pep broke his leg3-hd
that Is It. You are big, foolish kid
MIR. Jack. When a man loves he doe
not sulk and ride away. He stays an
b." -. see!" She held up her hand an
snapped her small tanned finger
sharply In the air. Il would not CIV
that for the silly kid lover who ride
away. Ramon Is a Mexican. but he
brave; be can fight. II but let hii
know the least bit I loved him b
would carry me OF ON his horse wa,
way south over there to Mexico. 70
would not carry me away to yor
home like that, would you. Mr.. Jackr
IL would carry you to the end OF q
world" retorted Carruthers.
but not to your homer she persia
I'd.
II have no homc." said CarrutheE
"When I came here to Texas I meal
to stay even before met you"
But you are rich. Ramon says "
could buy all Of the Fortuna for pa
time II you cared for It. And the Fe
tuna is the richest ranch within hu
dred miles of the border. Thero y
cattleman 90 rich a. my father In Ne
icO."
She lifted her head with the little
of pride he knew well. Senorita n
Riaz, heiress Of the Fortuna, could "
afford to lift her head tri6e high
than other girls. But to Carruthers {
motion brought merely regret.
knew the trAth about the F0rtunl
knew what every Texan - far a. Q
Antonio would know within a1wee1
that old Diablo Riax had sQuandss
his wealth In gambling; that not
thing on the Fortuna was unmo
ragged save his daughter. and even d
It was rumorsd, was pledged TO Ram
Doranda In return for his promised
sistance when the crash came.
Caruthers might have given
same assistance and claimed the -
reward, but something within him
VOTED against making the hand Of
sirl he loved the stake In transact
over old Rias's gambling dsbts. II
could win her, II hs could hoad
promise freely from her own hps, D
be felt free to buy up ths whole
tuna when the crash came and Ay
at her fest. But she must b frsa
say yes or no. And che would
neither. She would only laugh.
"Have you told Ramon yen va
marry HINT" hs asked. WITH sud
curtnass. Ths uncertainty was q