Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-08-23
SENORITA RITA.

$50 you are going home, senior 2
The girl looked straight ahead at the
| wide sweep of the level prairie, her
wide lips parted in a smile-a most
tantalizing, annoying smile, Carruth-
ers thought as he caught glimpse of
it sideways.
Perhaps" he returned modify.
II have stayed too long already"
"You do not like Texas, senor?"
"You did not call me senior last
week." He bent toward her slight
ly, but she did. not turn her head.
"You called me-Jack."
She laughed and flashed hasty
glance at him from her soft, dark
eyes.
"That was long time ago-last
week-but 1 will call you it again if
you wish, Mr.. Jack.
Caruthers did not notice the con-
cession of her gay scorn. He stared
out to where the cattle browsed-a
sea of still, brown waves, hundreds of
them, motionless and peaceful In the
morning sunrise. Here and there on
the outskirts stood figure Of horse
with silent rider watching the graz
ing herd. Carruthers' gaze swept
over the mass until it rested on one
herder at the extreme north. Even
with the distance of nearly mile be.
tween them he knew what the figure
looked like, knew that it was watch
ing them as he was watching it. 1t
was not a pleasant knowledge.
You have changed your mind,
Senorita Rita" he said bitterly, since
Ramon came to the ranch. ! was
very happy-in Tsxas-until your
old sweetheart appeared"
Rita laughed again, delicioualy,
warmly, with full enjoyment of his
m Jod.
"You are not tired of Texas, Mr..
jack" she said merrily. "You are
tired of me-ah, yes, 1 say you are.
You love me 80 madly, so entranc.
iugly, until somebody else comes who
also loves me so madly, so entranc-
ingly, too; and then all at once you
are Jealous and distant and dissatis-
fed, and, presto, now, this minute,
you say you will leave Texas, you
will never, never come to the For
tuna ranch again. You are-what
did you call me the day cried when
Pep broke his leg ?-kid, that is it.
You are big, foolish kid, Mr.. Jack.
When a man loves he does not sulk
and ride away. He stays and fights.
See /" She held up her hand and
snapped her small tanned fingers
sharply in the air. 81 would not
give that for the silly kid lover who
rides away. Ramon is Mexican,
but he is brave; he can fight. If
but let him know the least bit
loved him he would carry me off on
his horse way, way south, over there
to Mexico. You would not carry me
away to your home like that, would
you, Mr.. Jack ?"
II would carry you to the end Of
the world" retorted Carruthers.
"But not to your homer" she per-
sisted.
II have no home,' said Carruth.
ere. when came here to Texas
meant to stay even before 1 met you"
"But you are rich. Ramon says
you could buy all Of the Fortuna for
pastime if you cared for it. And
the Fortuna ia the richest ranch with
in a hundred miles of the border.
There is no cattleman so rich as my
father in Mexico"
She lifted her head with the little
tilt of pride he knew well. Senorita
Ritz Riaz, heiress of the Fortuna,
could well afford to lift her head a
trihe higher than other girls. But to
Carruthers the motion brought mere
ly regret. He knew the truth about
the Fortuna-knew what every Tex
an as far as San Antonio would know
within a week that old Diabio Riaz
had squandered his wealth IN gamo-
ling; that MOI thing on the Fortu-
ma was unmortgaged save his daugh-
ter, and even she, it was rumored,
was pledged to Ramon Doranda in
return for his promised assistance
when the crash came.
Carruthera might have given the
same assistance and claimed the same
reward, but something within him re-
volted against making the hand of
the girl he loved the stake in trans
! action over old Riaz's gambling debts.