The Somerset reporter., 1906-07-19
SenOrita Rita
BY lola FORESTER
Copyright, 1895. by Ruby Douglas
BY lola FORESTER

so you are going home senor?' The
girl looked straight ahead at the wide
sweep of level prairie pasture, her red
lips parted in smile-a most tantaliz-
ing. annoying smile Carruthers thought
as he caught Il glimpse of it sideways
Perhaps" he returned moodily. ~
have stayed too long already
"You do not like Texas. senor?"
you did not call me senior last
week" He bent toward her slightly.
but she did not turn her head. You
called me-Jack."
She laughed and flashed Il hasty
glance at him from her soft, dark eyes.
THAT was a long time ago-last
week-but I will call you it again if
you wish. Mr.. Jack"
Carruthers did not notice the cOnces-
sion or 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 morn
ing sunrise Here and there on the
outskirts stood figure of a horse with
a silent rider watching the grazing
herd. Carruthers' gaze swept over the
mass until it rested on one herder at
the extreme north. Even with the dis
lance of nearly a mile between them
he knew what the figure looked like,
knew that it was watching them as he
was watching it. 1t was not II pleasant
knowledge.
you have changed your mind, Seno-
rita Rita he said bitterly. since Ra-
mon came to the ranch. l was very
happy-in Texas-until your old sweet
heart appeared
Rita laughed again, deliciously, warm
ly, with Il full enjoyment of his mood.
You are not tired of Texas, Mr..
jack she said merrily. You are tired
of me-ah. yes, | say You are. You love
me so madly, so entrancingly, until
somebody else comes who also loves
me so madly. SO entrancingly. too; and
then all at once you are jealous and
distant and dissatisfied, and. presto,
now, this minute, you say you will
leave Texas. you will never. never
| come to the Fortuna 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 IA 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. Il would not give
that for the silly kid lover who rides
away. Ramon is a 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"
Il would carry you to the end of the
world" retorted Carruthers.
But not to your homer" she persist
ed.
Il have no home" said Carruthers.
when | came here to Texas | meant
to stay even before l met you
But you are rich. Ramon says you
could buy all of the Fortuna for pas
time if you cared for it. And the For
tuna is the richest ranch within hun
bred miles of the border There is no
cattleman so rich as my father in Mex
| leo"
She lifted her head with the little tilt
of pride he knew we'll Senorita Rita
Riaz, heiress of the Fortuna could we'll
afford to lift her head trifle higher
than other girls. But to Carruthers the
motion brought merely regret. He
knew the truth about the Fortuna
knew what every Texan as far as San
| Antonio would know within Il week
that old Dablo RiaZ had squandered
his wealth in gambling; that not "A
thing on the Fortuna was unmort-
gagged save his daughter, and even she,
1t was rumored, was pledged to Ramon
Doranda in return for his promised as
slstance when the crash came
Carruthers might have given the
same assistance and claimed the same
reward, but something within him re-
VOTED against making the hand of the
girl he loved the stake in a transaction
over old Riaz'S gambling debts. If he
could win her, if he could hold her
promise freely from her own lips, then
he felt free to buy up the whole For
tuna when the crash came and lay ii
at her feet. But she must be free u
say yes or no. And she would say
neither. She would only laugh
"IIave you told Ramon you would
marry him." he asked with sudden
curtness The uncertainty was mad
dening to him.
why do you askY' she answered
teasingly.
Rita" he pleaded, "be serious If
you do not
She raised her arm with sudden,
imperative gesture and pointed to the
| herd
Look she cried "They are STAN
pedingw
Carruthers looked. The brown sea
had suddenly stirred to life, Unduat-
ing, swayng, branching out loosely at
the edges. il was iurching toward them.
There seemed to be nothing rapid or
swift about its coming. Carruthers
thought, almost idly, of how 1t resem-
bed the swing of a bunch of race
borses rounding the end OF the field,
when the movement was so concerted,
so deliberate, that 1t hardly seemed
movement. The herders were riding
here and there in confusion. They
eoornad mora opacLyu Of baIDIass r7isdI