Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-10-28

You kin go an listen, If you want to. =
"I'll be there, boys, and did don't
you forget it. I'll hook him Never
saw anything I couldn't buy II I had a
little Of the p-p-proper stuff about
me-"
Il say, Doc, that daughter of yours
knows her biz when it comes to telling
fortunes" ventured a young dandy
whose head had been turned by Pc
peeta's beauty.
DID daughter" snapped the quack
turning sharply upon him; she's not
my daughter she's my wife,"
In order to comprehend the relation
ship Of this strangely mated pair, we
must so back five or six years to a
certain day when this same Doctor
Aesculapius rode slowly down the
main street Of small city in Western
Pennsylvania, and then out along a
rugged country highway A couple OF
miles brounght him to the camp Of a
band of gypsies.
Around a campfire was a picturesque
group of persons. all of whom, with a
single exception. vanished at the ap-
proach of the stranger. The man who
stood his ground was a truly sinister
being. He was tall. thin and angular;
his clothing was scant and ragged,
his face bronzed with exposure to the
sun.
Good morning. Baltasar," said the
visitor.
The gypsy acknowledged his saluta-
tion with a frOwn.
Il wish to sell this horse" the trav-
eler added, without appearing to notice
his cold reception.
The gypsy swept his eye over the
animal and shook his head.
IF you will not buy. perhaps you
will trade" the traveller said.
Come" was the laConic response.
and so saying the gypsy turned to-
wards the forest which lay just beyond
the camp The doctor" obeyed. A
moment later he found himself in a Sc
questered spot where there was an
stable; and a dozen or
more horses glancing up from their
feed whnnied a welcome.
4 little rivulet lay across their path,
and up from the margin of it where
she had been gathering water crosses
there sprang a young girl, who cast a
startled glance at him, then bounded
swiftly toward a tent and vanished
through the opening. This keen ad-
nirer of horses was equally suscepti-
Die to the charms Of female beauty.
So swift an apparition would have be-
rather than illumined the
mind Of an ordinary man. But the
1rlt
vas endowed with a certain rude pow
IT of divination which enabled him to
zee In a single instant, by swift intui-
ion, more than the average man dis
lovers by an hour Of reasoning. BY
his natural clairvoyance he saw at a
glance that this face Of exquisite deli
,acy could no more have been coined
n a gypsy camp than a fine cameo
'ould be cut in an Indian wigwam, He
Knew that all gypsies were thieves
md that these were Spanish gypsies
What was more natural than that he
should conclude with inevitable logic
hat this child had been stolen from
people Of good If not Of noble blood!
"Baltasar!" he said.
The gypsy turned.
You are a girl thief as we'll as a
lorse- thief. You stole this girl from
he family of 4 Spanish nObleman. l
I'm the representative of this family
md have followed your trail for years
You thought I had come to get the
lorse You were mistaken; it was the
,irl,"
"Perdfta." exclaimed the gypsy,
aiken completely off his guard.
Lost indeed" responded the quack
scarcely able to conceal his pride in his
,wn astuteness. And tho1 he added
slowly: She must be burden to you,
3altasar You evidently never have
leen able or never have dared to take
Ter back and claim the ransom which
-ou expected. I will pay you for her
md take her from your hands. 1t IS
he child I want and not vengeance.
What will you take for herr"
The doctor drew a leather wallet
rom his pocket and held it up tantal-
zingly. Its influence was decisive.
"Pepeeta. Pepeeta," called the gyp-
".
Out Of the door Of the tent she came,
Ter eyes fixed upon the ground, and
Ter fingers picking nervously at the
insel strings which fastened her bod
ce.
elf me Ze money and take her"
The doctor counted out the gold, and
hen approached the child. For the
irst time in his life he experienced an
motion Of reverence. There was some
hing about her beauty, her helpless
less and his responsibility that made a |
lew appeal to his heart.
Yielding to the gentle pressure of his |
and, she permitted herself to be led |
way. Not a good bye vas said. The |
octor lifted the child upon the -.orse's |
ack and climbed into the saddle. The |
eautiful child trembled; she also |
yept She was parting from those |
whose lives were base and cruel; but |
hey were the only human beings that |
he knew. She was leaving a wagon |
nd a tent but 1t was the only home
hat she could remember.
To have a fellow being completely
q our power makes US either utterly
ruel or utterly kind, and all that was
emile in that great rough nature went
ut In a rush Of tenderness toward the
title creature who thus suddenly be-
anne absolutely dependent upon his
After they had ridden a
title way, he began in his rough fash
On to try to comfort her.
Don't cry, Pepeeta. You ought 20
e thankful that you have sot out of
he clutches Of those villains. You
ould not have been worse OF, and you
lay be . great deal bsttsri ThA~ ]