Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-08-04

let go her hold on the first and get a
grip on the second. .a
"But the time come when 1t was plain
enough that the Englishman had been
landed and was laytn' on his side
gaspin'. What l mean by that is that
the gal had woven a spell about him
he couldn't resist, and he was dead
gone on her. From that time she did
not seem so stuck on him as she was
before. That's the way with all of US
when we once git thing we don't care
so much about 1t as we thought we
did That's what | thought was the
case with Pacquita. but them as knew
told me | was wrong. They said she
was In love with Allston and was Goln
to marry him.
THE race was comm to finish, with
big odds on Allston. Leastaways. II
would "a been ridiculous for Pacquita
to stick to boy lover when she could
git man and fine man at that. Bur
she didn't seem to want to decide.
"One day Pacquita was out on hcl
horse, got up, as usual, In her Mexican
toggery, n revolver at her side and Il
lariat at the pommel of her saddle
when she saw the two men who was
courtn' her ridin' toward each other
She wondered what they was goin To
do. She didn't want 'em to fight far
is. all along she had been keepin' Ser
rano from pickin ii quarrel with All
ston. Then she remembered that there
was a quicksaud between 'em. an she
began to worry lest one on 'em would
git into it. She reckoned Jose Serrnno
knew all about II. but she wasn't sure
Allston did. They was ridin' kind
reckless. especially Scrrano. and she
made up her mind there war goin' to
be a fracas She war bound To stop
1t, so she started for 'em.
We'll, before she reached 'em the
met. She saw that Serrano was talk.
IN mighty savage TO Allston. while
Allston was a-keepin' his temper ana
patttn his horse. which seemed restivr
to keep him quiet. Pacquita rode on
as fast as she could make her beast
go. dreadin' every minute to see the
two men come to blows Then she no
dced that there seemed TO be some.
thin the matter with both their horses
Serrano Went on talkin' excitedly. Du;
Allston stopped payin any attention
TO him and was lashin' his horse. ! hp
horse seemed TO be maxim great or
fort to do somethin'. but didn't do
nothin'. Then Serrano's horse wns
a-maktn' the same efforts.
''Pacquita turned pale, for she knew
that both her lovers had struck the
quicksand, and once In 1t there was
no chanct for either of 'em to get out
She made her horse do her best. usin
whip and spur, but she was rdn
across country, with no road. and the
goin' was bad. The two men were
sinkin' lower and lower and shoutin
like mad for help. Pacquita was thr
only person TO hear 'em, and there waS
little prospect she'd reach EN- before
they sunk out o. sight She was only
gal anyway.
when she rode up to EN- their
horses heads was the only part of ei
ther critter above the sand and both
men had sunk TO the waist. AIlstun.
bein' the heaviest, had sunk little
lower than Serrano. Pacquita wrung
her hends for a moment, wild at not
bein' able to help 'em. each of 'em
lookin' at her pitifully. Then she re-
membered her lariat. Quick as d flash
she unwound and poised 1t ready to
throw. Each man was up to his arm.
pits. Even II she had time to save
one on 'em she wouldn't have time to
save the other.
This is where the time come | was
tellin' you about at the beglnnin' O. this
yarn, where the gal had to decide
which one of the two men she loved.
or, rather, the love for one o. 'em that
was IN her decided the matter for her
Swingiu' the loop around three or four
times, she let it so and It shot cal
over the quicksand.
(which o them two fellers do YOU
suppose the loop fell on? Why, the little
Mexican. When 1t come to the pint
the child love that had growed like
young twig was stronger than the
new thing that had come when rar
quita was growed.
THE rope fell true and In q momrn
was around Jose's shoulders under his
arms. Pacquita had the other end
fastened TO the pommel of her sad
die, and. startin' her horse gently. -
as not to break the rope, he pulled the
Mexican out. Then she fell in faipt
but Serrano didn't waste no time Oh
her. He threw the lasso to Allston.
who caught 1t In his hands. Serrano
was tuggin' away, tryin to pull the
Britisher out when horseman ap
peared and, coming up. lent a hand.
Together they hauled Allston on TO
firm ground.
That was the end o the rivalry be
tween these two men. Allston went
back to England and married the
daughter of lord. Serrano married
i'acquita. All Of which goes to show
that II n gal Is in doubt between two
= lovers she Kin find out which one she
'ants 10y hayn' cnanct to save the
HE of only one of en-
Not py Exclusion.
He-I had hard time getting
good wife