The Cairo bulletin., 1911-05-16
tls4fs 9F A sta iieF e as
HER NARROW
ESCAPE
BY MOlIIE X. WETHERELL
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.


with an aunt in southern California.
Pepita was an orphan and had inner
tied a patch Of ground. on which the
two lived Near by was another Mex
lean family consisting Of father. moth
er and one son. Enrique. just coming
OF age. Enrique and Pepita, being
neighbors and there being no other
young men and women near by to d.
vert them from each other, naturally
loved.
One day man was seen digging in
a patch of ground adjoining Pepita's
property. He was an American and.
though roughly dressed. gave evidenkb
Of being gentleman. Seeing Pepita
standing looking at him curiousiy. he
went over to where she was and ask
ed for drink Of water. Pepita got
1t for him from a spring back OF the
house, and the stranger chatted with
her. She asked him what he was dig
ging the hole for. and he said he was
prospecting. There had been no hunt
Ing for the precious metals there be.
fore, and Pepita did not understand
what he meant.
The stranger came over occasionally
after that for drink of water or to
borrow something. He said his name
was Thomas Burkhalter; that he was
the son Of gentleman in the east.
He hadn't got on well with his father
and had come out west to shift for
himself. Pepita thought him very
fine. After looking at his white face
Enrique's brown visage was not at all
attractive. Enrique noticed a change
In her. but was at loss to account
for It.
One day man came to Burkhalter's
hole. He was well dressed man and
wore a diamond stickpin in his neck.
wear Pepita saw him and Burk-
halter standing together talking and
looking over ut her house. The stran.
ger went away. ana that evening
Burkhalter came over to see Pepita.
She asked him about the man who had
visited him, but Burkhalter was un.
communicative on the subject. One
thing Peptta noticed-that be was very
attentive and deferential to her.
Burkhalter during the next four or
five days did as much counting as is
usually done In months, sometimes In
years. He quite carried Pepita off her
feet She discovered that Enrique
knew nothing at all about making love-
Enrique was much distressed. What
could he do? But Enrique had more
sense than Pepita and knew a little
more about the world. though not
much more. At any rate, he had sense
enough to suspect that Burkhalter had
some motive In devoting himself to
Pepita. He went to an old rancher
who had always been kind to him and
told him his trouble. One day Enrique
went to Grigsby. the rancher, and told
him that Burkhalter had asked Pepita
to marry him.
"That's all talk" said Grigsby.
s'No, no." cried Enrique: they are
to be married tomorrow. Pepita does
not wish 1t SO soon, but the man in.
sists. She would like to raise a little
money 80 that she may get some new
clothes to make her appear worthy of
60 fine husband"
Grigsby thought. He was turning
something over In his mind. At last
he said:
IF Pepita is going to be married
she will not need her farm. What she
needs is little cash. / will buy her
property. Go and ask her for what
she will sell It But say to her that
] will not buy 1t unless she keeps my
offer a secret. You may tell her I
will give her 5000"
Enrique sorrowfully bore the mes.
sage and returned with Pepita. who
was delighted to get so much money
for what was really not supposed to
be worth more than half the amount
offered. Grigsby drew up the papers
conveying the property to Enrique
and placed mortgage on 1t payable
to himself.
"Now," he said to Pepita, you may
tell whom you like that you have sold
your farm"
In the evening Burkhalter came to
see bis ianeee and asked her If she
would be ready for the wedding the
next day. Pepita said she would and
gleefully told him she had sold her
property for the enormous sum Of
5000. Then she showed him the money
she had got for it
he stood looking at her with blank,
expression for some time, then told
her to put her name on the back Of the
check and he would ride to town
ten miles distant and draw the money.
She must be ready for the ceremony
by the time Of his return. She did AZ
be babe her, and, leaving her, forget
ting the kiss. he departed.
Pepita waited all that day and the
next for her lover. but he came not
Nor has he come to this day. Pepita's
aunt at last told her that he must
have gone away with the money for
the farm. What should they dor Their
home was sold, and they had nowhere
to lay their heads.
Meanwhile Grigsby had gone to the
hole Burkhalter had left with experts
and had found that Burkhalter had
struck vein of ore too narrow to pay,
but beginning to open up in the farm
Pepita had sold.
IL r.