Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1912-10-03

The Story She Told lack
When the Crisis Came.
.,
By izoLA FoRResrER.


wide sweep of level prairie pasture.
her red lips parted in q smiie-a most
tantalizing. annoying smile Carfuthers
thought as be caught q glimpse Of It
sideways.
Perhaps" he returned modify, n
have stayed too long already"
you do not like Texas, senorr'
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 q hasty
glance at him from her soft. dark
eyes.
"That was a long time ago-last
week-but will call you It again II
you wish. Mr.. Jack"
Carruthers did not notice the con-
cession 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 morning sunrise. Here and there
on the outskirts stood q figure OF
horse with a silent rider watching the
grazing herd. Carruthers' gaze swept
over the mass until 1t rested on one
herder at the extreme north. Even
with the distance Of nearly q mile be-
tween them he knew what the figure
looked like, knew that It was watch
ing them as he was watching II. It
was not a pleasant knowledge.
You have changed your mind. Seno.
rita Rita" he said bitterly, '''since Ra.
mon came to the ranch. I was very
happy-in Texas-until your old sweet.
heart appeared"
Rita laughed again, deliciOusly,
warmly. with full enjoyment Of his
mood.
"YOu are not tired of Texas, Mr..
Jack" she said merrily. "You are tired
Of me-ah. yes, l say you are. You
love me 50 madly. SO entrancingly.
until somebody else comes who also
loves me so madly. so entrancingly,
too, and then all at once you are jeal-
GUS 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 a man loves he does
not sulk and ride away. He stays and
fights. Sect" She held up her hand and
snapped her small tanned fingers
sharply in the air. II would not give
that for the silly kid lover who rides
away. Ramon Is a Mexican, but he u
brave; he can fight. II but let him
know the least bit I loved him he
would carry me OF on his horse way,
way south over there to Mexico. You
would not carry me away 70 your home
like that, would you, Mr.. Jackr'
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 Carruthers.
when came here to Texas 7 meant
to stay even before I met you"
But you are rich. Ramon says you
could buy all Of the Fortuna for q
pastime II you cared for IT, And the
Fortuna is the richest ranch within q
hundred miles Of the border. There -
no cattleman 80 rich as my father In
Mexico"
She lifted her head with the little tilt
Of pride he knew well. Senorita Rita
Riaz, heiress Of the Fortuna. could well
afford to lift her head tribe 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 a week
that old diablo Riaz had squandered
his wealth in gambling: that not
thing on the Fortuna was unmOrtgaged
save his daughter. and even she. 1t was
rumored. was pledged to Ramon Do
randa in return for his promised as
sistance when the crash came.
Carruthers might have given the
same assistance and claimed the same
reward. but something within him re-
v0lted against making the hand Of the
girl he loved the stake In a transac.
ton over old Riaz's gambling debts.
II he could win her. II he could hold
her promise freely from her own lips.
then he felt free to buy up the whole
Fortuna when the crash came and lay
1t at her feet. But she must be free
to say yes or no. And she would say
neither She would only laugh.
Have you told Ramon you would
marry him?' he asked, with sudden
curtness. The uncertainty was mad.
dening to him.
"Why do you ask?' she answered
teasingly.
"Rita." he pleaded. "be serious. II
you do not
She raised her arm with q 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. Undulat.
Ing. swaying. branching out loosely at
the edges. 1t was lurching toward
them. There seemed to be n0thinA
rapid or swift about its coming. Car
ruthers thought. almost idly. Of how It
resembled the swing Of q bunch Of
race horses rounding the end Of the
deld. when the movement was 20 con.
certed. so deliberate. that It hardly
seemed a movement The herders were
riding here and there In confusion.
They seemed mere specks Of helpless
misdirecti0n In the distance.
Rita's face had lost its color. She
turned her horse about. the rein held
lhQrt and tight In her clinchad hand.