The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1912-05-23

AS softly as the caricatured tans
would permit, Dry Valley tiptoed back
to the gate and home again.
Twenty minutes after the time sp-
pointed for the walk Panchita tripped
demurely out her gate in a thin, trim
white lawn and sailor hat. She stroll
ed up the sidewalk and slowed her
steps ut Dry Valleys gate. her man
ner expressing wonder at his unusual
delinquency.
Then ont of his door and down the
walk strobe, not the polychromatic
victim of a lost summertime, but the
sheepman rchabiIitatcd. lie wore his
old gray wooden shirt, open at the
throat, his brown duck trousers stuffed
into his oyerrun boots, and his white
felt sombrero on the back of his head.
Twenty years or fifty he might look,
Dry Valley cared not. His light blue
eyes met Panchita's dark ones with
cold flash in them. He came as far
as the gate. He pointed with his long
arm to her house.
Go home" said Dry Valley. GO
home to your mother. l wonder light
min don't strike a fool like me. Go
home and play in the sand. What
business have you got cavortin' around
with grown men? | reckon was
iocoed to be maxim a he poll-parrot out
of myself for a kid like you. Go home
and don't let me see you no more.
Why ! done it, will somebody tell me!
Go home and let me try and forget it."
Panchita Qbeyed and walked slowly
toward her home. saying nothing. For
some distance she kept her head turn
ed and her large eyes fixed intrepisly
upon Dry Valleys. At her gate she
stood for a moment looking back at
him. then ran suddenly and swiftly
into the house.
Old Antonio was building a fire in
the kitchen stove, Dry Valley stopped
at the door and laughed harshly.
I'm a pretty looking old rhinoccros
TO be gettin' stuck on a kid, amt I,
'Tonia?' said he.
Not yerree good thing" agreed An
tonia saGely, for too much Old man to
lilee muchacha."
You bet it ain't," said Dry Valley
grimly. ITS dunn fooIishness. and.
besides it hurts
He brought at one armful the regaIia
of his alteration, the blue tennis suit,
shoes. hat. gloves and all. aud threw
them in u pile at Antonias feet.
Give them to your CID man said
he. ITO hunt antelope in"
Just as the first star presided palely
over the twilight Dry Valley got his
biggest strawberry book and sat on the
back steps to catch the last of the
reading light. He thought he saw the
figure of some one in his strawberry
patch He laid aside the book, got
his whip and hurried forth to see.
It was Panchita. She had slipped
through the picket fence and was half
way across the patch. She stopped
when she saw him and looked at him
without wavering.
A sudden rage-a humiliating flush
of unreasoning Wrath-camc over Dry
Valley. For this child he had made
himself a motley to the view. He had
tried to bride Time to turn backward
for himself. He had-bcen made
fool Of. At last he had seen his folly.
There was a gulf between him and
youth over which he could not build
bridge even with yellow gloves to pro
tect his hands And the sight of his
torment coming to poster him with her
elfin Provisioning to plumber his
strawberry vines like 4 mischievOus
schoolboy-roused all his anger.
Il told you to keep away from here
said Dry Valley. GO back to your
home"
Panchita moved slowly toward him
Dry Valley cracked his whip,
go back home" said Dry Valley
savagely, land play theatricals some
more You'd make a fine man. You've
made a fine one Of mo-
She came a step nearer. silent and
with that strange, defiant, steady