Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-06-05
BLAKE'S
SURRENDER
1t Was An Unconditional
One
By cLARISSA MAcKE

thicket of chaparral. from which he
emerged little more ragged and dusty
than before, and sat down by tiny
stream trickling its languid way to-
ward the sand blown desert. His feet
were hot and sore from two days
rapid travelling through untracked
wastes, but SO far he had come out
unharmed. True, his broad sombrero
carried two holes where an insurrecto
sentry's bullet had gone tipping
through, but Frank Blake had drawn
his own weapon in response, and he
was sure that the Mexican had taken
a brief vacation from sentry duty.
OF course that only FASTENED his
fight toward the frontier, for it was
fight. Ordinarily he was not one to
turn his back on a skirmish, but he
was the paymaster of the Laguna
Mines company, and as the revolution
ary spirit of his miners forbade them
to waste any more golden days delving
in the darkness of galleries and cross
cuts or upper and lower levels when
there was insurrection afoot 1t became
necessary for the paymaster to flee un-
gallantly with his papers and his bills
Of exchange-the currency be hastily
buried AS he was the only American
left on the force there was nothing
for Frank Blake to do but to guard his
company's treasure to the best of his
ability.
He tossed off the tin box which had
been strapped to his shoulders and un-
buckled the stuffed belt which burden
ed him cruelty in the heat and stress
of his long tramp. He kicked off his
shoes and stockings and thrust his feet
into the cool trickle of the stream and
closed his eyes.
Naturally dark complexioned, the
burning sun of Mexico had tanned his
face to the complexion of the natives.
His straight black hair clung to his
brown forehead and added to the rag
ged. unkempt appearance. for ragged
he was and uncared for. His clothing
was torn to shreds by thorns and cac-
tus spines, and the dust that covered
his handsome features lent a grotesque
appearance to an otherwise attractive
personality.
All at once he opened his bright
black eyes with the sudden resolve
that a thorough scrub in the stream
would refresh him nightly. Hungry
he was and thirsty, but he must go
Soticfiad until ho RON oorocS n ra nol
and in this locality they might be thick
as pulque plants. AS he bent to plunge
his cupped hands into the water there
came the sharp barking of dog AMI
the sound of light quick footsteps be-
hind him. He turned to see a girl,
slender, erect, with inquiring eyes of
warm brown. a skin blended of the
olive and the cactus flower. hair as
black as his own and red mouth
rounded into a surprised exclamation
at sight Of him.
"Ah!'' she said quickly in Spanish.
"Buenas tardes. senorita," returned
Blake gravely. for there was hostility
In her eyes now as she scanned him
closely. Then he continued in Span.
ish as he arose to his feet, "Is there a
house near at hand?"
"Why do you ask?" she inquired sus.
piciously.
Blake laughed shortly and included
his outcast appearance in one graphic
sweep of shapely brown hand. II
am in need Of refreshment and repose
among friends. | have Travelled far,
and am very weary" A trace of the
WEAKNESS was evident in his voice.
For two days and night he had not
slept
The girl seemed to hesitate. She
looked over Blake's head, her forehead
wrinkled in a pretty frown. Truly
she was the flower of some neighbor.
ing hacienda, he decided as he noted
the Spanish coloring of her complex
len, though she wore the trinity cut
garments of an American girl-a short
snowy linen skirt and shirt waist,
with loose sleeves rolled back to
rounded elbows Her uncovered head
showed her hair arranged in two
loose braids hanging far below her
slender waist.
4 Come" she said suddenly. "Comt
to my father"
He admired the girls quick tread, so
different from tire languorous glide OF
her countrywomen, and attributed It to
the free, open fife which she had en-
joyed as the daughter Of a ranchero
He was aware that she was under
going some perturbation on his ac
count, for she frequently looked back
at him and always with that dlstrust
ful glance of her brown eyes.
Presently he noticed that her hand
always rested lightly on her right hip
and then he saw there was tiny
holster from which protruded the
ivory handle of revolver. His owr
hand sought his weapon then. for Il
the daughter was suspicious the father
might be openly hostile.
They topped rise of ground and cam,
upon smooth, well made road wind
ing toward distant red rooted lllild
Ing set in the midst of chestnu
grove. North, east and west stretched
magnificent cattle range. Herds ap
peared like bots In the distance. Tb,
herders were black moving specks OF
the vastness Of the grassy plain. Al