Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1914-07-30

ish custom OF putting young women
behind bars is not conducive to keep
ing them from men when they are. no
to speak, tout Of Jail" Rosa was FAR
more adept in arranging meetings with
Burch than an American girl OF her
age would be. While she possessed
the native innocence of youth. she had
for several years been given to under
stand that she was not trusted, and 1t
is not easy for such persons to con-
slider themselves on their honor. Be
this as it may, Burch met Rosa fire.
quently, and she laid all the plans for
their meetings
Burch went to Mexico City just after
the revolution that landed Victorano
Huerta in the presidency. When Car
rama, governor of the state of Goa
hula, determined to revolt and avenge
the death of Madero the conditions
rapidly changed. The governor first
got all the arms there were in SaItillo,
then proceeded to take all the mon .
Burch was not pleased with this cohui-
ton of things and decided that, after
money in Mexico. Such being the case.
there was but one thing for him to do,
go somewhere else. This was a very
easy mental process for him, there be-
ing nothing to regret in leaving Next
co, not even Rosa Puente, for three
or four months association with girl
who lived in mud edifice is usually
quite enough for a man born with a
silver spoon in his mouth. Somehow
1t did not occur to Burch that there
would be any objection on Rosa's part
to part with him. He had never seen
any member of her family, though she
had told him she had father, moth
er and some small brothers and sisters.
She said that her father was away
from home good deal of the time.
When he returned he had plenty Of
money, part Of which he spent In
buying what the family needed and
the rest in the national drink. pulque.
When it was all gone he returned to
follow the sal-e course as before.
But Burch was not interested in the
Puente family. Tor he had not followed
the ordinary process Of counting in
vogue in the country and had made
no application for Rosa's hand. He
looked upon his affair with the little
Mexican girl as a very pleasant one.
At first he had wished that she was a
lady that he might marry her. but
time had cured him of that What
concerned him now was how to get
out of Mexico with $4,000 that he had
brought there to invest in coffee
plantation as soon as he had learned
how to manage one.
He turned his money into American
banknotes and distributed them in DIFF
ferent parts of his clothing. Then when
he was ready to start for Vera Cruz,
proposing to make the journey on
horseback, he sent Rosa word by a
messenger he had used before to meet
him at their usual trysting place.
When they met Burch was on horse
back ready for his departure for Texas.
Dismounting. he took Rosa in his
arms. kissed her and told her that he
must go to the United States. 1t was
not safe for him to keep money any
longer in a country where levies OF
cash were made on the citizens by one
side or the other. He was going to get
his money in the bank in Galveston;
then he would come back to her-that
is, If it were possible to get through
Rosa received the announcement with
her head on Burch's breast. so that he
could not see her expression. He fear
ed she might object to his going. but
was surprised after prolonged silence
to see her look up and say:
'You are right. Put your money in 6
safe place. If you will wait till car
get horse | will go part way with
you"
There was a peculiar expression OF
her face when she said this that he dix
not quite like. However, he expressed
pleasure at having her with him. ant
she went to get horse. She came bacl
presently with one she had borrowed
from neighbor, and the two started
northward.
Rosa said very little, which Burcl
naturally attributed to her reluctanc
to part with him. He thought it best t
talk about what he would do when b
!, returned, but this did not move her t
a more plensurable feeling. When the
came to where the road forked she IL
sisted that lie one on the left was tn
shortest rosie to Burch's destination
Laredo He knew better, but Above
himself to lie persuaded to go her way
!, When they had been on the road a COT
), pie Of hours he suggested that she tur
:, back, since she had far to go and woul
. be tired. But she said she would go
little farther
q In passing over declivity they loOl
ed down on a small clump Of tree
a and he saw group Of horsemel
Burch paled. He knew that he ha
). met with force Of rebels or bandit!
o he suspected the latter. A man san
q out from below for them to advance
= They did so. and the men in the cam
4 spoke to Rosa familiarly. as If the
: knew her. A man approached. and 81