Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1914-12-11

voice fell on his enrs-in pretty, lisp
ing Castillian; and Tony pulled up
like man shot.
FLUSH, beloved. Swear no such
dreadful oaths. Father Olmedo says
il is sin to kill" Ito stricken. wide
eyed Tony Tafoyn came the sounds
rs of human lips meeting). "Sce.
beloved, ] hang my rosary about your
throat; il shall guard you from all
hurt"
A little green eyed god climbed ~,
on the burro by Tony's elbow aud in.
iroduced himself. Tony slid To the
ground dnzed. The skies crashed,
iumbled and tumblcd. about him.
The first shock of II bullet is but
II numbine thud: after comes the az
ony. Tony staggered on. toward
iown--he knew not where, only that
Rosario was no longer his inviolntc
own. From the belfry of the evening
tones were calling 10 vesprr prayer.
Tony needed them not. nor the hot
saffron over the mc-ns wherein was
the star of the evening: for SOME
thing had dropped from his life. and
what was dcfowrrcd was ~ fall
ing star. Presently he brought up
against the house wall of casa.
and beat thereon with his clcnchcd
fists. ,obbing aloud in the poignancy
of his terror. With the swift death
of the song of him, snapped like II
rose from its stem between finger and
thumb of girls hand, the earth
man was born. lie laughed the
whole of earth and heaven were
shaking with uncomfortable laughter
lie had given his soul-to be tossed
at the feet of gringo vaquero! A
vile, coarse bodied, money sweating
rowman, who sold Cor n monthly
handful of greasy pesos the free
sou! that God had given him! Jesus
and hell to come! In his god-hkr
independence Tony had never owned
Il dollar in his life: his gold were his
goats and his som. lie was rs I'M
tralnmelled n the stars. owning his
own flock, the desert and grasslands
for his palace. and the skies for its
FURNISHED dome. The sun was his
flame, the moon his lamp; he owed
allegiance to no man. and dealt with
his god ~ lord of the infinite mes
n. All this he had given to Rosario !;
and all this that was hers. and his,
she had elected Ia throw To the feet
of hircling--cowman! Blood of
Christ, the abominablc harlotry!
IN II maze Tony found himself ut
last in the night riot of llnnnigan's
'tnberna." on Silver avenue, gulping
glass after glass of unfamiliar. fiery
aguadiente, until even Hannigan felt
called upon to interfer.
In the first throes Of successful
courtship two ambitions are upper
most in the animal males mind--io
clasp the whole world in brotherly
embrace, and fight some dcnizcn of
liz, no applicant, barred. Big Me-
Knight. the tale Of his love on his
red Thrown, animal features. stood
suddenly in Hannigan's barroom. his
quick. bright eyes rowing swiftly over
the gathered throng.
"Hola, caballeros" he greeted Lat
aud Saxon like happy gust. sven
gan ncompnneros tomar I'M irngo!
IN IIannigan's. one never inquired
what his guests would drink. Glasses
and bottles came rattling on Ia the
Scared bar counter. and about these
men gathered like bees to II honey
comb. for Ilannigan's sensed n ca
rouse toward. Then came the crash
of broken glass at the far end OF
the bnr counter: the cry of hurt
soul. strangled between hard-set
teeth: aud Tony Tafoyn stood bcfor"
the big cowman. his black, now blood
shot ewes blazing on II rosary. with
a tiny filieree star pendant from ITS
cross. that hung about Big Me
Knights tawny. open shiried throat.
Big Mcknight. still At pence with all
the world. put forth n great hand on
Tony's shoulder.
Drink, comradc." he urged, "ifs
on me-"
For answer Tony reached up and
tore at the rosary about the open
shirted throat. The tiny iiligree star
pendant. only. came away in his I'm
gers.
II was the slap in the face direct
the deadly. intentional insult between
fighters. Big Meningitis features
went a dusky flame. Hannigan's,
with the practice Of long experience
disappeared miraculously beneath TIA
bcs. or behind the bar counter.
Rig Mcknight loosened his grip
on Tony's shoulder-his hand started
like n forked bolt for his hip-then