Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-29
The Daily Story
Copyrighted. 1914. BY Associated Literary Bureau.
Rosa Puente-By e. A. Mitchell

" -H"oeho tne c0ndlfi6,s
rapidly changed. The goyerpo, En- ~
got all the arms there were in ss,..,,'
then proceeded to take all the me-
Burch was not pleased with this co.
ton of things and decided tina, 80
all. he would not care TO fnvs.. -
money in Mexico. Such being fbs -.
there was but one thing for him "a :.
go somewhere else. This was : -
easy mental process for him. thar. =
ing nothing to regret In leaving uo,.
co, not even Rosa Puente, for th-r.
or four months association with -.
who lived In a mud edifice Ia nsr.s.
quite enough for a man born win
silver spoon in his mouth somab,-
it did not occur to Burch thar tbe-.
would be any objection on Rosa,s a..
to part with him. He had never -.
any member of her family, though =.
had told him she had a father. a npo,.,
er and some small brothers and sIs.e-,
She said that her father was ava,
from home a good deal OF the Tim.
When he returned he had plenty 4,
money, q part of which be spen. !,
buying what the family needed and
the rest in the national drink. pulops
When it was all gone he returned I,
follow the same course as before
But Burch was not interested in IN.
Puente family, for he had not followed
the ordinary process Of counting IN
vogue in the country and had nads
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 10000 that be had
brought there to invest in a coffee
plantation as soon as he had Learned
how to manage one.
He turned his money into American
banknotes and distributed them In dif.
ferent parts of his clothing. Then when
he was ready to start for Vera Cruz
proposing to make the journey %
horseback, he sent Rosa word by
messenger he had used before to NEE.
him at their usual trysting place i.
When they met Burch was on horse
back ready for his departure for Texss
Dismounting, he took Rosa In bis
arms. kissed her and told her that be
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
his money in the bank In Galveston;
then he would come back to her-thai
is. If 1t were possible TO get through.
Rosa received the announcement with
her head on Burch's breast. so that be
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 q
safe place. If you will wait till can
get a horse I will go part way with
you.'
There was a peculiar expression on
her face when she said this that he did
not quite like. However, he expressed
pleasure at having her with him, and
she went to get horse. She came back
presently with one she had borrowed
from a neighbor, and the two started
Rosa said very little. which Burcn
attributed to her reluctance
to part with him. He thought it best 10
talk about what he would do when De
returned. but this did not move her
q more pleasurable feeling. When the!
came to where the road forked she III
sisted that the one on the left was the
shortest route to Burch's DESTINATION
Laredo. He knew better, but allowed
himself to be persuaded to go her way.
When they had been on the road cou
pie of hours he suggested that she tnrn
back, since she had far to go ana wou'u
be tired. But she said she would 90
little farther.
In passing over a declivity they look'
ed down on a small clump OF ueeS'
and he saw group OF horsemen
Burch paled He knew that ne pau
net with a force of rebels OF bandils'
ne suspected the latter. A man sans
tut from below for them to advance
They did so, and the men in the Gang
,poke to Rosa Familiarity. as II tne
Knew her. A man approached, ana sns
.alled him Padre" Then she tod n.n
in Spanish which bnrch ui'
lot understand.
Turning to Burch. he said. "Mone,
which was the only English woro =,
Knew. Burch saw at once that ne nas
been led into a trap by the glri "n0-
he had considered a plaything.
Half an hour later the American. =
he request of Rosa Puente. was Pc
nitted to resume his journey, but wa"
ut his $4,000 and without the girH
"Goodby. senor." she said. Il tnouss
hat your money would be safer VIZ
ny father than in the bank at cav
on. You needn't trouble yoursen -
ONE back on my account. for l wos's
ot think of mating with 'grinso-
She said this in mixture OF span'ss
nd English. the latter having u
licked up in the love passages tnal Ia
between her and the Ane'