The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1915-07-10

sue Ndo say IilS
Il reckon I don't understand what
you're driving at" he said at last
Wish you'd eat something-you'll feel
better"
NO. | won't eat!" she declared sit
ting up and frowning. Mr.. Hooker
she went on very mi5erably, what did
you mean this morning when YOU
laughed. l said | hated poor Manuel
and you said-well, what you did
and you laughed, Did you thnk-oh,
you couldn't have-that l really want
ed him killed."
wy. sure not" cried Hooker
heartily Il knowed you was fooling'
Didn't l laugh at you? Say, what kind
of a Teller do you think am, anyway :?
Dye think I'd get an Indian to do my
k:lling?"
"Oh, then didn't your" she cried,
suddenly Frightening up. You know,
you talk SO rough sometimes-and l
never do know what you mean. You
said you guessed you'd have to kill
him for me, you know, and-oh, 1t was
too awful! l must be getting foolish,
I'm so tired out, but-what did you
tell that Indian?"
Bud glanced at her sharply for a
moment and then decided to humor
her. Perhaps. If he could get her
quieted. she would stop talking and
begin to eat.
He asked me who was after us, he
said. land | told him it was Del Rey.
"Yes, and what did he say then?'
HE didn't say nothing-jest lined
out for the pass"
And didn't you say you wanted
him-killed?"
mo-" burst out Bud. half angrily
Haven't l told you once? l did not!
That Indian had reasons of his own,
believe inches got scar along his
ribs where Del Rey shot him with a
six-shooter! And, furthermore, he
added, as her face cleared at this ex-
PLANTATION Of the mystery, you'd better
| try to take me at my word for the rest
of this trip! Looks to me like you've
been associating with these Mexicans
too much!"
"Why. what do you mean?" she de
manded CURLY.
Il mean this" answered Hooker, "be
ing as we're on the subject again
Ever since I've knowed you you've
been talking about brave men anC
all that; and more'n once you've hintet
that wasn't brave because l wouldn'
fight.
I'D just like to tell you, to pu
your mind at rest, that my father wal
a sergeant in the Texas rangers and NJ
hundred Mexicans was ever able tt
make him crawl He served for tel
years on the Texas border and neve
a Mex l was brought up by him t.
be peaceable and quiet, but don't you
never think, because | run away from
Manuel del Rey, that was afraid t.
face him"
He paused and regarded her intent
ly, and her eyes fell before his.
You must excuse me-" she sale
looking wistfully away, Il did not
did not understand. And SO the poo
Yaqui was only avenging an injury ?
she went on, reaching out one slende
hand toward the food. "Ah. can III
derstand it now-he looked SO savag
and fierce. But"-she paused agaiI
set back by a sudden thought-"didn
you know he would kill him."
Yes, maam," answered HOoke
quietly, Il did,"
"Then-then why didn't YOU"
That was between them two" h
replied doggedly. Del Rey shot hill
once when he was wounded and LEI
him for dead He must have kille
some Of his people, too; his wife mel
be, for all l know. He never woul
talk about 1t, but he come back to &c
, his revenge. l don't shoot no ma
, from cover myself. but that amt 1T
1t was between them two"
r And your" she suggested. III 20
had fought Del Rey?"
II would have met him in the open
l said Hooker
, And yet"
( Il didn't want to-" he ended bluntl
, Didn't want to fight him and didn
! want to kill him. Had no call to. An
, then-well, there was YOU"
r "Ah!" she breathed. and a flus
mounted her pale cheeks. She smile
: as she reached out once more for tn
/ food and Hooker resolved to do h
| best at gallantry, it seemed to max
l her so happy.
so you were thinking Of me-" st
. challenged sweetly, all the while?
;, thought perhaps l was nuisance an
in the way. thought perhaps you dl
2 not like me because-well, becaus