The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-17
THE DESERTED WIFE
BY MABEL WREN.
(Copyright.)

(Copyright.)
The Great Chihuahua desert lay
white and calm in the moonlight; its
solitude broken only by the yelp Of
some prowling coyote. travelling late
and alone. Suddenly there appeared
in the distance a strange cavalcade.
Two Mexicans, and then two more.
marched with hurried step before a
cart in which a muffied bundle re-
posed. The procession stopped, and
hasty grave was dug. Then the ST.
lent bundle was lifted from the cart
and lowered into It,
Riding down a dry arroyo. at right
angles to the procession, was an
American. The clinching of his teeth
, and the nervous twitching Of his hands
betokened that all was not we'll with
him.
II hope to heaven" he muttered
tiercely, that another time I'll have
sense enough to stay within the bor-
! ders Of civilization. was plumb To-
! coed in those days-didnt have sense
! enough to tell right from left. Great
Scott! Any man who is content to
| throw away his chances in life as l
/ have ought to be shut up with the
| lunatics. Any man in his right mind
who will spend his life among the
greasers. coyotes and horned toads
is"
Words failed to convey the ire that
boiled within him.
! Unconsciously his hands clenched
until the nails sank deep into the
| flesh. Just then he noticed the pro-
cession, and dismounting, stood hidden
by some low mesquite. and watched the
proceedings.
, It was only some man from the
States who had been killed in q row
with the greasers. He, Chad Leeks.
had not been above such rows himself.
and the whole thing was as plain a.
day to him. 1t was a common hap.
peniRg in the country to which he
was tied. Twas probably over some
! woman.
Chad's mind worked quickly. He 81.
lently followed one of the men home,
swore at him In approved Mexican
style, and sent him up to the adobe
hut Of Chad Leeks to inform his wife
and child that he had been shot In a
dance row the night before at a Mexi.
can hacienda.
Meanwhile. the supposedly buried
Chad was speeding with all haste over
the border. It was . step that he
had been contemplating for some time;
E, the witnessing of the burial had mere
ly precipitated things.
Once across the line. he boarded an
east.bound train and rode until he
had reached his boyhood home.
His father welcomed with open arms
the prodigal son who had run away
from college. and asked him few I'M
necessary questions about his wander
ings.
elisabeth, let me present Mr.
Leeks. Chad is a very dear friend OF
mine. His mother and l were old
school chuLa."
Chads figure Strengthened and his
eyes lighted. A slim, cool hand rest
| ed on his for an instant. Mrs. Drew
hustled about and settled everybody
cozily at the card table-and then fate
seemed to settle things for him.
When he left, the night was full Of
laughing eyes, OF delicate, high-bred
faces. of friendly words. of dainty
hands that slipped softly into his own.
He turned abruptly from the city UNI
, til he felt the wet sand under his feet,
then he settled down into a swinging
stride that took him miles up the
beach. When he returned to his room,
he was so tired that he slept imme-
diately.
The next morning he was making
his way along, head down and hands
In his pockets, when a merry voice
greeted him:
Walk with me a moment, please.
Now listen, Elisabeth Barth is crazy
to go out on the bay in a rowboat.
Won't you take her out? I'm afraid
to trust ner with an ordinary lands
man. I'd trust you anywhere, you
know that. This afternoon at three,
! then. Thank you SO much. No. 1
can't talk any longer Good-by." And
Mrs. Drew was gone.
at three o'clock he steadied the bob
bling boat and held out his hand to
Elisabeth Barth. Those slim fingers
, again made him draw in his breath
sharply.
Are you afraid?" he asked, when
she was seated. We're going to
bob about considerably, but there's no
danger IL you like &C." He was leaning
! over the oarlock.
TheI they were quiet for q long
space of time. She watched the water.
while he watched the bright fuffs Of
sunny hair that blew distractingly
about her face
When he left her at Mrs. Drew's
door she had promised to ride with
him the next day. He had horse that
he wanted her to try. he said.
The days that followed we're happy