The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1915-05-29

SOOC. SdtHeIlHS tue pieCiOuS lIdS-
ments in his handkerchief.
At the camp they crushed the
picked ore in mortar and PANIED it
in the creek, and for the moment De
Lancey dropped his air of preoccu-
pancy as he stared at the streak Of
pure gold. Like a yellow film it lay
along the edge of the last fine tailngs.
and when skilful washing had left it
bare, it cleaned like jewel in the
pan.
by Jove, BUD" he cried, that's the
real stuff-and it goes a dollar to the
pan easy!"
Sure thing" assented Bud. Lets
pound lot Of 1t and wash it as we go
then Wen have some getaway money
when things break loose here."
IN go you!" answered Phil, and
Buds heart warmed toward him as he
watched him pound up a piece of ore
ard 90 to swirling the dirt in the
pam
But alas for the fond hopes he cher
ished! Even as he washed out the
gold Pills mind wandered far away.
back to the hotel where Gracia Ara
gon sat watching by the window.
Her hair was the color Of gold, spun
fine and refined again; yes, it was
worth more than this golden dross
that he caught in the bottom Of his
pan. And What was gold If he could
not have her?
He paused in his labor and dreamy
smile parted his lips-then he broke
into q song:
Sweet honey bee. be sweet to me.
My heart is free. but here's the key;
Lock up the garden gate; honey. you
know I'll wait,
Under the rambler rose tree-ee.
Once more he returned to his work,
humming now the dulcet strains OF
The Merry Widow" and when Bud
came back from the cut it was to hear
a coon song:
Cos want yer me honey. yes. I want
yer. want yer;
Cos I want yer. ma honey. yes I do!
So he labored and sang, until finally
the labor ceased, and then the song.
He went about other things, and other
thoughts, not so cheerful, filled his
mind.
Bud returned sadly to- the company
of the YaQui and gave it up. Perhaps
his pardner had been right when, rid
ing out Of Aqua Negra, he had en-
larged upon the dangers Of Old Mex
leo, the land of manana and broken
promises" Certainly his speech had
been prophetic in regard to darkeyed
women; for. even as he had said,
nothing seemed to please them better
than to come between man and man.
1t was a madness, he felt sure-the
spell Of the hot country, where the
women look out from behind barred
windows and men sing beneath their
balconies at midnight Already it had
cost him his pardner-would 1t con-
quer his will as we'll and make him
forget his trust?
In his impotence the idea Of some
perverse fate-some malign influence
over which he had no contDol-was
strong with Hooker; yet when the
blow fell he was not prepared for 1t.
1t was the third day Of their mining
and, with Amigo, he had been driving
into the face of the cliff.
Already their round of holes was
drilled, the fuses cut, the charges set,
and as he retreated before the blast
he noticed absently that Cruz Mendez
was in camp. The shots followed. one
after another. and he counted them to
make sure there was no miss-fre-
then he looked around and discovered
that Phil was gone.
Where is Don Felipe" he inquired
of Mendez, and that low-browed broth
er OF the burro bowed fawningly be-
fore he replied.
HE has gone to Fortuna" he said.
wiping his face with bath towel
which he wore about his neck.
"And what for" demanded Bud I'm
peratively,
II don't know. senior" writhed Men.
dez. Il brought him letter."
Prom whom?"
Il don't know. It was given to me
by Juana, the servant Of the Senorita
Aragon."
"Ah!" breathed Bud, and pretended
not to be surprised.
We'll, let i'm go!" he said to him
self, and went back into the mine. It
was what he had expected. in a way.
and his code babe him keep his hands
off. But the next morning, when the
evil was either avoided or done, he
thrust his rifle into its sling and start
ed for the town. At the Jail he halted
and gazed in through the windows
then he rode up to the hotel and asked
for Phil.
"XThaf7 Have YOU not heard 2"