The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-07-05
LittleFruit
Seller

By r. A. mitchell II
moon Leonard Hartman, a
who bad gone to Mexico to
osifion IS station agent on
was In bis ticket and tele-
when he saw Q little Mexi-
the platform outside SELL
persons waiting for trains.
might have been fifteen.
be short dress she wore she
a child Among others she
q man who.- Judged by the
b In his hand. was q driver
He was talking to another
when the girl nudged him
Us attention he looked down
a scowI. then gave her a
Is whip.
was q strapping fellow,
hitting his way wherever 1t
<essary and with enough hui
him to feel enraged at SO
b act. He jumped through
indow beside him and, TAX
mister by the collar of his
one hand, gave him a cuff
her. The man put his hand
drew a revolver and fred
IN. but the latter grasped
b in time to turn the shot.
It from the man and threw
tanee, Then he pummeled
Try with his fist till he cried
BY this time others inter
the two were separated.
ster picked up his revolver
zip and went away. mutter.
when he had rearranged
red apparel returned 10 his
81 first thing that attracted
on was the little Mexican
ing ON the platform before
" holding out an orange to
ing some coppers from his
%, he handed them to her
The orange, but she refused
be fruit. II was only an
! It was a token Of her graft
defender.
very good" she said, ex-
potion with her fringed eyes.
an the other fellow IL very
eplied- whats your name.
eplta, IL he troubles you
on me-"
very brave. but to be-brave
eh q man will do no good:
b you In the back
ou worry. little girl" he re-
That kind Of a man is a
ID I'm not afraid Of a cow
""
val was lost on Pepita. She
BE- more and showed no con-
rom that time the teamster
8 out or her sight when he
hing Hartman. She went
pg fruit as usual, but In her
something besides oranges
Is; a bag IN which some liv-
re was evidently confined,
was a constant wriggiing
Us after the fracas between
and the teamster Pepita
wing the latter toward the
ne man lounged along with
vident purpose, but he did
3 Pepita. She fitted after
slipping behind q bush. a
object of concealment.
man stepped up on to the
matching her bag from the
rs made a dash for him, on
hat he might not hear her
I'd caught him just as he
- window Of Hardman's Of
5 she shook the bag bottom
ending a tarantula on the
IS enemy's neck The villain
en and. dropping a revolver
IN his hand, grabbed the
Sung 1t away AZpm him
b Pepita had darted back
zorner Of the station. where
% Of sight. Hartman hear.
n looked out through the
time to see the teamster
retreat. He recognized the
Tho had maltreated Pepita.
norant Of the cause Of his
ing both hands to the back
Presently Hardman saw
king away with her basket
as carelessly as II she had
II view but the sale OF her
called her to the window
her II she knew what was
with the teamster. For &
ointed to where the taran.
awling about.
Inquired Hartman.
e come to kill you. l fol.
Just before be come to the
put the tarantula on his
looked grave. He had es.
shot through the window
Tense as this little Mexican
apable Of. II was not Z
bod. but It had snficed. A
had sent a strong man
ing and saved the life Of
png man whom be had In
IN. This was too much fOI
eQuipoise Of feeling. IL
through the window, tool
BIS arms and drew her closs
was twenty-aeFen year.
ita was fourteen. Had b
stranger to MEXICO b
realized that 4 girl OF thir