The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1916-06-21
The Little Fruit
Seller
A Story Of a Mexican Girl
By p. A. mitchell

OhC uAbChhOOu lgtOfdTu
young man who had gone to Mexico 10
assume a position as station agent ON
q railroad, was In his ticket and tele-
graph Office when he saw little Mexi-
can girl on the platform outside sell
ing fruit to persons waiting for trains.
The girl might have been fifteen,
though in the short dress she wore she
looked like a child. Among others she
approached a man who, judged by the
leather whip in his hand, was a driver
Of team. He was talking to another
man, and when the girl nudged him
to attract his attention he looked down
at her with scowl, then gave her a
cut with his whip.
Hardman was a strapping fellow,
used to fighting his way wherever II
became necessary and with enough hui
mainly in him to feel enraged at so
inhuman an act. He jumped through
the open window beside him and, tax
lug the teamster by the collar Of his
shirt with one hand, gave him a cuff
with the other. The man put his hand
to his hip, drew a revolver and fired
at Hartman, but the latter grasped
the weapon in time to turn the shot.
wrenched it from the man and threw
it to a distance. Then he pummeled
his adversary with his fist till he cried
for quarter BY this time others inter
fered, and the two were separated.
The teamster picked up his revolver
and his whip and went away, mutter-
ing.
Hardman when he had rearranged
his disordered apparel returned to his
Office The first thing that attracted
his attention was the little Mexican
girl standing on the platform before
his window holding out an orange to
him. Taking some coppers from his
vest pocket, he handed them to her
and took the orange, but she refused
pay for the fruit. 1t was only an
orange, but it was token of her graft
Sde to her defender.
"Senor is very good" she said, ex-
pressing emotion with her fringed eyes.
bad" he replied. whats your name,
little oneT'
"Pepita."
well. Pepita, If he troubles you
again call on me-"
"Senor is very brave, but to be brave
against such a man will do no good:
he will stab you in the back"
Don't you worry, little GIRL" he re-
turned. "That kind of a man is a
coward, and I'm not afraid of a cow
ard any day."
The avowal was lost on Pepita. She
said nothing more and showed no con-
Germ, but from that time the teamster
was seldom out of her sight when he
was watching Hartman. She went
about selling fruit as usual. but in her
basket was something besides oranges
and bananas; a bag in which some liv-
ing creature was evidently confined,
for there was a constant wriggling
within.
A few days after the fracas between
Hardman and the teamster Pepita
was following the latter toward the
station. The man lounged along with
out any evident purpose. but he did
not deceive Pepita. She fitted after
him. now slipping behind bush. a
fence-any object Of cOncealment
When the man stepped up on to the
platform, snatching her bag from the
basket she made a dash for him, on
tiptoe so that he might not hear her
coming. and caught him just as he
reached the window Of Hardman's Of
fee. There she shook the bag bottom
side up. landing a tarantula on the
back Of the enemy's neck. The villain
uttered yell and, dropping revolver
he carried in his hand, grabbed the
viper and flung 1t away from him.
Meanwhile Pepita had darted back
behind a corner of the station, where
she was out of sight. Hartman hear
ing the yell looked out through the
window in time to see the teamster
beating a retreat. He recognized the
teamster who had maltreated Pepita.
but was ignorant Of the cause Of his
6ight, holding both hands to the back
of his neck. Presently Hardman saw
Pepita walking away with her basket
on her arm as carelessly as II she had
no object In view but the sale Of her
fruit. He called her to the window
and asked her II she knew what was
the matter with the teamster. For a
reply she pointed to where the taran-
tula was crawling about.
"Well?" inquired Hartman.
'Senor. he come to kill you. I fol-
low him. Just before he come to the
window / put the tarantula on his
neck"
Hartman looked grave. He had es-
capped being shot through the window
by such defense as this little Mexican
girl was capable of. 1t was not a
mans method. but 1t had sutficed. A
mere child had sent strong man
away bowling and saved the life Of
another strong man whom he had in
tended to kill. This was too much for
Hardman's equipoise Of feeling. He
reached out through the window, took
the girl I'm his arms and drew her close