The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-08-24
PEPITA'S
METHOD
By ELINOR MARSH

Bob Henderson-Bob Is now ma
OF seventy-went out west TO NeN
Mexico when that region was occupies
by all sorts Of persons, from an illil
crate 'greaser" to a money MAXIM
merchant. Bob had been well brough
up and on coming of age inherite'
some means which he concluded b
invest In a new country.
He had not been In New Mexico quit
long enough to be keenly alive to III,
danger of offending any one of tn,
rough element inhabiting It when al
incident occurred which caused him I,
sforget caution. He was sitting In al
armchair on sidewalk In front OF I
hotel when a little Mexican girl ap
preached him, offering to sell hin
fruit. He bought couple of oranges
for which he paid quarter. declining
to accept the change Then the girl
went to a man standing near with her
wares. Instead Of buying of her he
gave her n cuff.
Henderson, who had grown to man.
hood with the idea that a man who
would tamely refrain from the protec-
ton of woman was not entitled to re-
spect, made a jump for the brute and
knocked him down. The man managed
to get his hand to his hip and drew his
revolver. but Bob was too quick for
him and, wrenching IL from him. turn
ed II against him.
There was some talk between the
two. A crowd collected, and the child
told the story of what had happened.
Then a citizen of the place who was
somewhat prominent said to the man
who had practiced the brutality:
Jim Cundiff, you get out O. this
town. We've had enough Of you here
and don't want any more. If you're
seen around here In two hours from
now you'll be brought before the com.
mittee to be tried for several affairs
that have been overlooked. If you trou-
BILE Mr.. Henderson you'll swing"
Cundiff understood this perfectly.
He dared not remain in the town, and
he dared not injure Henderson-thati is,
he dared not inJure Henderson openly.
He went away, but resolved upon do
LIS Lac thClhy IA a way thut NouAo
not render him liable to punishment.
A month passed, and the incident
was forgotten by all except Pepita, the
little Mexican girl whom Henderson
had championed. Now and again she
would approach him with an offer Of
some choice fruit, for which she would
not permit him to pay. Bob at first
rafn IN arfft httf fho
child's eyes filed with tears, and he
reconsidered his refusal.
One day Pepita while walking on the
street peddling fruit saw man ahead
of her whose walk was familiar to her
Surely no one but Jim Cundiff had
that walk. Hurrying on, she passed
the man. He wore white beard and
to casual observer was an old man.
Cundifr was young man. The little
girl was not deceived. The man was
Cundiff.
As he passed along the street no one I
recognized him. Pepita pretended not
to do so. She held her basket of fruit /
toward him. He looked down at her,
started at seeing her, but moved on
without a word. Then Pepita dropped
behind without intimating that she
even suspected his identity. But she
Swallowed him, for her little brain was
fine enough In texture to know that he
had come to town in disguise to get"
her champion. She was not long In de-
Gliding that she would continue to watch
him.
That day Henderson was away from
the town, having ridden to the county
seat to perfect the titles to some prop
erty he had purchased. He returned
at sunset and spent the evening with II
4 family from the east who had re- {
Gently located In the place. At III
o'clock he went to the little house Z
where he lived and to bed. At IL he i
was awakened by an exclamation with j
,ut, followed by string of oaths.
By this time he had learned that the
most important article to citizen of /
hat country was a revolver. Spring a
ng out of bed and catching up his a
Weapon from under his pillow, he open |
d the door. The moon was at the I
ull, and by its light lie saw a man f
to free his arms from some A
hing that pinioned them. :.
Drop him. cried a childs voice. h
nd Pepita, pulling on a rope, appear il
d some ten or twelve yards from the Il
nan. She had thrown a lariat over Il
i'm and had caught him about the d
ody, inclosing his arms. Henderson o.
Id not take in the full meaning of II
be situation but he realized enough ~
( 1t to run to the man, put the muzzle II
his revolver to his ear and call on IN
i'm to cease struggling. A man living t.
ext door to Henderson, hearing the 50
racas, appeared. and soon others came 10
, learn what was going on. Mean
lille a white beard had fallen of the :
aptive and displayed his features. z
"why. it's Jim Cundiff!" said one OF :
lie group. Z
The fate OF Cundiff when it was \
armed that he had returned to muir i
pr Henderson was not long in being I
>cided he was visited with the un.
hment that had been promised In !.
Use be attempted to harm Henderson. Z
As to the little Mexican girl who had :.
vented her own method of capturing
II champions would be murderer, she
as adopted by the town. But Hen =
,rson insisted on providing for her n,
mself he settled an annuity upon ~
r which enabled her parents TO send