Gilpin observer., 1917-11-01

0NoAAy ~ AAOAACs 6AC oCCAASO " ACS-
ognize as old friends not only those
well-remembered landmarks but every
tree and boulder on the way-even
that slow-plodding ox-cart with Its
heavy wooden wheels, primitively
spokeless, and its Mexican driver with
his goad trudging beside the yoked
beasts, was like brightly colored IL
lustratiOn from the Book Of Yester-
day.
"They, at least, don't change" she
said to Rodman, nodding toward the
cart with its load Of straw.
"No," he agreed with a thoughtful
frown; "the only thing that resigns the
Greaser to the march of civilization is
an opportunity to do murder with a
modern magazine rifle or run guns and
ammunition across the border in a six
cylinder machine!"
"Where Is the border-I mean, the
boundary nne?" Parr inquired.
"Tll show you in a minute" Patria
answered.
And presently, as the car topped a
long, slow upgrade, gaining an emf
nence that overlooked much of that
rolling countryside, she pointed out a
bridge that spanned a gulley off to the
right.
"That's the boundary line" she said |;
"that arroyo; beyond the bridge is
Mexico"
'Is there much of that sort of thing
going on hereabouts ?"-Parr turned
to Pillsbury-"gun running, mean?"
II hardly think so. Things have
been very quiet in this neck Of the
woods. It's to the southeast, along the
Rio Grande. that the most of the trou-
BILE has occurred. to date.
Three miles beyond the point where
the road forked, one arm running down
to the bridge at the border, the car
drew up in front of the Charming ha-
cienda, century-old structure built
upon rambling lines of Spanish archi-
lecture.
With cry of delight Patria felt her.
self folded in the aged arms Of Rod
mans mother-a slight and delicate
little woman who had for many years
been a second mother to .Patria, the or
phaned, only when the little girl went
East to complete her education Yield
Ing place to Mrs. Wrenn in Patria's af-
fections.
And Mrs. Pillsbury proved not to
have changed In the least!
Then there was Bess Morgan wait
Ing to greet her-a tOw-headed little
imp ten years ago, today a slender and
dignified young woman whose serene
poise did not in the least detract from
her ability to ride harder, and faster
and shoot straighter than any man or
woman within two days journey of
the Claiming ranch.
Sister of Bud Morgan, now foreman
Of the Claiming cowpunchers-an up
standing youngster of five-and-twenty
-Bess lived with her mother and
brother some twenty miles from the
hacienda. She had ridden over to well
come an old rival for the affections of
Rodman Pillsbury.
Their ancient enmity thawed to the
warmth of spontaneous kiss; and the
relief, imperceptible to any but an
other woman, with which Bess re-
ceived the news of Patria's betrothal
to Donald, provided even more COM
forting reinsurance to Patria In re-
spect to the affections of Rodman.
ACROSS THE BORDER.
While the hacienda slept in peace,
that primitive oxcart pursued labori-
ously its patient, creaking way across
the bridged arroyo and the desert
country beyond toward far-fiung line
of mountains which loomed against
the horizon in serrated array like the
frozen profile Of stormy sea.
Distanclng the oxcart as fast as
willing hoofs could run, horsemau
who, leaving the station aimlessly
shortly after the departure Of Patria's
party for the hacienda, had spurred
his steed to its swiftest pace as soor
as he felt secure from observation, ar
rived in the early evening ut strag
Cling row Of adobe huts which figured
as the nearest Mexican village.
Twilight was still bright when III
dropped from his tagged animal ant
sought one of the dwellings which
wore slightly less unkempt appear
ance than Its fellows.
In the doorway OF this hut, some
what contemptuously watching tn,
evolutions Of n squad of listless Mexi
can infantry In the village plaza, stool
a gentleman in the field uniform o
an officer Of the Japanese army.
Hearing the thud of hurried foot
steps In the deep dust Of the street
the Japanese turned toward the ap
proaching horse an expectant eye.
"Well, Gomezr he said in Spanish.
"Excellency, 1 have to report tina
the Charming girl, With Captain Par
and a small company Of friends M
rived from the East this afternoon"
The Japanese nodded gently. Man
thanks" he said in an indifferen