The Arvada enterprise., 1917-09-27

1
ognize % old friends not only those
well-remembered landmarks but every
tree and boulder ON the way-ever
that slow-plodding ox-cart with. 1t,
heavy wooden wheels, primitively
spokeless, and its Mexican driver with
his goad trudging beside the yokcd
beasts, was like q brightly colored IL
Illustration from the Book Of Yester'
day.
"They, at least, don't change" she
said to Rodman. noddlng toward tht
cart with it, load Of straw.
"No," he agreed with q thoughtful
frown; "the only thing that resigns the
0reaser to the march Of civilization II
an opportunity to do murder with q
modern magazine rife or run guns and
ammunition across the border In q six
cylinder machine!"
"Where Ii the border-l mean, the
boundary llnef" Parr inquired.
"rll show you In q minute" PatrIs
answered.
And presently. as the car topped q
long. slow upgrade, gaining an emf
nence that overlooked much of that
rolling countryside. she pointed out d
bridge that spanned q gulley OF to the
right.
That's the boundary line" she said
shat arroyo; beyond the bridge IL
Mexico"
rs there much Of that sort of thing
going on hereabouts 1"-Parr turned
to Pillsbury-"gun running. mean?"
II hardly think 30. 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 Claiming ha.
clenda, q 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 slight and delicate
little woman who had for many years
been a second mother to Patrla, 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 leasti
Then there was Bess Morgan wait.
Ing to greet her-a tOw.headed little
imp ten years ago, today slender and
dignided young woman whose serene
pOlse did not In the least detract from
her ability to ride harder and faster
and shoot straighter than any man OF
woman within two days journey OF
the Claiming ranch.
Sister Of Bud Morgan, now foreman
Of the Claiming c0wpunchers-an up.
standing yOungster Of nve-and-twenty
-Bess lived with her mother and
brother some twenty miles from the
hacienda. She had ridden over to wei.
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.
celved 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 DoRoER.
While the hacienda slept In peace
TINT primitive Oxcart pursued lubOri
ously It's patient, creaking way across
the bridged arroyo and the desert
country beyond toward a far-dung line
Of mountains which doomed against
the horizon In serrated army like the
frozen profile Of stormy Sea.
Distancing the Oxcart as fast a,
willing hoofs could run. horsemnu
who. leaving the station almlessly
shortly after the departure Of Patria's
party for the hacienda. had spurred
his steed to Its swiftest pace AZ soOu
us he felt secure from observation. ar
rived In the enrly evening ut strng
Cling row Of adobe hutx which figured
~ the nearest Mexican village.
Twilight WAS still bright when hs
dropped from his tagged animal and
sought one of the dwellings which
wore slightly less unkempt appear
ance thnn It's fellows.
In the doorway ~ this hut, some
what contemptuouSly wltcl.ing the
cvolutions Of a squad Of listlcss Mexi
can infantry In the village plaxn. stoot
a gentleman In the Geld uniform OF
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
pronching horse an expectant eye.
"well. 0omcxf" he said In Spanish.
"Exccllency. I have to rcpQet tina,
the Charming s,rl. with Captain Par
and q small co,npaE, Of friends ar
rived from tho East this afternoon"
The Japanese nodded gently. Man,
thanks" he said In nn Indifferent
voice. "You will he duly rewarded fol
your vigilance. Good. night
As the Mexican disappeared In thu
unthapinR IN ~ nosa thu IusNm us,ss