Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-05-30
PAGE SEVEN

to La Joya was long he had summoned
them early.
"Be carefulw Rosa implored him. n
shall die Of suspense"
ut is for you to be CAREFUL" he
laughed. keep a good watch, and
conceal yourself at the first alarm.
However, I think we have taught these
bandits a lesson. AS for Cueto, he
would run to the jungle if he say us,
He has the heart of a mouse" He
kissed his sister affectionately and
then rode off at the head of his tat
tered band.
Rosa waved him a last farewell as
he disappeared into the woods, then, to
occupy herself, she helped Evangelina
with what little housework there was
to do, later going With her to the gar
den patch where the vian1as grew.
Evangelina's early devotion to her
mistress had not diminished with time;
if anything, it had deepened. When
emancipation came she would have re-
turned to the service Of her beloved
twins had it not been for Donna Isa7
bel's refusal to accept her. AS it was,
she and Asensio had married, and by
means Of Rosa's surreptitious help
they had managed to buy this little
piece of land. Rosa had practiced self
denial to make the purchase possible
and her self-sacrifice had borne fruit!
that act Of childish beneficence had
created a refuge for Esteban and her.
self and had ripened the negro wom-
ans affection into idolatry.
Evangelina's joy at having the girl
to herself, where she could daily see
her, touch her, serve her, was tenn
pered only by the knowledge of Rosa's
unhappiness. She scolded and tyran-
nized, she mothered and adored tho
girl to her hearts content; she
watched over her like a hawk; she
deemed no labor in her service too X
acting. 1t would have gone i'll with
anyone who offered harm to Rosa, for
Evangelina was strong and capable;
she had the arms and the hands of
a man, and she possessed the smolder-
ing black temper of Sebastian, her
father.
Even in peaceful times few people
ClulC W Ills S1Sdl lllS III Nv NOoOoS
) far off from the main-traveled roads
of the Yumuri, and the day, as usual,
passed uneventfuliy. Evangelina
worked, with one eye upon her Rosa,
the other %watchfully alert for dam
ger. When evening came she pre-
pared their scanty meal, upbraiding
Rosa, meanwhile, for her attempts
+o .c;1t how. Tho, thny cot for an
hour or two on the bench outside the
door, talking about Juan OTail-ye
and the probable hour of his coming.
When Rosa fretted about her broth
e., the negress treasured her. Don't
> De frightened, little dove; he has the
makings of a great soldier. Now
:. then. it is growing cool and the night
, carries fevers. Creep into your bed
and dream about that handsome lover
Of yours"
Rosa obeyed, although reluctantly.
, "Ill sleep for a WHILE" she compro-
p my turn"
! Dawn was still a long way off
when, true to her promise, Rosa
emerged from the hut with an apol-
ogy for having slept so long. Evan
gelina protested, though her eyes
j, were heavy and she had been yawn-
ing ~prodigiously for hours. But for
once the girl was firm. Having IL
nally prevailed in her determinations
j, she seated herself in the warm place
Evangelina had vacated, and, curling
!, her small feet under her, she settled
herself, chin in hand, to think Of
O'Reilly. 1t vas a good time to think.
for the jungle was very still and the
night like a velvet curtain.
X y
: eve had better leave the horses
here" Pancho Cueto hesitatingly adj
= dressed the dim blur which he knew
= to be Colonel Cobo. The colonel Of
volunteers was in a vile temper, what
with the long night ride and an error
of Cueto's which had considerably
heightened the journey.
- "Where is the house?" growled the
. officer.
), "Not far. But the path is rocky
and the horses feet"
Eyes, yes!" There was a creak of
: saddle feathers and a groan as the
colonel ~dismounted. "Now, my good
Cueto," he threatened. another of
your mistakes and I'll give you some
thing to remember me by"
A curt order brought his men out
q of their saddles. One of their mum.
Der was detailed to guard the ami
I mails, while the rest fell in behind
!, Cueto and followed him up the trail
by the starglow.