Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1919-05-30

she told her mission. Her usual flu
ency dragged; she felt a lack of SYM
pathy. In short, she proposed COM
missary department, herself in charge.
'T'd like to feel I was of some use"
urged Gerty. "My heart is bound up
in this undertaking; if I'm allowed to
stay, I'd like to help along. This is
the only way l can, the woman's way"
aren't you taking a good deal on
yourself, Mrs. Hardin?''
Then she forgave his hesitation
quite. as it was OF her he was think
ing. "Not if it helps" Her voice was
low and soft, as if this were secret
between them.
"Why, of course, anything you want,
Mrs. Hardin And, remembering her
former position, he added, '"The camps
yours as much as mine"
A glad smile rewarded him. She
went out, reluctantly. There was a
new significance in MacLeans absence
from the ramada. What could that
woman have to say that MacLean
the weak tenure on her old lover came
to her. Not q sign had he yet given
Of their understanding, of the piquant
situation. Themselves old sweetheartS,
thrown together in this wilderness.
What had she built her hopes on? A
word here, q translated phrase, or
magnified glance. She would not har-
Dor the new worry. Why, it would be
all right In the meantime she would
show them all what woman with
executive ability could do.
"Sit down, sonora" said Richard to
the brown woman, MaldOnados wife.
'Don't be frightened. We won't let
him hurt you Richard vulgarized
his Castilian to the reach of her rude
dialect. Familiar as was Richard with
the poems speech in their own coun-
try, he could not keep UP With her
story. Lurid words ran past his ears.
Out of the tumble of abuse, of shame
and misery he caught new note.
s"You say Maldonado himself sells
liquor to the Inditns?"
"Ssh, senor" Someone might hear
him! She looked over a terrified
shoulder. That had slipped out, the
selling of the liquor. She could have
told her story without that; she want
ed to deny it. Relentlessly Richard
made her repeat it, acknowledging the
truth.
"What makes you tell me now?'
Richard hunted for the ulcer. He
knew there was a personal wrong.
.'What has Maldonado been doing to
you? Has he left yOu?"
The veil of fear was torn from her
eyes. The trembling woman was gone,
a vengeful wildcat in her place. cleft
me. Maldonado? Left his home,
where he traps the Indian with one
coin in his pockets? No, senior. He
brought her to our home, there; Lupe,
the wife of Felipe, the Deguino.
told him not to fool with Felipe; the
Indian was dangerous; ). he had hot
blood. Maldonado struck me-he
kicked me-he said I was Jealous
and hit me again.
"Maldonad0 told me to get big
meal. | told him that it was for Fe-
lipe. When I said I would not cook
for that treachery he cursed me, he
kicked me again." She threw off the
reboso, dragging her dress loose
Don't" froWned Rickard. He had
seen welt across her shoulder-a
screaming line of pain.
She wound the rebOso around the
1iSdonored shoulder. II cooked his
dinner! There was a lot of liquor
Felipe was drunk; the tequila made
him mad, quite mad. lie seemed to
know something was wrong; he fought
as Maldonado dragged him to the cell,
the senior remembers the cell? The
next day Maldonado sent for two ru-
rales. They started the next day for
EnsenaGa, taking Felipe; that day
Maldonado brought Lupe home. |
said she could not stay and he
laughed in my face, senior. He put
me outside the walls. I beat that
IN