The Washington herald., 1920-11-28

NS~f SAo " oAhCu dpOuI ItSIs
looking and listening. Soon he said
ne must leave before daylight
when 1t is dark and stillest. And
then he seemed to suspect that 1 be
not true to him. He looked at me
SO strange that I am frightened. /
swear TO him that ] love him. his
own Tonia.
Last Of all he said I must prove
to him am true. He thinks that
even now men are waiting to kill
him as he rides from my house. To
escape he says he will dress in my
clothes, my red skirt and the blue
waist I wear and the brown man.
tilla over the head. and thus ride
away. But before that he says that
l must put on his clothes, his panta-
lones and camisa and hat, and ride
away on his horse from the jacal
as far as the big road beyond the
crossing and back again. This be-
fore he goes, so he can tell IL I am
true and IL men are hidden to shoot
him 1t is a terrible thing. An
hour before daybreak this is to be.
Come, my dear one, and kill this
man and sake me for your Tonia.
Do not try to take hold of him alive,
but kill him quickly. Knowing all,
you should do that. You must come
long before the time and hide
yourself in the little shed near the
1acal where the wagon and saddles
are kept. 1t is dark in there. He
will wear my red skirt and blue
waist and brown mantilla. 1 send
you a hundred kisses. Come surely
and shoot quickly and straight.
THINE OWN TONIA.
Sandridge quickly explained 10
his men the official part of the mis-
sive. The rangers protested against
his going alone.
It'll get him easy enough" said
the lieutenant. The girls got him
trapped. And don't even think he'll
get the drop on me-"
Sandridge saddled his horse ano
rode to the Lone Wolf Crossing. He
tied his big dun in a clump of brush
on the arroyo, took his Winchester
from his scabbard, and carefully
approached the Perez jacal. There
was only the half of a high moon
drifted over by ragged, milk-whfte
gulf clouds.
The wagon-shed was an excellent
place for ambush; and the ranger
got inside it safely. In the black
shadow of the brush shelter in front
of the tacal he could see a horse
tied and hear him impatiently paw
ing the hard-trodden earth.
He waited almost an hour before
two figures came out of the jacal.
One. in mans clothes. quickly
mounted the horse and galloped
past the wagon-shed toward the
crossing and village. And then the
other figure. in skirt, waist, ano
mantilla over its head. stepped out
into the faint moonlight, gazing
after the rider. Sandridge thought
he would take his chance then be-
fore Tonia rode back. He fancied
she might not care to see Ii.
Throw up your hands," he Or
dered loudly. stepping out of the
wagon-shed with his Winchester at
his shoulder.
There was a quick turn of the
hgure, but no movement to obey, so
the ranger pumped in the bullets
one-two-three-and then twice
more; for you never could be too
sure of bringing down the Cisco
Kid. There was no danger of miss
ing at ten PAGES, even in that half
moonlight.
The old ancestor, asleep on his
blanket, was awakened by the shots.
Listening further, he heard q great
cry from some man in mortal dis
tress or anguish, and rose UP grum-
bling at the disturbing ways of
moderns.
The tall, red ghost of a man burst
into the 5aca1 reaching one hand,
shaking like a tule reed, for the
lantern hanging on its nail. The
other spread letter to the table.
: Look at this letter, Perez" cried
the man. who wrote itY'
"Ah, Dios! 1t Is Senior Sandridge,v -
mumbled the old man. approaching.
"Pues, senior, that letter was writ
ten by Eel chivato. as he is called
by the man Of Tonia. They say he
is a bad man; do not know. While
Tonia slept he wrote the letter and
sent it by this old hand Of mine to
Domingo Sales, to be brought to you.
Is there anything wrong in the
letter? am very old. and / did
not know. valgame Dios! 1t is a
very foolish world; and there is
nothing in the house to drink
nothing to drink" 49,
Just then all that Sandridge could
think OF to do was to go outside
and throw himself face downward
in the dust by the side of his hum
ming-bird. of whom not feather
futtered He was not a cabailero
by instinct, and he could not UNDER
stand, the niceties of revenge.
"A mile away the rider who had
ridden past the wagon-shed struck
up harsh, untuneful song, the
words of which began:
Don't you monkey with my Lulu
girl.
Or I'll tell you-what I'll do