Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1923-09-26

| saw Gene so broken-hearted Well
aIter ne sloped for the border Bonita
an were hard put TO it to keep alive.
buC we got along, an | think il was
then she began to care a little for me
once went to Ell Cajon an run nlumb
Iiito gene. He was back from the rev.
olutlon an cuttin' up some. But / got
away from him after doin' all I could
10 ofag him out of town. A long time
aIter that Gene trailed up to the crags
an round US. Gene had stopped drink
In, he'd changed wonderful. was fine
an dandy. 1t was then he began to
poster the life out of me to make mo
marry Bonita. was happy, so was
she, an l was some scared of spofIin'
IL. Genes dog-gone hard to buck
against! [ had to give in, an asked
Bonita to marry me. Well. she wouldn't
at nrst-said she wasn't good enough
Tor me. But saw the marriage idea
was workin' deep, an just kept on be-
In as decent as I knew how. So II
was my wantin' to marry Bonita-my
oeln' glad to marry her-that made
her grow soft an sweet an pretty as
as mountain quail. Gene fetched I'D
Padre Marcos, an he married u.s."
Danny paused in his narrative
breathing hard, as df the memory Of
the incident described had stirred
strong and thrilling feeling in him.
St1llwells smile was rapturous. Made
line leaned toward Danny with her eyes
shining
Miss Hammond, an you, Bill Still
well, now listen, for this is strange
I've got to tell you. The afternoon
| Bonita an | were married when Gene
an the padre had gone, she left me
for little, an when she came back
she wore some pretty yellow flowers
In her hair. She said some queer
things about spirits rollin' rocks down
the canyon. Then she said she wanted
| to show me where she always sat an
waited an watched for me when I was
away. She led me around under the
crags to a long slope. 1t was some
pretty there-clear an open, with a
long sweep, an the desert yawnin'
deep an red. There were yellow flow
ers on that slope, the same kind she
had in her hair
"When l heard the strange crack of
rollin' rocks-heard them rattle down
an roll an grow faint was some
out of my head But not for long. Them
! rocks were rollin' all right only it was
! the weatnerin' Of the cliffs.
"An' there under the crags was q
gold pocket.
"Then I was worse than locoed I
went gold>crazy. I worked like seven
teen burros. Bill, I dug a lot of gold
bearin' quartz. Bonita watched the
trails for me, brought me water. That
was how she come to get caught by
Pat Have an his guerrillas. Sure!
Pat Have was so set on dom Gene
dirt that he mixed up with Don Carlos
Bonita will tell you some staggerin'
news about that outfit. Just now my
story is all gold"
Danny Mains got up and kicked back
his chair. Blue lightning cleaned
from his eyes as he thrust a hand
toward Stillwell.
"Bill, old pal, put her there-give me
your hand" he said. "You were always
my friend. You had faith in me. Well,
Danny Mains owes you, an he owes
Gene Stewart a good deal, an Danny
Mains pays. l want two pardners to
help me work my gold mine. You an
Gene. Go fetch him; an right here in
this house, with my wife an Miss
Hammond as witnesses, We'll draw up
a partnership. Go find him, Bill. l
want to show him this gold, show him
how Danny Mains pays! An the only
bitter drop in my cup today is that l
can't ever pay Monty Price"
Madeline watched the huge Sti1lwell
and the little cowboy, both talking
wildly, as they walked off arm in arm
to find Stewart She imagined some.
thing of what Danny's disappointment
would be of the elder mans conster-
nation and grief, when he learned
Stewart had left for the border. At
this iuncture she looked up to see
strange, yet familiar figure approach
ing. Padre Marcos
Mention of Padre Marcos, sight of
him, had always occasioned Madeline
a little indefinable shock; and now, as
he stepped to the porch, ShrunKen,
stooped. and sad-faced man, she was
startled
The padre bowed low to her.
"Senora, will you grant me audi
ence? 1t is a matter of great moment,
which you might not care to have any
one hear"
Wonderingly Madeline inclined her
head. The padre gently closed one
door and then the others.
"Senora, have come to disclose a
secret-my own sinfulness in keeping
it-and to implore your pardon. Do
YOU remember that night Senior Stew
art dragged me before you in the
waiting-room at Ell Cajon"
"Yes," replied Madeline.
"Senora, since that night you have
been Senior Stewards wife"
Madeline became as motionless as
| stone She seemed to feel nothing,