San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-08
BY GERALD BEAUMONT
Illustrated by Hubert Matthew

be put protecting arm around thu
Border Nightingale and steadied him|
self. In front of them stood Senor|
Tostado, holding in his fat hands al
blue hair ribbon, and two notes thai
had been taken from the captives
pocket. The senor's dark eyes were|
ringed with red. 4 cockatoo does nod
like to have his crest sheared away
80" he Kissed, it is the gringo tina
l already save from being shot, Wild
would interfere some more, eh? And
you. senorita-you theenk that l an
old and ugly and such a monstair, ELI
You try to make the fool of Don .Tos|
ta5o-no? 1 show you a leetle yJoEeI
too! With your backs against tn
wall-both! Vamos!"
Johnny Powell's head cleared in|
stantly; but his face went linen white
"Hold on" he pleaded. "She's no
in on this. Smear me all over thu |
place if you want. But you let thid
little girl go. You're a good fellow
hombre-you're a big sport, see? You
wouldn't shoot a baby just because
she did a little kiddin'. She didn'
mean"
Dolores put small hand over his
mouth: Her eyes were lit with the
flame of Joan of Arc.
FLUSH, beloved! Did l not tell thed
there was poison in my bosom. Quer
lido. we die together; otherwise We
but die apart"
She turned to Tostado. "Senor, ma!
l but have the ribbon that is so blue
You will not refuse last request.
what / care?' roared the senior
"Ho-ho-let your lover tie the ribbon
in your hair, and then say goodb.
with one lettle kees-so Two min
ute, ring down the curtain.-Ami
Cos, to your guns"
The little Border Nightingale turned
to Johnny Powell. Her hands pressed
into his the satin symbol of thei
fragile romance. They are brave LITTLE
creatures, these Mexacana moths!
Look you" she instructed, "wher,
the braid begins, John-nay milo Civ,
no thought to him. = We are mar
ried, and all is well. With your righ
hand, so-and then the clasp under
and back. " = There is a catch, be |
loved-often have l dreamed of the
All, bravo. Thou art adnira
BILE! And now tell me, do you love
or no?'
She twisted in his arms, just a.
though, they had been alone, an(
death was not Il matter of seconds.
"GirlAoh. girl" said Johnny Pow
ell, you're Drawer than l am, and
love you.'
He folded her a little closer, ana
drew back against the wall. A mo
ment he steeled himself, and ther
looked at Don Tostado.
shoot"
Dolores hid her face against hi;
coat johnny Powell's lips caressed
her hair What lovers. What GILL
dren!
Over the face of Senior Don JOS
Maria Lopez TOstado there passed tht
look of an artist who stands spell /
bound before the work of a rival hand
He continued to contemplate the mas
terpiece. Somehow he no longer look
ed like a cOckatoo, and his dark eye.
reflected first growing incredulity
then profound admiration, and finally
the divine light of n heavensent idea
He waved pudgy hand at his rurales
go way, leetle mems, go way.
am YER gram caballero. All by my
self l desire TO have my revenge
The ragged firing squad lowered
their weapons and lazily withdrew.
The senior advanced upon the Low
ers.
Listen, you naughty leetle ones,
he directed. Il have an idea that /.
much more better. Look you, in til,
stable are two ver' good horses. These
you will mount at once. Ovair there
is the road TO San Miguel. where tb
silly leetle padre live that ride a Thk-
burro; and beyond lies theSAnhfry
that is safe for children. Thees shall
be the gran revenge of Senior Do.
Jose Maria Lopez Tostado, who ee
old and ugly and monstair, but still
the bes' caballero in the worl' !"
He drew himself erect and snappe,
one hand to his sombrero.
'Senor, / salute,'
He bowed as low as his waistlint
would permit.
''Senorita, L KEGS the hand Of tn
only lady l nevair ween. And now
ados amigos. But no. First-ho-hoI
no! / buy one dreenk."
Far down the West Coast. sand
wiched between the new railroad an(
the very old sea, there is n ranchit;
where of evenings two sit in the moon
light, and figure up the profits fron
the carloads of tomatoes that go fort
in ever-increasing number. Dolore
rolls the cigarettes for both, and sing
canciones- de amor in defiance TO th
mountain lions that sometimes whimI
per in the canons.
In the autumn Madam Double-chi
came down TO visit them. With dia
monds from off her own fingers diI
she seal the lips of rurale who cam
across a fat and loathsome thing on
morning, huddled among the rock
that border the Mexacana highway.
Johnny" muses. Madam Double
liz, s.C1npar ~ L. 4, ,,,o, ,xot. :,