The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-08-15

breathing hard, as if the memory of
the incident described had stirred
strong and thrilling feeling in him.
Stillwelrs 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 I were married, when Gene
an the padre had gone, she left me
for a 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 l 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 henrd 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 .weatherin' of the cliffs.
An there under the crags was a
gold pocket.
"Then I was worse than locoed. l
] trrpnt nntd-pra2U unrEQ1 Ii-o Cpvpp-
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 we pardners to
help me work my gold mine. You an
Gene. Go fetch him an right here in
this house, with my wife IN Miss
Hammond as witnesses. We'll draw up
a partnership. Go find him, Bill. I
want TO show him this gold. show him
how Danny Mains paysl An the only
bitter drop in my cup today is that |
can't ever pay Monty Price"
Madeline watched the huge Stillwell
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 ju%ncture she looked up to see a
strange, yet familiar figure approach
ing. Padre Marcos!
Mention of Padre Marcos, sight of
him, had always occasioned Madeline
a little indefnable shock and now, as
he stepped to the porch, a s%hrunken,
stopped, 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 FL Cajon?'
Eyes," replied Madeline.
"Senora, since that night you have
been Senior Stewards wifei"
Madeline became as motionless as
stone. She seemed to feel nothing,
only to hear.
you are Senior Stewards wife.
have kept the secret under fear of
death. But l could keep it no longer.