Nogales international., 1933-11-11

Snavely pursed his lips thought
fully, then shook his head. "No-no
use to see any more laWyers-they'l II
jest gouge us, stir up somethin' SOS
they'd have to be hired to straighten
it out ag'in No use in that. You've
seen your lawyer an you've got the
will The Wills what counts-jest as
long as I recognize it as bein' what it
says it is, there's no need messin'
around with law" A queer light came
into his eyes and his voice took on a
curious hollow lift and fall.
Gall right" said the girl quickly.
She was glad to settle all conversation
relative to the law.
'I'm mighty sorry I didn't know
you was coming" remarked Snavely.
"Me an Ann amt exactly fixed for
company. But I'll be seein' what |
can do. Between now an supper I'll
just be fxin' up the place out back
in the old house"
That old ruin? Butts falling to
pieces!"
For an instant the mans body
tensed, then he laughed thin, dry
little laugh which had in it something
of the sound of crumpled paper. "The
old place has seen its best days, lady,
but it's all we got. There's two rooms
that's as good-jest about-as they
ever was. Your brother has slept
there-it's plenty confortable-jest a
little mite dirty right now"
!. "But it's full of great cracks-one
of those walls might"
No, no. Nothing ever falls in this
country without there's a rain or a
big wind. When it storms, you can
come in here in case, anything wants
to fall. Otherwise, you'll be plenty
safe. We don't have 1,iore'n couple
Of storms year anyways"
After supper the adobe itself was
visited. Huge and dismal the great
bulk lowered above them in the night.
Yet, once inside, the walls looked
quite safe by the light of the oil lamp
on the table. The adjoining rooms
were certainly more spacious and con-
veniently arranged than anything in
the ranch house. AS Snaveiy had said.
the place was dirty. But the dirt was
the dirt of earth-clean, dry dust.
Ann, the. giantess, had just finished
arranging the bedclothes on three can
vas cots. = -
Ann had picked up a lighted Ian
tern, left the room and took the path
which led to the barn, the lantern
swinging in long arcs from her arm.
Back In the living room Of the
ranch house Snavely remarked that he
had sent Ann to the gate in the buck
board for the baggage. :.
"Oh, but that wasn't necessary"
said the GIRL .'We could get along
until to-inorrow-it's such an awful
trip in the dark"
Snayely shrugged. She'll be back
in couple of hours.
Snavely' sat near the fireplace, half
facing the man and woman who were
seated near the cot. His attitude was
that OF one who is waiting to be asked
foolish questions-as though he were
about to be quizzed by a pair of chill
dren. Ruth's first question changed
this attitude.
who is Ann--is she your"
mo, by GodW The man thrust his
body forward and his hands gripped
the arms OF the chair as if he were
about to spring to his feet. His pale
eyes glittered "She's nothin' to me!
Do you get that? She's a niger half
breed I'm hirin' to take care of the
house an help on the place. Anybody
says different is "a" he paused.
x,.oa 20 aoI> ,.,h1k ryoI,
have just told us, Mr.. Snavely." The
girls heart was in her throat
Snavely settled back in his chair
and his fingers strayed to his fore
head After moment he spoke
casually. "Anns a queer creature.
Strange. Her blood, reckon. Her
father was heavyweight nigger prize
fighter an her nanny was an Apache
squaw. Big Jackson. her daddy, was
born a slave. He was in the army
durin the Indian trouble in this coun-
try-stationed at San Carlos. ! reckon
AIMS the result CT raid on some
Apache village. Mostly she's called
Indian Ann-you can see she favors
her inammy's folks-straight hair an
that Indian face. Must have got her
siz1 an color more from her daddy, |
though. Ann don't get along with |
towns-tllis here civilization. Down
il Texas she run a dance hall an
SAIGON. but she got in trouble an
driIted out this way. I'd seen her be-
fore. an when runs onto her in town
enc day, she was broke an lookin' for
job. That was just after your
brother went to Mexico" Snavely
PAUSED his eyes on the girls tSce.
"So-.-I hires her. Knowin' her like
e.id, I felt Sorry for her. There's |
.,othn' bad about Ann. She jest can't |