Evening star., 1935-03-19
CHAPTER XXXIII.
REPENTANCE.

//T@HAT'S the meaning, Is tt?"
- Montana asked Rosita. "All
the way across the desert
l. you were not afraid?"-
"I marked all your
camping spots. Where you had dug
the trench I could find the water. !
had an easy way"
"I wolder over you, child" said
the friar.
"Why do you wonderP" asked the
girl. Has he tolo you that sold
him to Gen. Estrada2 Has he told
you that?"
If there were Indian in the girl,
there was Indian in the friar also
He showed it now because he opened
his mouth in astonishment and put
his hand over the gap like any red
man.
Ten thousand peSoS-dead OF
alive-E Keed-dead or alive--a tall
man who smiles a great deal, with
blue eyes and black hair. His ways
are graceful-and he smiles a great
deal! I sold him, Brother Pascual
I sold him TO dog-I sold him to
Estrada!"
The Kid stood up.
Don't come near NEEDN'T for
give mel" she gasped.
And she went on in sort Of soft
chant: II was going to be a great
lady with carriage and 10 servants.
I'd have rings and bracelets and
necklaces. And I sold El Keed to
get them. What is the he'll for
traitors, Brother Pascual?"
The tears began to roll down her
face. The Kid sat down beside her
and dried the tears with bandana.
Look" said the friar. He for
gives you"
girl. She put her head back on the
shoulder of the Kid and looked up
at him from under wet lashes. "Dy-
ing would do no good" she said to
him. Whats the death of a crea-
ture like me? How would it help El
Keed?"
There is no mountain" exclaimed
the friar, lifting his hands, that re-
pentance will not move"
"Ay," said the girl. GO away
from me, and take El Keed away, SO
that can repent. I'm not repenting
now"
"Ah. child" said the simple Pas
cual, you must repent!"
Have two hearts?" she answered.
"At one moment can I repent and
love him, too?"
Shall l go aWay?" asked the friar.
why should you?" she asked. DO
you think that I'm ashamed of this?
I was never so much-in church,"
This idea of hers made her begin
to laugh. She sat up away from
Montana and began to shake her
head.
You two have done your poor
cooking. But I have jerked venison,
and two canteens of fresh water.
Cool water, because 1 kept the sack
ing wet Ground them. Now I shall
cook for you, and you shall see the
difference. Also 1 have one little
flask of good brandy. You have to
eat and to drink, because tomor-
row"
In the dawn of the next morning
they saw the dust cloud coming up
the road, and before morning was
far advanced they had sight of the
caravan of the damned who were
marching toward the Valley of the
Dead.
There must have been 40 men
and perhaps 10 or a dozen women
with a long cattle chain running
from one to one. looped around the
necks. The drivers went up anc
down the line. Three of them, with
whips and guns, guarded the con-
demned, and in addition there was
a rear guard Of half dozen Rurales
At the same time there came out
of the lower mouth of the Valley OF
the Dead a pair of men naked to the
waist, in short, wide-f1aring trou-
sers, with red sashes about their hips
They had on their heads straw
sombreros with great brimS broader
than their shoulders. But, even so
those shoulders were sun-blackened
Their legs were bare from the knee
to the sandals they wore.
They were not Indians. They
must, therefore, be pair of the
precious devils incarnate who super
intended, for Juan-Silva, the imme.
diate affairs of his hell.
They sat on their heels anc
smoked, not cigarettes, but fat cigar!
as they watched the caravan ap.
proach.
And as the poor wretches saw tht
entrance to their hell on earth anc
the two attendant demons who squat.
ted beside it such a voice came VI
out of them as made the air shudder
One of the women fell. Her fal
drew the loop of the chain strangu
Ation tight about her throat and alst
nearly choked the men who hac
been marching before her and behind
Two of the whip-wielders wer,
instantly on the spot. They did no
waste their time and their strength
lifting her to her feet. Instead
they stood back, welded their lonl
lashes. The blood came out of he
body. Montana could see it.
He buckled his chin down agains
his breast and squinted his eyes shut
The poor friar, at the same spec
tacle. covered his face with his hand!
and fell on his knees.
Only the girl, with her face un.
moved as stone, remained standing
behind the fringe of great boulderS