Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-03-04

long as you may wish to remain"
He approached and bowed. II am
Tomas Trujillo," he announced.
The new arrival dismounted and
bowed in his turn. II am Joaquin
Murietta and I thank you for this
welcome"
Il but welcome you in the name OF
Don Ricardo. Whence do you Gomez
From Sonora"
"a long, cruel journey. I, myself
have made 1t. With your permission
my friend" He took the reins and
led the horse into the corral. when
he is cool I will give him water, corn
and hay"
You are much too kind" Joaquin
Murietta replied with the customary
Spanish punctilio, albeit had he been
| received with lesser courtesy and
heartiness' he would have had a poor
opinion of Tomas Trujillo and, con-
versely, Of the latter's master. Stiffy
he walked to the hacienda where, on
a rude bench in the long colorado he
found a Castilian gentleman who,
from his raiment, he assumed must
be Don Ricardo de la Cuesta. Pre-
senting himself before this individual,
he removed his sombrero and bowed
low.
Don Ricardo de la Cuesta?" he
murmured.
II am he" the don replied kindly
but with certain austerity that was
the prerogative of his class. He
waited for the stranger to name him.
self
II am Joaquin Murieta. I have
ridden from Sonora, where my patron
was Don Luis Bernal. Don Luis has
entrusted me with letter for your
excellency."
"Ah," murmured Don Ricardo.
From my good friend of other days"
Don Ricardo, Xix, so many of his class
in those days. could neither read nor
write, nevertheless he was pleased to
receive the letter which Joaquin Muri-
eta now produced from the inner
breast pocket of his short leather
jacket and handed to his host. Don
Ricardo thanked him briefly and
thrust the letter, unopened, into his
own pocket.
you are welcome to the Rancho
Del Luis Rey. Murietta," he an
nounced gravely. "Of certainty you
are a most excellent fellow, else Don
Luis Bernal would not have entrust- i
you with his communication" He
pointed to a distant small adobe
house. "Yonder lives Felipe Sanchez,
my majordomo. Go to him and say,
in my name, that you are a guest for
as long as you choose to remain. If,
perchance, it is your plan, after you
have rested, to travel further, Sanchez
will provide you with fresh horse. !"
"You are much too kind, Don
Ricardo. Until this moment I was q
stranger in California. Now I am
among friends and since that is the
case, the thought comes to me that it
would be stupid of me to play the
burro, to abandon the green fields for
the cactus of the desert. I would
attach myself, for a time at least, to
the services Of your excellency."
Don RICARDO smiled and spread both
hands in a gesture of submission to
this remarkable request. Another
mouth to feed? What matter one
more or hundred? "You are sadly
in need Of new clothing, Joaquin" he
said. Inform Sanchez in my name
that he is to provide it," He nodded
his dismissal.
As Joaquin strobe away toward the
majordomo's quarters, a girl came
out of the hacienda and stared after
him.
who is that man, my father?"
she inquired.
"A former peon of my old friend,
Don Luis Bernal, in Sonora, Juanita,"
Don Ricardo replied. "Ie has but
now arrived and bore me a letter from
Don Luis. It is well that I have had
Father Gregorio inlpart to you such
education as he possesses" He drew
forth the letter and handed it to his
daughter. Read" he commanded.
The girl reached for the letter, but
her glance still followed the tall form
Of Joaquin Murietta. HE does not
look like a peon," she murmured. "He