The Washington times., 1937-10-19

of the doe-eyed, brown-Sklnned girl
standing barefoot in the little
field, hugging her hoe as though II
were a living thing.
But no one urged her on Tor
there was no one there.
Like all maids of Is, Elena was
practicing what she would say
vhen-and if-the young engineer
got around to asking her hand IN
marriage.
It would have pleased her trem'
bling little heart to know now
MANY of Jose Garcia's Hurried
thoughts centered about the girl
IN the tiny farm deep in the
shadow of Saddleback Mountain
hard by the mud and dirt and tar
that soon was to be flattened OUT
into the smooth, gray ribbon OF
macsdam called the Pan-Amerlcan
highway 49, ~
Jose and the highway had ar
rived in Monterey simultaneously
He was one of the roadway engl,
neers-a college-bred Mexican Iao
whose proud parents expected IaaC
he would make good marriage 10
further pave his promising way
toward a brilliant career.
OBEYS HEART
Their hopes would have been
dashed could they have seen their
son the afternoon he stopped al
Flena's hut for drink OF water,
seen his flashing eyes rest on hers
seen their hands touch, seen love
kindle and flame above a water
dipper. ,.ou+
Thereafter Jose obeyed his heart
for MANY nights. He hurried 10
Elena's doorstep when he ShouIo
have gone to his hotel room to pore
over maps and study blueprlnts.
None knew better how the youn?
man struggled between love and
duty than old Maria, who had' 10
wears before, been Elena's nurse
then her serving woman, and now,
in these worst of worst days, her
companion.
On nights Jose was there Maria
sat silent inside the hut and hearo
the murmur of young voices, WINS
pers, and laughter.
Then duty got the better OF him
and he came no more. Maria sat
beside the waiting maiden. SSCly
the wrinkled hands stroked the
glossy head.
"I love him so, Maria-but he
has gone. He knows I have no
dovry any more" the girl said
with a sob in her throat.
It was at that moment that Ma
ria decided that something must
be done. That night she ploddeo
in to Monterey to the Enclra
Hotel and asked for Senior Garcia:
The clerk was loath to let the old
woman see the engineer.
Finally she persuaded the young
man behind the oaken desk that
her business was important. He
let her pass.
At the very moment Maria was
making her way upstairs Jose was
trying desperately to shake Elena
from his thoughts. He could not.
UNUSUAL GIRL
He could feel her hands-Soft
and uncalloused, unlike those who
worked the farms habitually. He
could see her cheeks, velvet as the
wild orchid. almost entirely free
from the sun-burned CoarSeneSS OF
peon flesh.
Her haid he recalled shone in
the sunlight. 1t was not dull and
matted like that of other girls.
Her garments, too, were worn but
of good quality.
"She cannot be an ordinary
farm girl" he told himself. But
assurances were of no use. His
parents would object to her.
There was a knock at his door
"Come I'M"
Maria entered. She begged 8
thousand pardons for her in
trusion. And she remained ar
hour to tell her story. 1t woulc
have been considered a strange
weird tale to one not accustomed
to the legends superstitionS anc
beliefs of Jose'S people.
For it centered on the Legendary
highway robberies 200 years before
the white Horseman." that Mex
lean Robin Hood whose ghost
mothers tell their children, ride
nightly over Saddleback Mountain
looking for the lost cave in which
he hid his treasure.
"And only when the Whit
Horseman comes from the Noun
tain to ride and rob again will
Elena, granddaughter of Dol
Pedro Gonzales y Gomez, once on
of the great landowners of tn
province of Nuevo Leon, have tina
which is rightfully hers" the oil
woman concluded.
Then perhaps he will rid
again" Jose answered significant
ly. The old woman nodded. I
was the answer she had expected
The task before Jose was on
for just such lad as he-young
full of fire, imagination, and al
overwhelming ambition to help nj
beloved.
Methodically he laid his plan
to become the White Horseman }
legendary fame. First he procure
a white garb. then a mask whicl
he made horrible with phosphol
GUS, and then a milky steed. I