The Coolidge examiner., 1938-06-16

footed, slip down to the beach In
the dusk, her face covered by a con.
cealing rebozo. She might escape
unnoticed, for Pedro FACES was
sending loads of provisions as
farewell present to his friends the
French explorers, and many Indi-
ans were being pressed into service.
She giggled excitedly, hoped
from the chest, opened it and gath
ering as many things as she could,
piled them into a heap, then tied
them in a blanket. She tried to lift
the bundle, but could not bulge it
from the floor. Signing impatient.
ly. she began discarding heavier
things, and at last had a weight that
she could lift.
She wept again as she discarded
the lovely gowns of brocade, vel
vet, satin and lace. Eloping was
not so easy, after all. She had
dreamed she could flee, unencum-
bered by baggage or impedimenta.
to the waiting arms of an impatient
and potential lover, but here she
was struggling with bulky bulgy
bundles of clothes. like a washer
woman.
All her lovely clothes! But then,
she thought with satisfaction. the
expedition would no doubt stop al
the Filipino Islands, and there. in
Manila, a real capital, she could
buy new raiment. 1t would be bet
ter that way, for it was only too
probable that her clothes, which she
had had for more than three years.
were demode, and in Manila she
would find lovely things from Paris.
She lifted the load to her head,
and experimental with a few steps.
Yes, she could do it. She looked
at herself in her mirror, and swayed
there, her hands on her hips. In
the mirror she saw the face Of her
baby, staring at her in amazement.
Hastily she dropped the bundle
and whirled on the child. The baby's
Indian nurse came hurrying in after
her, and stopped to pick up the
child, but Eulalia stopped her.
"Wait!" she cried. She sank to
her knees and held her arms out to
the baby enticingly.
Come, come to Mother, dar.
ling!" she cooed.
The baby only stared at Eulalia,
nonplussed by such behavior on the
part of the lady who generally ig-
nored her good-naturedly.
Darling. please, my little dar-
ling, come to Mother won't
your"
The nurse stood stolidly by. .
Jealous warmth in her dull eyes.
At last the baby. finger in mouth,
sidled to the nurse and buried her
face in the woman's skirts.
Eulalia rose to her feet.
Take her out of here!" she de-
manded imperiously.
The nurse hugged the child close
to her and hurried out of the room.
There, you see?" said La Cob
ernadora to the Madonna who was
smiling sadly at her. You see?
She does not love me at all! She
never comes near me! She prefers
that black Indian woman, and her
father! You see? 1t will never make
the slightest difference to her wheth.
er l stay here or not"
She paced back and forth the
length of the dirt floor.
LAS for young Pedro. he never
sees me! He is with his father all
the time. He cares only for him,
and for his pony. viii he miss me?
Does he need me? No, of course not.
Absurd! No one wants me, no one
needs me am going away
:" She cast herself on the bundle
of clothes and wept.
II am going away and nc
one will care am going SC
far . on the oceanl l will be
seasick, Oh, Dios mio!" She turned
toward the Madonna and held out
her arms.
please, Our Lady Of the Seas,
make the ocean smooth, please, oh,
pleased"
After a while she sat herself at a
table to write a note to her hus.
band.
ITO BE CONTINUED