Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1938-06-16

near. Heat shimmered from the
earth, but the Governor of Califor-
mia shivered.
| Yes, it was the vendimia. Why
not? She was his. So utterly his.
And he needed her so. Not only his
body, but his mind and spirit called
for the fulflment blending with
her would bring. But he fought the
girls witchcraft, and she sensed it.
81 know. 1t is your woman. La
Gobernadora. PAIL" she spat.
"That white one. That cold cruel
Spaniard! Listen!" She leaned for
ward eagerly. II know what hap
pened when the Frenchmen were
here! I know who brought La Cob
ernadora through the gates of the
preside the night before the
Frenchmen sailed! We can do away
with her!" She laughed triumphant
ly. 'Look!" She slipped her hand
| In her bosom and brought out lit
tie sack of skin. It was dry and
something ratified in it.
Look! This is magic. I got it
from a witch woman. It is strong
medicine. If I will I can make her
wlther away and die and
then :"
The Governor unconsciously put
his hand beneath his leather jerkin.
"Junipero Sierra /. ;" he muttered,
feeling the scrap of sanctified cloth.
He closed his lids to shut out the
warm wonder of the Indian girls
eyes.
go away" he said gutturally.
"Please, Indizuela, if you love me,
60 away"
The girl did not move. 1t was
the Governor who rose on unsteady
feet and staggered like a drunken
man toward the fiesta.
In spite of the priests NOV
ing about in their somber habits,
the vendimia seemed a pagan festi-
val. Beneath the ancient live-oaks,
crowd of merrymakers celebrated
the vintage in manner traditional.
Among them Don Pedro noticed
his guests from the Preside at San
Francisco and Santa Barbara, and
group of officers and sailors from
the San Carlos which lay in Monte
rey Bay. Their heads were
wreathed with vines, and they were
drinking wine from the last vintage,
singing, laughing, dancing; uttering
robust jokes, circling around the
barbecue pits where Shaving cooks
were lifting the savory roasted bull
and hacking it into pieces.
Near by was the great vat where
the grapes were poured to be
crushed. A little stream ran near
it, and there, all who wished to
tread the wine washed their feet,
then plunged into the purple pool
with jocund shouts.
On a rough dais, beneath a ra-
mazda, sat La Gobernadora sur
rounded by young laughing officers,
who Wed with one another in COM
posing fattering toasts to her beau
ty, her wit, her distinguished posi-
ton as Queen of the CALIFORNIA;.
She was dressed in the Maja cos y
tune, in her lap great basket OF
grapes! and on her head a wreath of
grape leaves. At her feet a soldier
sat, his head tied in scarlet hand
kerchief, and across his knees 4 a
guitar. He was singing a song ito
her, and she smiled, as Don Pedro
watched, and lifted her glass to the
troubador. n
Don Pedro stared at Eulalia curi-
ously, as though he had never seen
her before. She seemed happy. This
was what she loved, craved, after
all; fattery, admiration, adulation.
He stopped uncertainty. For mo-
ment he thought he would turn and
60 back to the brown ardent Indian
girl who still waited for him be-
meath the quiet sheltering tree. But
young Pedro, watching the carving
of the bull meat, saw him.
"There he isl" he shouted. ''Now
we can have the feast!"
So the Governor was drawn un-
willingly into the festivities.
RIO BE CONTINUED