The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-01-25

At fifteen Josefa Ramirez was
a beauty, with glowing eyes, a
dusky flush under an olive skln'
and a slim, gay, d2ncing body
Young Mexicans arrayed them
selves in holiday best and rode
miles out of their way to spend
an hour or so at Francisco's ran
chito and knives had flashed
more than once for her favor.
Only when Lee HOLSTER stop
ped at the sheep ranch was there
something noticeably different
about her, like the sultry still
ness before a storm. He had
known Francisco for years; the
entire household exploded into
hospitality at his approach and
poured its joys and troubles into
his ears. Josefa was merely
Francisco's pretty kid to him.
Josefa pouted and sulked, and
consoled herself with the others.
Therefore she was flattered, but
not particularly surprised when
an agreeable young man caught
her hands and said teasingly
pretty things to her when she
was fleeing discovery on the
night of the dance, nor even when
swift grey car, long,. fascinat-
ing monster that was naughty
rich relation of all the cars
Josefa had ever seen, appeared
out of shimmering distance a few
days later. 1t stopped before the
struggling abode buildings where
a pretty girl leaned against the
plastered wall. The young man
apparently had no other errand
than to ask his way, but he lin
gered, talking to the vulnerable
Maria, and left presently with a
quick, oblique glance at the girl.
A day or two later the car
passed that way again, and yet
again. Once someone was with
the agreeable driver-that girl,
favored among mortals, with the
shining hair and rose-leaf skin,
the girl with riches in her hands
and Lee HOLSTER at her feet.
Josefa let the car pass with a
sulky stare, but the next day it
came again, and this time Stan
ley was alone. They were con-
veniently cut of sight of the
ranch house, and he stopped and
invited her for a ride. She went,
thrilled with luxuriousness and
arrogant speed.
After that there were other
meetings, boxes of sweets, small
gifts which Josefa prudently hid.
He was amusing and gay, an ar
dent young man, with facile
tongue for compliment and a
taste for kisses. He leased Josefa,
not very delicately.
I'm jealous of that fellow Hol-
lister; you like him better than
you do me. He was coming to the
Circle V this morning when l
left. He's there a good deal, isn't
he? You're no Spanish girl, jose
ia, Or you'd never let another
girl walk off with your man like
that"
How you know worry my
head weeth Lee HOLSTER? I got
plenty fella-ten, twenty, hon
dred! Eef I love, I fight for my
man-fight any woman!''
''That's because you're Span
ish," he said persuasively. But
eastern girls are different They
are cold, Josefa. They'd throw
over the best kind of a chap if
i they caught him making a little
harmful love to another girl. Why
I know case -,
j Amusing for Stanley, and not
without the flavor of adventure;
dangerous enough for Josefa,
storm swept by jealousy of girl
from another world.
. X 4
If Mrs. Archer was firmly con-
WINGED, and Stanley Bradish cy-
nically sure, that Lee HOLSTER
was working to establish himself
comfortably at the Circle v,
either by marrying Virginia or
otherwise making himself indis-
, pensable to her, vertainly his ac-
tons did not go far to disprove
their suspicious. He seemed to be
merely hanging around, with no
apparent affairs of his own that
demanded attention nor any dis
position to acquire them. He had
established himself in an aban-