The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-11-15

long lOSt rrlenu.
''Well," exclaimed Tia ISABEL to
Carmen after the dinner, II see
your peevish Texan is backl What
does he want?"
Carmen shrugged her shoulders.
II understand he is to be some
kind of q partner Of Captain SUIT,
ter's, that energetic Swiss, UP the
river"
whats he doing here?" snapped
her questioner.
''TIe heard Of Fathers illness and
sent out couple of baskets Of
champagne and lot of delicacies.
So Mother asked me to invite him
for the strawberry picnic"
''You say Dona Maria asked you
to invite him out. She says you
asked her to invite him." observed
Tia Ysabel bluntly.
EITHER way, he was entitled to
the courtesy of an invitation, wasn't
her" asked Carmen crisply. 1.-THE
wine he sent was rare-so Father
said. Don Vicente and / are going
after some ferns to press-he has
my book"
The tables were being cleared and
the guests were scattered in groups
among the pines and redwoods. Men
were smoking and talking horses,
the women were chatting in little
groups, and the younger girls, with
much animation, were hulling straw
berries and talking fast. Carmen,
swinging her sunbonnet by the
strings, sought Don Vicente. She
wandered to the end Of the camp
without finding him.
But she did almost stumble, with
out seeing them, over the long legs
of Bowie, who sat with his back
against tall redwood, looking out
at the distant bay.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, coloring
with a little confusion. 81 didn't see
you. Excuse me for disturbing you"
"Don't ask me to excuse you for
anything so pleasant"
"Oh, you haven't left your gal
lantry in Texas. Sometime should
like to hear more about that repub-
lie Of yours and its fighting men,"
He shook his head. "My poor re-
public. It is no more. The United
States has swallowed it,
"And didn't you like that?"
''Not bit. But-what's the diff.
ference? It's only another dream
gone," he added evenly.
They were strolling back toward
camp. Sand so there you were, sit
ting all by your lonesome. If you
can't find anybody else to talk to,
why not try me?" asked Carmen.
81 thought you said you didn't see
me-" he objected.
Don't believe all you hear" she
retorted casually.
''I've seen times when I've wished
! couldn't"
AS they loitered along she was
still swinging her bonnet. Passing
a big tree on the long slope. Car
men put up her hand.
"Isn't that lovely breeze? Let's
sit down moment"
''I'm glad to see your father is
out" ventured Bowie. "He's inn
proving"
But Carmen did not care to dis
cuss formalities. She wanted to
hear about Texas and what he saw
and did there while away. And she
wanted to know what was going to
happen to poor California, with its
bandits, its instructions and its new
crop Of detestable gringos.
Bowie shrugged his shoulders at
the mention Of gringos. They're
mean, I know-but no worse than
these Mexican rats. And California
at present is getting the very scum
Of the gringos-the crop will inn
prove with time"
''Tell me about this Senior Suffer
and what you are going to do up
there. And why you like 1t SO much
better than Guadalupe"
He launched into a eulogy Of the
Swiss.
"But you haven't said why you
like it better than Guadalupe" per-
sisted Carmen.
II haven't said do like it better."'
he commended. SIT does have one
advantage: / don't have time up
there to think. Coming over here
just now" he continued hastily, cut
ting off any attempt on Carmen's
part to speak, II stumbled on bed
Of wild roses. Do you like brier
roses?"
81 love them. Where are they?"
''I'll show you" He got up. She
held out her hand, and he helped
her to rise. The pressure Of her
warm fingers stirred his blood. The
sea breeze lifted the loose hair about
her temples.
SIS it very far?" she asked, look
ing up innocently at him.
''Not so very far" he answered
steadily.
She tried to talk about Guadalupe;
he, about New Helvetia. But they
got something out of their cross fire,
despite the fact that each felt con-
scious the other was holding great
deal back.