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Show ; JUANA'S ORDEAL. 3 Tti arlj mortJnjt aurtabln tlnH. alike mountain ami w. la II. boAUtlful vnltr h , ff CarprWla, la aoultirrn California. Wt JoJumwalktuUloivlriloun tha Mb Hut JlSi Inl lroro tU kltfhdnorAT lU quaint ttfi Iioum to t ha mora Msqtiwuml tarn. Krom m ln lb pth M on alontf tli rout. In an 1 out monit apricot ami 11 tm. until 11 -B atoppwl ktruptlr. m U nulla worn fut with X l.aM.rtloDon.boutatIiUoMbcrnrh. fir' Joao ium1 a tnoratnt. tbu Catherine iff hrraklrta tightly la ltr Iff. lun-Ubot- fli Ktmloc-llmbtb atwp trail. IS b took It .1 tihotUlanguororJtir.britron jouns llmira motiiiu onward with acarwl ft j r pauM for Lrratli till nb rhfl tba tun. ' Her an oMfrnr IwnndM tlie lilllimv tur llonstnK to Jiiana'i father tb J flunK bttwlf llubtlr ftffftlo't ih Ur of tli I ltU to rtat an I tUKaii niwn tb wu J l tpnadoutbolow, I . On tba et Iba lon duatf mad wm 4 f flaiibtd bf rnnchrt mar or )m cultlvatrd. i Ilrrt and thru prmnwtrlca. rowa of Uan ' f nirt tho ryr. Oil re trw in t ogled with i L watnat were tratlrrril trrrjrwbere. Ocra k i alonaltyarwl tlltadolrflivnl tltoino i it t notour ot open ttur land and fltIJa dotted with oaka and rrllovr with tba Uoa- Bwmt of tbt Koldn rauatant. From thA foot Mill roM jiwlpltattlr the turpU inountalni, wbo crnu ar often vHI nith clouJ of fmlbarr mlat. A fair ' litidtattddrar to tba rambrr'a lUtijfbter fromherlMibjbood"thpIacof ler birth &d of ber ieopla tvfora l.rr, Vcttoanr on rl who had Un tbrr tbo moH plrt urwju tiling would not bavtlievntha out jK, apteail landMMi, bat th ouu IMpanUh i tfrl leaning on tba worn jiata to look at It, i bh turnel now. and bean aaerleaof H1bJ low, ctMiIo? whlttlea, which prntenlly QmI!J Lroaithtbtr favortta latutantt, iVlru, to Hjlr tbabaraot thawte, 1 h ttatn prata wera HS 1 kf worn amootlt by tba rubblnu of jtatlrnt an HaLI lmaUfronitbAadJnlntf lletd,anl bal It Hlff bot been for tba friendly bay ropa about JlS their rickety tf- lvlni wnul I haia aurely HJ lkDorked them down m bf atretcbetl LU K Hack oter tba twra tabatttrMtd by Ll jBJB inHtreaa. WMIM. Tber wer a pretty plctnrtbe two. V TLaLlufrblack balrtif tba ulrl made mora Vj W1I tba rip color In her llt tinted Vl rhfeka. Iftr deep, lnhtroua ryea bad In 9! tltm that half lrmt, half uitbtUo ft BBfg imulon icallarlnlhar)reaof tba Hpan H9 Ib gitUvt tha aouth. rt Juaoa knew K1B Uttla of aorrow, Tha old rancber'a only HWi daughter, abn had Itratt a iN-ttM life. Hba BBm a alaiplahertelihlld,and whatever HSFj capacity f.r rndurancaor couraga lay will. Hfi 1 In her It bail never lern t rlrd juJt Afuraaerluof vlitoroua pAta, LestowM HI. wltb many a roulnu HpaoUt, phra of eu iKS dearmrut upon ber favorite, Juan pro VVi duced a rmy apnla fmm l.r iKxkct, w hlch I lelro munchetl with v)Jt nt aatlifactlon. HB Via had not coma to k any aervlc nf BnTj blm, only for a rooming grrcUug, mjj HBV-) turn, after a lingering fjrawtll pat or two, jm! aha ltfl tha rrtty mmtang lwklngover H1 tha gata after her, and turned to tba atcep W walk again tilnaiepjeJrartf ally, for fear of trel HHf !ngtonLerllyontbacruii.bllD,aunbaknl HBj adubo aud getting a tumble, hrr light feet Sj mada hardly a twiiind to U notirtl among HHj tht iwlara ottbacountry morning ledro a Kj itlucunt rttarn from tJ gat to bla grai BfBk lotC fellow, the otlrr aouti t from tba . Hi titr,tbtwltUrlngof blrO. tha chirping BBHf of aqulrreli, tba tbouMUdfutd murmur BMK' u,l breath of tha hour. HBp Half way down, II a light atrpa atopiied S.B' auddanly. and tba girl atood with a aUrtlrl tHfl ", llatenlog Only a kaeu tar and a !'' tinkkatUntlou could havo caught, abova Hli all thoaa other noUea, that alngular and &; unusual ona for audi a iIara aud tlmv ftHr tbahlta of wbUpeting whv. ' rabto" MK herfatber'anama-thatwaa the onewurd fK! ha had caught, and half In curiosity, half HH' lnfcar,ab felt aba mint kuowwhy bar tQK ftbr'awhtaiwrtl nama ahoubl tbua de mfi tAch Itaelf frum tba ruttla of 1 raven to PiK atrlka ber ear aud call her attention to tha K 9HT othrwIa luUtlnguUhabU murmur gvlug l(JB, on In tha Uttla clump. I iaBltl bbaleanM allently forwaM on tbartlga SUHS 0( 1I xiy urrea ot Urn oaV-, trrry nrrvn 'ilHr itralue-Uo cauh tba half wlilantrtil. half 'tmr murmured word that rm from within. m flBl Tba acreau, though It offered no pnt- h fcaW tlll ''rrlrr tund, waa qulta deUMi feiBKl! t uough to protect tha girl from alght of frXl' tbamcnwbu itoMrlom together Ublnd r SKb It lnoklug for no ona In her direction. rgiH "ruUo" her fatber'a iia u again, and RnlH l now It camato ber ear ahaiply. iiiIiirM I!kjHt I with other worda. Maga" ,culn" "ar VTB nt' aba caugbtt and then (u an excited WlU ' toue, which tba otbeu Iumllately jfeMai ' hukbed, "pUtola." HUB i bb edged chxar, listened mora Intenaely, M I and bar hearing aeamed to tcouia keettvr. IgVH Hhaknewwho tbamen wrrewall euoutli , BJImB I ranch hand of 1'jhlo'a. halfbrrcda, a KhltV I vagabond aet, who would do anything for IiV'lanf anoney, Hut they were purpowleva and I BfHw ' Q'1, lral la of or gin 111 UK and tarrylug iffieliS out a plot to rob tha rtagoof ihemaelTea, IPwW ' Andtbfbol lcr rogue, who planned and in- I Battel P ld tha crime Tba girl wna left In no 1 BK&i doubt pf tbat-Wr own fatber'a name waa lEBB distinctly utteretl. Ida dlmrtlbiua rvpiated. BVwi Tl4t "7 blftkt Lo iml hU confideratea flwll wrr to"8 luw,t torllt ataga that left j gt' Santa lUrbura for Loa Angelca at half put Hm T o'clock. BKjH I Juaua tlNwbiwk, raftlUltig thai she mutt Bl ' ' kltp away uiidatvUt-d, yet too fcUrtM nd V W boirifltd to think of any thing eb clear!) , m bha waa overcome by the fchrrut of her HB fatber'a guilt. lift Wai by nu ltieniatiex R tuiplaryrancbmku,Jiunn well knew Hut KftfE i 'l"' Lh uo tuotber and ha 1 drmudid ul Hftj ly on him for care aud trnd-rue., which BVIIU "' nad given, at lt In aunirlmt tuiiuura lllfflt to win tha reapouM of a chil a simple and ; JHflfrt nncrUlclslng affnllon. uu 1 Jimtti wna not i E. m'J) ranoughfrumchUdh.KKltohmcchtinirwI J M juudi In bet fllDg NorwftMbacotUof It , M tr peopla m . waitiug toward ordinary M ' ; pn-U aud Ul dologs ol tneu that what aha ftav cf kef father' ba 1 affet(l ber tilth nf atxoigfMUoKofibafjif, or gtren any prfsaaat thock to ber rrgird for htm. fkj til wu a dlHafent ndtlcr, Tha nniet, bet rancheni of Carpenterla wtra not of that flM tt Jleil ana In whom a MbbeTMclUtaamuthrtdm'jaltona n aur,nor were theao tba time In width tUnatlnCallMetan t aH eifiiatfl rol-liery&f rol-liery&f tlrttAinetk'anJritruiler. Jiunah-! ten Urn and bad Knwnuptpcnrrally nd without thought ( t h'-Ullty, tinder American law. Tbt tick UM out It. Ita rrckleM criminality, Ita abameleja grrnl, before I era More an Innocently Lml ml benwt niturtd ranrh girl Aa h erept carafolly awity ahe waa brlplejly oferwbelmedbytbaVnowWgaof bla un wortblna ot ber hra and rtct, Hntalmotatonwa reartionctme,and a ttlcnitta reolutloa roM wllhlu her mini It should not bet IthadnotUn penMyet-ltabonMnot. homoons mud trerebtlt Jf there waa noon but her MlftodolU lly tha lima sb ateppl firmly onrt mora upon tha girJfn rMth I er mind wai md tip. Ha kbew the tielene4 of appeal to lierfatbr. Slabarlnn rnnfldanta anions tba women tf tha ranch to whom "aba darnl to breathe sncti a aecret. Alt tha Jong,lilayli atMiuM rating lerttry aonl oat. All her ewitot 1 tltuw rtifl 1ex In faer father waa gone, aid when from tlma td time, aa waa hli demons! rat Iva fiipanUh way with bla pretty daughter, ha draw her to him with careMrt, aba cooM respond with no loymtin?. Atlatttha long day carue to a cJo. Tha evening menl wm ended; Dm after nr Irworkwasdone Juanacamaoutfrnmtha iOua luto tba broad north, guitar la hand, croMed tha porch quietly and seated her-self her-self on I be stona alep, aa at bad aat before evening after atenlng Kb anng tba pretty SpanUh aire alio waa accustometl to slrtg to her own armmpnnlmentt an 1 tbmigh somftlmM her vrlro grew tery Ulut aa tha sick dread ot what w m liefora her awept acniaa bar mind, aha trvered, and with a heavy heart entertained tha lit tla household. 1 hey bad all gathered upon tbabngpnrth, aa waa their evening cua tomt her father waa wont to alt by ber aide smoking and listening, and now and then lirtween bla clgarettri making ber happy lthbUcybraMOf (.ralne. Hut tbla evening bapxNjnroaa and left ber. Joined tba group of ranch band In adaik corner of lb doorway, and undercover of JuanVa o&ga exchanged murmured question aud antwer wlh them. The itray twilight deepenM Into night. Boon tha moon are over tha eastern mount slot, casting on averythlnj audi n flood of yellow light aa only California knows. Th somber group In tha corner bad relapMd Jntrt a moody llenr, Juaiin'a iil tar sank Into her lap, and tha hush waa rokraonlyby thaatiund of crickets and tha cry from tlma to lima of antgbtbawk flying arroaa tba orchard. Tha girl waa watching the moon creep tip tha sky, and counting the minutes, aa aha had already counted them over and over during the day. Her breath caught In her throat, but aba n- alknlly and carried her guitar Into tha bouae, Aa aha poised ber fit ber aho paused, "Tha moon la ao bright, father, aba said, "t would i out for a Uttla lop with iV-lro." Hh had lieen permitted mora than nnro before to rldathua about tha rauchlanea, c-rfor a short dlstanra along tha aafanelgh boring to I, on bright moonlight even log. Indeed, bef father noierlnterfrrol much with her movement, aul their simple ranch Ufa, not unaffected by American Amer-ican customs, waa frt-o frum alrlrt mint, l'ablo nod led without removing his cigar tie, and tba girl t-aawl on. rlha put away her gnttar, twtitnl ft acarf over Ler beail, aud let herwlf out at tha bark door, carrying her brlddt In her hand. A Uttla rtllMtd by lb pmalbllliy nf action and tha rrniovalottieed for wit mtrnlnt, aha battened at a rapid imico up tba tMth aba had tn-l-lm early that morning, a light hearted and unau-pectlm; child, to visit and pet her favorite, Hha reached tha old fence, and whittled clearly acroaa tb4 moonlit jwuturo oncw ami again, an 1 preaeutly 1'cdrocamalrut ting lobar, Wth trembling bauda aha undid tha hayropa and pushed oeu tba i sagging gate, and tha Uttla lionm walked through, knowing wall enough that aha wanted bltiL Hh faiteneil 111 gala with inethanlcnl care, then, putting ono ban 1 lightly on I'edro'a mane, ib quickly ml JutUtlthabrbllacramblM to hl back bebliluivn on l'rdio'a Mek without ft and 11a too often to waula lima now In ar rauging any auch adjunct and atarU-d. JnafvwiulnuUa ah reached a road that skirted lh Imu of tba bill, then leaning forwanl on IVdra'a neck, aha apok to him and shook tba bridle, and sent blia flying down the road at bla In t apred. llreatbleaslytha girl watched tha tree fly by, Tb road followed the bills for bait a mil before It struck acrtMsroaL Already Al-ready Juaua kntw tba men wvreatthilr pmt, below tba apot where thoaUgaroal touched her father' rancli. A frartena rider at all tlmea, aha seemed utterly u now, aa without drawing rein aha wheled Into tb n'tmli and Imtwrfect old rroMiroal and ibi4hel down 1U ltwae only ued by teams In winter and waa kept In no order, but tba llul mustang took bl way swiftly swift-ly and aurely over tha unyielding rut uf hardened adobe and half bur lml howl ler. Attrr what atemed toJunua au luter mtnabl lima, th recklrss utlrrtarbel tha iluaty atagroadafetja Here they turnnl and cantered eiully up tb road to meet tb oncoming stage, uo sign ot which )et appearetl. Juantgauxtvigerly Ufureber, watcblngfor lb ezietl clou 1 ofdust, but they had ranterod on a rallo aa I a liAtf without ad rent n re before It appeared, and IVdru ram to a full atop to await It, The dust moved down upon the waiting pair by th road aide, and aa It cam near Juauiaawthatlt lncloawl it it tbeaUge, but only a Fpaubdi family retundng from A day'a marketing to Hanta Itarljara. In th dusty niramllgbt they eceuied nlmot weird In their l Utureueuraa, Th whole taiullywaa In tha long wagon, from tb youug woman In gay bonnet, down through ragged smaller member to th ugly Uttla terrier who with hU shrill bark and contradicting con-tradicting tall U lndlinjubl to th hpanlih houtebobl. Tb wagon tollnl past, and Jnana looknl agln up tb raid, from which tb dut slowly cleared away. Her heart aliucmt sloftHsl Uatlng oa th fear shot acrou ber thatsho had miscalculated th tlm. Jf aba hod mtased t h stage, by now her fatt er was branded forever a criminal, their tiamawiuahnaitxt, whether tha world rer knew It or mt. Hud lent sh uttcrvtl n joyful exclamation, for aruun 1 tha ImmhI In th riMd apinrvilthttng unmUiakal I thla tlm through th cloud ofduat-and loadetl w 1th people. Th driver rduad In hh horse auddenly at Juuna'a violent guatlculatlouttoatup--ao suddenly, ludml, that they wiredraggMl lock upon their hauncboa nnl atari! with imaiament at th girl and tb hors. 'lha teufra, startled at tbo abrupt stoppage, bruk Into question and ejuu laituii m tbey reouveml their Imlanv, and leaned out to hear what wiu mIJ JuanuhhranL Uck,nbuhrd atao Ian anau.liuico.yrt ah wan too rieitiiily st In ber purpose to htsitut in ber pi li. la Ltr fluent huglUh.touchnl with th tic wnl MiacMH keep who speak another nHniBBt bimehapomliiut her story sto-ry not U real atory, i.rhitfM, Juana'a tlh'ial tralnliifd'ltmt Iw1j.U tloAb- Uton covltyot nrl (Id vcwu.iy but una that at n. d Ita potpo n( w irbluic aa writ, anl ftwtt lU.irlr.r no room to ausiect either hrr fatl . r or hi rauth hinda-atl ot thm U liuov. a chat etttrsjtt VIuiii It mad a pnrfoynJ m-raatlonln the stag company, Aaaoon a tha cf-l on an I anotlertftU women crlM not that they wttiid nt ko pat th ambnOi Ihey aiirtci u il air feet, lnilstia? that they l-i alhnedti .IghtonthvspoL Th ililrar, i-ho bal no lnti niton of staying where h waa till ftiortlng, akrd, nona tnu iNUu1y, whetVrthry wantwl to star therein lha roldritam th riind whll b wenton on 1 left IK n. (mprlte-lbytbl count rr ir-tttttn ir-tttttn remain In their aeata, they dung to each other, Interchanging their ahnn and Indignation, whll tb driver ami the men among tha paenpera countel flrenrma and laid pIapafonlefrne should an nttuk Uinnde finally at a crack of lb long whip tha borw atari d and th stag rolled a ray again down tl i ruwd Meanwhile, Jaaaa bad sit atlll npon her Urrthy tfaaaldaotlba mid, understand Ing but Uttla of tha rapid contiulon nt talk loin gnu Id the stage Ii bad don brr duty aud aho knw that hrr biiInea now w aa to get qnlckly and aafely home Vet ah mill 1 nit g'i without knoeng how thing firnM rut, HI had not much fbnr of ivrioiia retulta now tb driver waa on bl guard, for ah knewnalKnv ot forr and jtrtparnlion would fritter tb liaUbmd; till 1-dl lab fear that nnynt tha mu-feernte mu-feernte wool 1 1 captured atuld thtlr familiar fa-miliar fiotdi, an 1 expnl to th world, Nmtl eh m, tha m1ghf 04 that aomo ona oilgbtiokJdyUhutt drew ber on after tb aug. Mho cantered along Uhln 1 It until It bad piud an fdd walnut tree, not far beyond which waa th plaret, of amluh. Nearer to th ii)nrmlel group of men than tbh trt alio dared not go, for nt a man stand Ing concealed In th dark apot beyond wot i J bar failed to know at a glanc tb girlish figure on tb familiar little uur IVig h ah drew rein In tha shadow of lb walnut, an 1 st nn 1 witched tba stag aa UrapIUytUcrraaxd lha dbtanco LctHteu ltelf and thfaUl spot, rouiik9plic when IV-lm stood, un-t-nheralf,jih coul 1 clearly aw that spot. Hhfl knew Jukt where tba men must to sUiiilIng-JuitwliAt their position mutt In, JiMti'aand Dumlngn'a atilSmclio'a Jmt what signal would bo given, aiU bat inova would b ma I. Th Maco bore down iiMn th p!co It w almont I hero a sharp crack cf th whip cleft thenlrand reached tb girl' ears, and theaUgv lunged inore swiftly fnnrard Into lb shadow. Th girl leaiicl forwanl with at rained rvi anil -r. Wmtld I bat su Iden. nwltt leaa dash cju-ry tbeui jwul! Then cam several quick, confuted shout, and then a pistol shut, followed by ft long, low try of agony and iIm pair. TbenlhesUgvatoppetL Tba moonlit air grew Hark to thoglil, and ah cried out herself with a piercing shriek, all thought of telf control lot In her paMiouatahpanishaouL rhe knew It waa ber fatber'a voice, and even before t h toad cleared to her rye ah shook th rein and clung blindly to IVdro'a tack a b flew over th ground toward tha Imddl of stag aud men Tb bono checkM htmselt abruptly, trenibllng a Uttla, aa h cam upon th ex dted group, Tbo men who atood about something on tha ground wheelnd sharply tn look u b daheil down upon them. 'Ihey cast weird ahadowalnth clear moonlight moon-light aa Ihe ateppetl forward and alopprd, rerun olilng tb girl and looking at ber with more amaxemint than before, aa ah altd down from thehorM, and without pay Ing any attention to them staggerrj arroaa lb moonlit spare, dropiul dowu Uald th frnttrat figure and put Ur armi aUut It. Th old man lay atrttched ont In th dim nona, between th moon and ahatlowiil iUr ot ambuli, where they hnl carried dm and 11 1 htm with Ida head on a loosely loose-ly rolled bona blinkrt. Hi eye were dowl. and lha blood trickled from a wound In Ma left ahonl ler, uutklng an ugly rvd track In tbo soft white du.t. Th balflmtdi were nowhere ube seen they utnd liav ahrunk luck aul acAlteml awayacruta th ilelaatth flnIgn of rralsunc. 1 he men Handle i about drew ftwsr, half re;ectlng tba glrl'a devalr, bait eager to tell their story to th women wbi waited, frightened, yet full of c,urli-Ity, c,urli-Ity, In th stage. Only lbJ driver atonl cltMeby, to ifUforchia claims on tb rob-Ur'a rob-Ur'a jMraon, lt Juana ahouhl dispute theia undarstaiHllng at one, now 1 n bail aeenold l'abtu'a face, how much the girl hod concealed, end guaaslngher tdatlou ship to th rancher. l'ablo waa not dead. Juana 1V1 up, andaa sheaiwih man ataudlug grimly by It lludicd acrs her what he waa lb-ra for; aud tb whole srqucnr of prlsou And ahnutv, crowded from Ltr mind by th mora Imminent fear of death, ro up bo-f bo-f or ber, Hh a dry. tearleaa anh and a passionate movement of drnpitr, ah sprang up an I flung bepHlf before th uanreakloglnto wild plevllug. "f av blm with mel" aba tried, "Iav blrn with met You are af-.-e no uo U th worse Why mutt yon take hlmf bat gooilf Oh hlui to we do not con-teyblnttuprlaon. con-teyblnttuprlaon. Ha linn old man. fJeo bla gray hair and tho bluud. Helaburt alreaily aiura hi ml Yuu shall have gotd, all you want; there la no ona but mo, and 1 care not If there U nothing left fur ine; but Icato my father." Tba driver waa not a hard man, and tho girl'a piteous voice and pathetlcryw moved blm, nor waa h possessed of si rigid a sense ot drlc respomlblllty aa to make him t bluk that II waa bla duty to resist her 1 he lray hair that Juana apprMrd 1 1 brought tobU mind bla uwti gray hatred father. II looked at her and at ih robber, and turning around left ber kneeling In lb dnat and walked away without a word A tulnut more and the stag had reaolrtdlt avulf Into n cloud of dut, f ut dLapparing down th dim atrrtchof road. IatbarlL Du 1M In U.erlau 1 Monthly, |
