Show i i CARMEN OF THE RANCHO By Bv FRANK H. H SPEARMAN OO Frank Fran H. H Spearman Service CHAPTER Continued X-Continued X 10 10 I welcome the chance senor to tolay tolay tolay lay your honorable words before Carmen and and I I shall dare to say say Dona Maria spoke the words with gracious charm charm uI I trust the matter matter matter mat mat- ter may have a happy ending Carmen Carmen Carmen Car Car- men is going to Monterey tomorrow to do some shopping She means to ask you to take her It will be best now to send Pedro with her So 80 senor for two or three days- days patience Bowie remained with some of his vaqueros along the river nearly all that day Then to kill time through the rancho supper hour he rode over to Santa Clara and visited with Padre Martinez who poor man had more trouble to face than his young visitor had though had though it did not so seem to Bowie This is government exclaimed the padre mildly they want to confiscate con con- secularize secularize they call it it-ev- it ev every ery mission in California What Senor Bowie becomes of my poor Indians Bowie had little use for any Mexican MexIcan Mexican Mex Mex- ican government It lilt is too bad Padre But no honest man ever came in m contact with that bunch of grafters without getting robbed I Ionly Ionly Ionly only w wish sh it were in my power to help you ou But I am a foreigner foreigner foreigner-an an I Americano they call me I insist I I am a I He supped with the padre and rode home later He escaped seeing Carmen in this way and next morning morning morning morn morn- ing took his saddle very early after giving Pedro particular instructions for insuring the safety of his charge for the trip to Monterey In the end Bowie told Pedro to take Sanchez along with him But I cant can't find Sanchez said Pedro He uHe has been missing for fora a day Missing What do you mean Pedro could offer no explanation He uHe rode into the hills yesterday morning He has not returned No uNo matter said Bowie Take one of the other boys The Senorita Senorita Seno- Seno rita must be carefully escorted Of what had taken place at Guadalupe Guadalupe Guadalupe Guad- Guad the day before Bowie knew nothing though its events concerned him vitally Carmen was caught wholly by surprise She listened carefully but buther buther buther her cheeks mantled and her eyes revealed that she was startled She caught her breath imperceptibly For a moment she could not speak Of course dearest it is a surprise surprise surprise sur sur- prise continued her mother Though not perhaps as great a one oneto oneto oneto to us as it is to you As her first surprise died away Carmen's expression grew grave You no doubt will want time to think this over my child her mother went on Sleep over it tonight t. t Oh my Mother exclaimed Carmen Carmen Carmen Car Car- men that is not necessary Not necessary Is your mind so sosoon sosoon sosoon soon made up The girls girl's face set in a fixed re re- re- re solve What U Senor Bowie asks is quite impossible Mother dear I will never under any circumstances marry an Americano I do not wish to wound him unnecessarily Say Sayto to him that Carmen has no thought of marriage that she thanks him for his offer that she feels honored by it but as to mar marriage marriage no She spoke rapidly and as if determined determined determined de de- de- de to brook no discussion yet her mother who perhaps unconsciously unconsciously unconsciously inclined toward the bronzed frontiersman persisted Far be it from me dearest to seek to influence your decision yet decision yet the ground of it does surprise me Such unions not infrequently occur among us Perhaps it is so and perhaps they turn out well admitted Car Car- men But with my feelings against them as brutal interlopers their cold-blooded cold murder of the only man manI I would have married had he lived lived lived- Oh these people are intolerable Though I have nothing personally against Senor Bowie yet he too is brutal I saw it the other day where he would have dragged that drunken Fremont marauder to death Dona Maria perceived it was useless useless useless use use- less to argue U As As you will Carmen Carmen Carmen Car Car- men dear It is your future and you are well able to decide the ques ques- tion Kiss me good night In the morning Bowie was in the saddle early Carmen was on her herway herway herway way to Monterey when he got back to the ranch house And Dona Maria Maria Ma Ma- ria sent for him Oh Senor Bowie she began Carmen will not think of marriage She insists she is too young I remind remind remind re re- re- re mind her that her mother was married married married mar mar- ried younger than she Where do girls nowadays get their ideas I cant can't understand it But she seems determined not to marry Believe me dear Senor Bowie I did my best for both Don Ramon and I hold you in high esteem Her decision decision decision de de- was so hasty I told her so But she has grieved deeply over the murder of her sweetheart Senor de Haro at the hands of Americanos Ameri Ameri- canos she canos-she she feels bitterly toward all Americanos But give her a little time senor Young girls change their minds so easily Do not lose courage Try as the kindly Dona Maria would to soften the verdict she saw how bitter a blow it was v 11 the Texan He made no comment But as he rose hat in hand nand and in a few J words thanked Dona Maria for or her kindness she thought there was in his demeanor despite his rough garb a silent dignity that would move any woman to the respect from which affection must stem CHAPTER XI About a week later Carmen's Carmen s 's Aunt Ysabel appeared at the rancho for a visit One evening just before before before be be- fore dinner she Carmen and Bowie became involved in a rat rather er sharp conversation Ysabel's sharp tongue had pricked the Texans Texan's ties She said exactly what she pleased and had positive opinions Some of these Bowie disliked but made little effort to oppose oppose his his mind was filled with other Once or twice ind indeed ed he did openly disagree with her His objections precipitated a lively lively lively live live- ly discussion between the two Once when this seemed to threaten the peace of the trio Carmen intervened on Bowies Bowie's side This resulted in a pointed reprimand from Tia Ysabel who objected to a callow girls girl's expressing expressing expressing ex ex- ex- ex pressing views on any subject Both Carmen and Bowie laughed this off He noticed how pleasant it was to be laughing with her herthen herthen herthen her her- then he hardened his heart Carmen Carmen Car Car- men too found something agreeable agreeable agree agree- able in siding with her rejected suitor After all all it it was just a thought thought perhaps perhaps she had decided rather quickly Following dinner the embers of the fires of the conversation flamed in the living room After mild efforts efforts efforts ef ef- ef- ef forts on the part of the peaceable host and hostess to check the heat of Auntie they gave up and Tia Ysabel held forth Senor Bowie and I were talking about Mexico and Texas this afternoon afternoon afternoon after after- noon said Ysabel to Don RamonI Ramon I I 1 hope y you u agreed on everything everything everything every every- thing responded her brother peacefully If you said disagreed Senor Bowie and I could agree on one point at least He is a very courteous courte courte- ous antagonist and I admire his sincerity But I tell him him him-he he is so much younger than I that I-that that he has some things to learn This republic of Texas do you know what is behind behind behind be be- hind it all Don Ramon No and to tell the truth dear sister I am not vitally interested to know But you should be bel bristled Tia Tin Ysabel I uI have been told that that republic has even sent emissaries to California to suggest that we join the Can you imagine Bowie who had lighted a cigarette cigarette cigarette ciga ciga- rette gazed innocently and thoughtfully thoughtfully thoughtfully thought thought- fully into the fire behind that Texas rebellion is this continued continued continued con con- the fast to tongued fast gued spinster A junta of American politicians politicians poli poli- cooked up a scheme to set setup setup setup up a slavery empire in the South taking in Texas and Cuba mind you and splitting away from the United States Spanish laws are so old fashioned and degrading that they forbid human slavery hence these minded high-minded Texas patriots struck off the base shackles of Mexico and Spanish law so they could have a anice anice anice nice little slavery empire of their own Well Vell Senor Bowie knew nothing nothing nothing noth noth- ing of all this but it is the truth His heroes have clay feet Bowie sat unmoved u Most heroes heroes heroes he he- roes have he said calmly Dona Ysabel states the Mexican side well but it is only one side The Americans Americans Americans Ameri Ameri- cans could say something too But would anybody believe them Look at their record Haven't they robbed everyone they could lay their hands on she exclaimed biting off of her words The uThe poor Indians Indians how how haven't they been plundered Look at poor Mexico I Robbed of Texas Now they try to tolay tolay tolay lay hands on Mexican California r Heaven forbid They will our people and ruin our civilization civilization civilization tion Ysabel protested Don Ramon with dignity Spare us You seem to forget the presence of our own Americano Bowie raised his hand Pardon Don Ramon he interposed lazily if you refer by chance to me I am amnot amnot amnot not an American A restrained but growing emphasis marked his words as he added I uI am a a citizen of the republic of Texas Texas- something quite different Different snapped Tia Ysabel but no better A land of rebels- rebels Texas she exclaimed Bowie was hard to ruffle ruffle out out Rebels if you will wiIl he retorted evenly But at the worst rebels against a vile government Our should have marched on Mexico City and horsewhipped every member of the disreputable junta I would except only Santa Ana He shouldn't be horsewhipped He should be torn to pieces by wild horses I beg Don Ramon that I Imay Imay Imay may be excused he added coolly I have orders to give for the roundup round round- up tomorrow His withdrawal left Dona Ysabel somewhat nonplused But her resourcefulness resourcefulness resourcefulness re re- re- re did not desert her Certainly she observed magisterially magisterially magisterially magiste magiste- the Uthe young has spirit You have hurt him Ysabel remonstrated Don Ramon Hurt him echoed his sister No more than he has hurt me He Heis Heis Heis is positively abusive He certainly does not need anyone to salve his wounds I should say he is quite able to take care of himself A fortnight later with a good part of the tallow and hides marketed and normal days resumed at Guadalupe Guadalupe Guadalupe Guada- Guada lupe Bowie spoke to Don Ramon in the office Ive urve wanted for some sometime sometime sometime time to take a trip up to Sutter's Fort I have some old friends up there I met a couple of them once at Yerba Buena and I promised promised promised prom prom- before I came to Guadalupe to pay them a visit Of course senor whenever senor whenever you like and stay as long as you like Though we shall be very glad indeed indeed indeed in in- deed to welcome you back My stay will be indefinite Don Ramon I do not plan to come back Not come back Bowie shuffled a bit there was a atone atone atone tone of amazement and reproach in Don Ramons Ramon's words that made it hard for him to proceed Not at least for the present Don Ramon Don Ramon pleaded but without effect He sought his wife in con con- Dona Maria listened but explained all before Don Ramon had done It UIt is Carmen she said nodding regretfully No most Noman man most man most of all a man like Senor Bowie Bowie- could sit at the table day after day with a senorita he loved after she had refused him Ramon You 1 r I i y Carmen will not think of marriage couldn't expect it It is too bat bad for us But you argue with him in vain The final words somehow or other held themselves back until Bowie halted at the door ready to ride away Don Ramon with cordial protestations protestations protestations pro pro- had said good-by good Dona DonaMaria DonaMaria Maria came out on the porch and down the steps toward Bowie He slipped instantly from his saddle and stood before her hat in handI hand I know why you go senor Dona DonaMaria DonaMaria DonaMaria Maria said simply I uI regret it more than I am saying Wherever you go you will have warm hearts at Guadalupe interested in your welfare And prayers will go up here a long time tune for your safety You are much too kind dear Dona Maria replied Bowie ly Iy The UThe happiest days of my life have been spent under your gracious roof And if you ever feel a dire need which need which God forbid forbid for for my presence here I shall come if I am alive Bowie left Guadalupe ed His impulse was to put as many miles as possible between himself and the scene of his one great failure With his three ponies that being as many as Don Ramon could persuade persuade persuade per per- suade him to take he rode to Monterey Monterey Monterey Mon Mon- terey to talk to Larkin The latter was in Yerba Buena Bowie rode on up the peninsula to find him The town was not so large as to make it difficult to happen on the Ameri Ameri- can He encountered him at Vie Via gets get's and with him was a nervous and active young man who spoke with a foreign accent Captain accent Captain John A. A Sutter Suiter Sutter looked at Bowie with the interest with which old Frederick William Villiam of Prussia would regard a likely recruit for his regiment of phenomenally tall grenadiers In Bowie he saw precisely the type of frontiersman he wanted for his grandiose enterprise up the Sacramento Sacramento Sacramento Sacra Sacra- mento River youth River youth strength and anda a poise that promised resource under un m under der pressure The three men adjourned to a arear arear arear rear room where Sutter ordered Heidsieck and the three sipped and chatted nearly the whole afternoon Bowie tried two or three times to break away but could not Larkin despite Bowies Bowie's efforts to shut him himoff himoff himoff off told Sutter about Bowies Bowie's Indian affairs the affairs the stories of which had long ago reached Monterey l After this disclosure Sutter clung to Bowie like Jike Mustard to a nothing would do but that Bowie must come up to the fort Cort The Texan Texan Tex Tex- an refused all aU offers of an immediate immedi immedi- ate contract but unable to escape otherwise gave the magnetic adventurer adventurer ad ad- a promise that he would visit him upriver within a few weeks Sutter had in his mind the apprehension apprehension apprehension hension that Bowie in passing Fremont's Fre Fremont's monts mont's camp which lay might be coaxed into joining his scouts but Larkin later assured him that his alarm was groundless since Bowie had no love either for Fremont or his expedition It did in fact come come- about that Bowie visited the Fremont camp on his way to the fort Sutter had ingeniously ingeniously ingeniously in in- made as sure as he could of Bowies Bowie's visit by taking the extra ponies up the river on his supply boat When Bowie appeared at Fremont's Fremont's Fremont's Fre Fre- monts mont's quarters he was promptly arrested as a aspy spy which did not increase increase increase in in- crease his affection for the sensational sensational sensational sensa sensa- adventurer The guard that detained him attempted to disarm him This proving embarrassing to his captors they led him to Fremont's Fremont's Fremont's Fre Fre- monts mont's quarter Fremont busy as usual about nothing of importance had no time to interview the spy But while Bowie stood outside the tent an armed guard on each side two of |