Show E if HU 11 ON CARMEN H t 0 F FRANK H SPEARMAN 9 frank H spearman CHAPTER 19 bowie leaping his horse into the jungle as he crouched in the saddle knew he had one more pistol slug to face and knew that only his knife was left him for a hand to hand fight yet such was his tradition and his training that of all weapons available to him the bowie knife would be his choice in a short arm struggle ile he plunged into the jungle without qualm and headed his horse through the thicket by the sounds of the struggling horse ahead then came a silence as bowie with his shattered arm pressed forward A pistol shot from the squatter rang and echoed through the jungle the slug whistled past bowies head his only answer to it was a cry a plains mans cry blood spurred to the right close to a huge sycamore bowies horse was struggling up to its knees in mud and alime with every leap like to be its last suddenly there came a whirring clashing sound ahead and a terrible cry choked short through the tangle of vines and branches before him bowie caught a glimpse of a horse lying bogged what did it mean slowing up the texan peered through the screen of leaves ahead he worked his way closer to the giant sycamore when his horse shied violently half submerged face downward in the marshy water lying so close that bowies horse almost trampled it he saw the sprawling figure of a man clutching his knife in his left hand the texan slipped from his saddle plunged through the slime and watching narrowly for a trick lifted the mans head by the hair out of the ooze As he took the head bead in his hands it turned disjointed at the neck the squatter was quite dead with one arm disabled bowie could do no more than partly drag the trunk of the body closer to the roots of the big tree he stood for a moment in bewilderment and confusion stunned by the gruesome sight almost at his side lay the squatters pony only its heaving flanks showing life the texan stood hatless beside his panting horse wiping beads of sweat from his forehead and trying to decide what to do the instinct to hurry away from the tragedy must be denied if he left the body it would be virtually impossible to find it again and it would almost certainly be mangled by coyotes before it could be recovered nor could bowie partly disabled get it on his horse the squatter was a large man to carry it out ol of the swamp nor had tie he a pistol in hand to load for a shot but he had still a stentorian voice he knew Par daloe and simmie would trail him to the melena he sent out a slow high cry and listened no response greeted his ear after a long wait for even breath was precious in his predicament he tried a second call and sat down to figure out what had befallen blood soon he heard in the distance a pistol shot he knew it was a signal again he gave the plains mans shrill plaintive cry and there came at last an answering call it was frontier wireless long before the day of wires patience and calling and answering brought par daloe and simmie swearing their way into the heart of the melena to where bowie stood leaning with his left hand on the sycamore tree 6 henry you been hit where dog it man youve lost aplenty blood set down wheres blood henry it Par daloe was w as concerned his questions came fast bo bowie wie pointed to the fallen squatter simmie pulled at his beard reflectively the only sign he ever gave of excitement Par daloe stared a moment pulled the body around but he saw no blood henry he asked peering you hit him 1 I had no pistol we were going fast I 1 was within ten yards of him when we got here ile he jumped his horse past the tree without seeing this pool the horse went down bowie pointed upward see that old grapevine hanging across ac ross from the trunk to the branch what did it late that morning carmen after searching ng the horizon since daybreak with straining eyes perceived P perceived erce ived a little party of horsemen riding slowly toward the ranch house most of all she searched among them for the caballero to whom she had bad given her life in promise her ended ende d when acute agony of suspense she made out his broad hat and tall figure in the saddle 0 carmen had promised herself she would be very collected when he returned all night and all the morning her prayers had been poured up for his safety and with to hea heaven ven and her lover her prayers a answered out of the saddle clasping c her close everything went black before her she disgraced herself by fainting in bowies one good arm 1 I saw the flames flame s in the night along the river she sobbed when henry if you she came to oh I 1 aidt rid into danger again eve ever r ride with you I 1 must never again C can I 1 stand such a night thit this she exclaimed exclaim ed catching catch iniZ sight of tho the blood soaked bandage on bowies right arm you are hurt you are Wound wounded edl madre de dios diesl you will diel die ID bowie laughed as he held her 1 I will but not yet querida not yet despite his assurances she wa was s come into the house quick you do not know how bad you are hurt come As the couple entered the living room the excitement began all over again the next moment the senorita and the senora breathless with fear had the serving women running hot water splashing sheets torn up and enough bandages ready to equip a small hospital the rough bandages were soaked off carmen calmed herself until she saw the ragged wound of the slug in the arm as it was bared whereupon without even apologizing the excited girl tainted fainted again when dr doane took charge he too laughed at caimens Car mens fears all AH W in your honor and mine that I 1 wonder at he said insincerely is that you would send for me to attend to a little thing like this bowie my boy be swin swinging 9 a reata next week he successfully concealed his anxiety lest bowie should suffer a stiff forearm from the shattered bone caimens Car mens confidence in dr doane was very great but her solicitude for bowie was unabashed she tried for the most part unsuccessfully to keep the texan in bed arid failing this to keep him in the house cease protesting she would say decisively this is my hour en ri quito I 1 have been waiting for it god sent me once a protector it was no credit to you big man that he chose you no credit to me gobrec po brecita ita I 1 but it is the only thing in my life that I 1 count he sent me a protector why I 1 persecute him why I 1 persecute him youre too young to be cruel he retorted 1 I dont caret carel hes mi mine he ive had too many tragedies in my life not to value a protector had only you been there that dreadful day at los alamos Que querida ridal my right arm is getting quite strong again but dr doane says it must be exercised regularly so it wont be stiff how about exercising it a little now my darling you must take no chances chanc esl 1 you might strain it you know tomorrow then perhaps tomorrow if you behave yourself do you realize bad texan how ive already cast to the winds the rigid etiquette of centuries im sure if don ramon knew how bad ive been and all through associating with you he would disown me you ought to be ashamed of yourself to impose so on the weakness of a poor girl like me and I 1 dont believe you are a bit ashamed what sort of people live in texas and you did say something if I 1 remember rightly about marrying me not if I 1 have so imposed on your lovely nature querida I 1 want of course to make amends then carmen spoke in the morning henry I 1 want you to take me over to the valley of the strawberries will you I 1 want to go to that redwood tree where we sat do you think you could find it there were two close together 1 I could find it carmen if there were two thousand close together leave the horses here henry I 1 want to walk the rest of the way up the hill just with you this is the tree carmen tell me now from your beating heart what you told me that day my carmen and tomorrow henry said car men a week before the wedding day we must go to monterey to engage the musicians I 1 want a violin and a flute and a guitar they will ride with us in the procession to the mission and play on the way wont that be nice and henry we will take the horses from don ramons cabal ca balleria lerla of blacks they are such beauties you and I 1 will ride together then don ramon and dona maria then the music and then everybody elsel how many oh a hundred or so I carmen this business of getting married in california seems to be important important henry why for a week now every servant every vaquero everyone in the household has been getting ready for our marriage ahl but enriquita Enri quito its not all for you and me that the fat fallings lings have been killed the game brought in not all the champagne the wines wines the cordials cordiali cor dials and the sweet potatoes and cocoanuts cocoa nuts and chinese ginger and island sugar and the strong cigars have been brought in just for you and me no no guadalupe will be host to a hundred guests every ranchero in the valley with his wife and sons and daughters and his guests will be here every day for a week so will all the de la guerras from santa barbara A aweeky Awe ekl yes and they will laugh and dance and sing and play and get very hungry enriquita Enri quito they will dance every night and all night for a week in your honor and mine then all our monterey cousins and friends and our san diego cousins s and friends heaven protect us po brecita recital you may well say that I 1 hope we shall have a little time to ourselves after two or three days dont look for it before that but where will all these people sleep oh nobody sleeps while the celebration lastel only perhaps an hour or so after sunrise they sleep where they can then in the morning come the merien merlen das like yours your s and mine she whispered dont you r remember em ember 1 I remember nothing else querida mia only that day and you THE END |