José — page 77: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

70 JOSE. may have had a‘good reason for taking a trip across the plains, and if you are quite certain of the iden- tity of the bracelet, you can safely assume that in some unaccountable manner the owner lost it and that you are on the road over which your idol passed before us. Or is it that the thought of this highly plausible theory inspires you with alarm?” he con- tinued, laughingly slapping his companion, who- was regarding him with large, staring eyes, upon the shoulder. | “Alarm?” he answered, grasping Green’s arm; “T scarcely know if I mayso call it. You present a possibility to my mind which makes me nervous. I realize that everything additional to be attached to your theory must disappear like an ignus fatuus: I concede that it 1s madness to attempt following across a trackless prairie the trail of a girl; yet, from this day hence I shall have no other ambition. I know ’twill make me unhappy, but I feel that I shall not be able to leave off trying.” “Halloo, is it indeed, as grievous as this?” Green cried, jumping up. “Very well; then let me inform you that I for one fail to see why it should be an act of madness. You mustn’t deviate from the trail, and rest assured we shall follow your sweetheart by the most direct route. Pretty young ladies, especi- ally American ladies, are not remarkably frequent along the road, and so we shall have no great diffi- culty in making inquiries at every inhabited way station. Besides you know her full name, and even though we should have to follow her as far as Santa Fe, we shall easily find the few American families who live there. Give me your hand and cheer up. Pll help you find her. Lest the devil has played a N Gomicbooks. co