Trooper Tales — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

76 The Wooing of Benito. veyed his job and was satisfied. That evening the two walked together on the trail toward the highland shack. And there was the same old smile for Benito. He had a well-fed, natty look, which surprised her. Silk Red- mond was silent through the heavy effort of his brain. “The American el capitan is a mighty man,” he sug- gested finally. Benito and Marie were of the same opin- ion. Then the tall trooper took Marie out into the moon- light and told her many things which we all know. Mean- while Benito clung to his grin and money-bag, and shed abroad mild. Spanish commonplaces for the benefit of Marie’s old mother. “The American el capitan has made up his mind,” con- tinued Redmond, once more in the shack, “that Benito, my friend, has arrived at sufficient property and years, to hitch his fortunes to some pretty senorita. The captain has appointed me to pick out the maid.” The tall trooper said all these things in Spanish. “T have written concerning the matter to my wife,” he resumed, seriously. The immensity of his fabrications tickled his throat. Marie puckered up her red lips re- proachfully. “My wife, who is a very learned woman, says that Benito and Marie are twin souls, and so it must be. I will leave you now, my children a Benito clutched at a grin, but it was a pathetic one, and with hands that trembled, he placed the bag of silver pesos in the lap of his twin soul. The little maiden pouted at the tall trooper as he disappeared. Before the night that Silk Redmond sank down on his Eomichoo KS (E@)