The Argosy, November 1908 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

BY BULLET PERSUASION. with her at once. I wished it was moon: light, too. I had had but little chance after the first meeting to study her face. Her voice was soft, rich, and musical. Her laugh was low and sweet to hear. In this way we reached “he house. I soon had lights, and we stood and looked for a full minute at each other. She was more beautiful than I had thought at first, and younger. I put out my hand. “Circumstances are strange,” I said. “ You must trust me. We will have sup- per together, and then the house is yours. I cannot make Sam give up his bed, be- cause he is wounded. I have slept out- doors often, and you will feel safe if I am on the porch in a hammock.” “T feel safe with you anywhere,” she said. ‘Where are the things? I can cook. I learned that at your American school.” CHAPTER VII. A QUICK PROPOSAL. THAT was the pleasantest hour I ever spent at my table in the adobe house. Miss Bonilla managed the supper. I watched her graceful form as she moved from kitchen to dining-room, and back again, and Sam, forgetting his injuries, -Jeaned on his elbows and watched with a grim smile of satisfaction. There seemed to be something differ- ent in the house. It was lighter, more homelike, and there was an air of do- mesticity about it that I had never felt before. This girl from Mexico seemed to know just what to do and how to do it. There was an easy comradeship about her, combined with a certain reserve, re- sulting in a charm I had never seen in a woman before. When the meal was over she shut her- self in the kitchen to ‘‘ wash up,” she said, and I went outside to smoke. The night was calm, though it re- mained dark. I slung a hammock across the porch and slept there. Evidently my guest knew how to take care of her- self, for I did not see her again. In the morning, which broke clear and bright, I was out looking after the burros and my poor lonely cow, when 589 Miss Bonilla stuck her head through a window. ‘Don’t forget my pony,” she said. “T couldn't.” “Yes, you could. Men do.” I turned to ask for some kind of ex- planation, but she was gone from the window. Our breakfast was a repetition of our supper of the evening before, and while Miss Bonilla was again in the kitchen “washing up,” I gave Sam what atten- tion I could. He was improving, and there was now no need to go for a doctor. But he was anxious about Namona, as was natural. “We'll get Namona,” I said. ‘“ Wait till Bonilla has a chance to get things moving. He’ll be back and bring Na- mona with him.” I didn’t know Bonilla. After I had dressed Sam’s wounds and taken a look at my fig-trees, which needed no immediate attention, I took my rifle and wandered off with Bones to find some fresh meat for dinner. I suc- ceeded in getting a turkey. Of fruit we had plenty, and my vege- table garden gave us all we wanted of fresh table stuff. “Have you got any flour?” asked Miss Bonilla before I left. I did have some, put away in a japanned box to keep out insects. When I returned she had some bread and bis- cuits. After dinner I sat on the porch, smo- king my pipe and thinking. Certainly, I was in a peculiar posi- tion. Miss Bonilla would not return to her home, and I did not know what else to do with her. She was good company, but that sort of thing, while it might do in an emer- gency, could not be kept up. While I sat there, and was on my second pipe, I saw a big gray horse turn in at the hedge gateway, and a big, raw- boned fellow slid off the saddle at the porch. It was Sheriff Saxe. “What the deuce is all this?” he asked. “I say, Denny, you are making a fuss in the world.” “What fuss?” I ‘Come here and smoke.” “T’ll come there and smoke. asked calmly. Don’t comiclooks.conn