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OP ijj. By BRET ITAKTE, ICopyrllit a, ! v 1.... puulbhed by nrmn: 1.1:1. V mr. Cn.,nuJ rllt with tllelll.J CHAHTHH Vlli. r cocNbci- roil it, KANWltlHH Hns. mimtiiin hail wult- cJ. Then, in Gar claV li.'imo, nud bucked by him, ho W l:i i I his eu.-o before "lhn 1.111.1 ,Otll sloiiei , filing thonp pliont'on (wit h www forced indorse ihi i its) to Governor Michcltorena, und noscoJlJio.f. alleging-that tho original giant una destroyed lv fire. And thy I It seemed thero was a limit to Miss Car men's imitative talent. Admirable ns it was, It diil not roach to the 1 1 1 n-cxlnrt ion of that ollli la! si al, win h v.oul I n.ii U-eti a neces sary nppi lnlugo to lis govt rnor's grant. But there wero letters w lit ten on stamped paper uyooveinor Miohiltoiona to hiim-elf. Gar cia, and to Miguel, anil to Miguel's father, nil of which wero duly signed by the sign manual and rulirie of Mrs. Governor Micheltorrna Carmen do llaro. And then there was "parol" evidence, and plenty of it; witnesses who remembered everything about it namely, Manuel. Miguel anil the all-recollecting Do llaro; hero Hero details, poetical and suggestive; and Dame QtueklyHi, as when ins lato excellency, sitting not "by a. sea-coal lire, inn uui aguardiente and cigarros, had sworn to him, the ox-coole-iustical JVgucl that ho should grant, and had granted uuicias request. 'there uere clouds of witnesses, conversations, letups and records glib and pat to tho oc casion. In brief, there was nothin; women mil mescal of hisoxcolloney. Tho only- copy oi that was in the po-,, ion of a rival school of ri'iiaissaut art and the restoration of antiques, then doing business lief ore tho land commission. Ana et the claim was rejected! Having 'H-0 i mmciulod two separate claimants to up.r nl for tho Mine land the land com mission became cautious and conservative no-common was at lirst astounded, then indignant, and then warlike he was for ''appidi' to onsl!'' mm the l uaiiers previous knowledgo of Roscommon's dibpo.-itioii this imt seem soim what inconsistent, but there are certain natures to whom litigation has all the excite ment ol gambling, and it. should bo borne in mind that this was his lir-t lawuit. So that his lawver. .Mr. Saponaceous Wood, found nun in that liclhscercnt mood to which coun sel me obi, ;id to hypocritically bring all the sopM tries ol their profession, ' Of course you liae otir nght toan appeal, but aim your r, ii i , sir, nun cfiesi i'-r, I ho c;'.o ,.us pn si m-d strongly, the (viii'iiee mivuhchu Hi" on our side, but we happen. .1 to lie llght- ln pr, ious f!e jsi,,ns of t In- laud commission mai n.,,i nought them into trouble; so that if Mil h Itoronu had him-ll a; pcarcd in conn anil testified to his gr. ing you the ,.1, t, it would have made no diirereiieo no Spam ,h grant had a show then, nor will it liavi lor the in t six months. You see, my Hi ,ir sir, the government sent out one of its big Washington lawyers to loots into this business, and ho repotted frauds, sir, fraud ina majority of the Spanish claims. And why, sir! why! He was bought, sir, bought body and soul by the ring!'' "nit tw not thu ring; ' asked Ids client sharply "I ho ring i ahem! a combination of un principled hut wealthy persons to defeat tho ends of justice." "Anil sure, luliots the ring to do wid 1110 grant as that thuving Mexican gave mo as the collatherals for the board ho was owin mo! Hli, muni that now!"' 'The rin. my dear sir, is the other side. It is ahem ' always tho other side." "And why the divel haven't wo n ring, too! And aiu 1 1 payin' yo flvo hundred dollar and tho divel of ring yo have, at all, at all! i-whotnm 1 payin' yo fur, eh!-' "That a judicious exiendilurn of money leguii Mr U ooil, "out-sido of actual disburse ments, may not Ihi of infinite service to you I am not prepared to deny but '' "Look- ye, Mr. happy Wood, it's tho 'appalo' i want, anil the grant 1 11 have, more betoken as tho old woman's liar-rut and me own is set on ' i ntnin ly. Get methu land and I'll give yo tin half of it and it's a bargain!'' "Bui my dear sir, there are some rules in our prufi sioii technical though they may "The divil II v away wid yer profession. Km ' i 1 I' r nor me own : If I've risked mi pi i., n, and mo whisky, that cost mo solid, , i, i,i I'risco, on that thule Gun ia's elaun. beilail tho loikes of ye can risk yer law- " "VWd," said Wood, with an awkward smile, "1 suppose that a deed lor one half, on tho consideration of IrieiKlship, my dear sir, and a dollar in hand paid by me, might bo recoil' liable." "Now it's fulkiif ye are. i;,it who'so tho felly wo'io foighten, that's got the ringf" "Ah, my dear sir, it's the Unit) d .States," said tho lawyer w ith gravity. ' "The states! the government is it; And Is't thatye'reafeared off Sure it's tho gov eruniiiil that I fought in inu own lounthric It was tho government that dniv inu to Amer lky, and is it now that I'm goin' back on mo prim ipW "Your political scjitiiiii nts do you great credit," be, an .Mr. Wood. "Hut I'w hut's tho government to do wid tho appnli "The (-"veriuiieul,'' said Mr. V.'cu.l signifl. cantiv, "will bo represented by tho district attorin y " ' V 1 wl thosp.iliieii('' "It i ..i n.ied," hum Mr. Wood sjowly, "tl ut i.i w ono is to bo appointed. I J;Jy. nil, I 1 I .- I -i ibi' if -I lit- t i I I ' ' ' n'.n.jig b'lt not overwiso gray , v - on his Ainei lean lawyer. But ho only lid, Yi have, eh" "Yu," Hltt io,au wennc' a look lioluly, "and if I bin tin Hiipjiortof anuiuber of your prominent --m iirvmcn, who aroso powerful with all jii -ti s- men like you, my dear bir 2h Ikfl TI1H HtUUJKUTON, Thr.i Mo lesser and tin' greet r s.-amp looked ut each other, and for n inoinent or two felt a warm, sytiipMlr-lie, friendly" i uio Hon for each other, and quietly shook hands, Depend upon it there is a great ileal mora kindly human sympathy between two openly coiifes-cd R.-ninp.s than there is in thai calm, reipectable recognition that you and I, dear reader, exhibit when we happen to opposo ou"h other with our resiieetlvo irtui s. "And ye" II get thenppalo!'' 'I will," And ho did! And by nshigularcoiticldeiico got the district attorneyship also. And with a deed for one-halt of tho "lied Hock raneho" in his Hoket. sent a brother lawyer I mi l tiinppcnr for his client, tho United States, ns against himself, ISoscnin mon, Garcia, et nl. Wild horses could not havo torn him from this nobh resolution. There is an indescribable delicacy in tho legal profusion which wo literary folk ought to Imitate. The United States lost ! Which meant ruin and destruction to tic "llluo Mass Company " who had bought Iroin a p.iternal and benefi cent government lands which didn't belong to it. The Mexican grant, of i-omse, ante-dated the occupation of the mine by Concho, Wiles, I'edro, et al., ns well as by the "Nllto Mass Company," and the solitary partners, Higgs ninl Thatcher, Morn tJian that, It swnllowed up their improvements. It inado Higgs and Thatcher responsible to Ourdu for all tho money the grand master of avarice hod niiido out of it. Mr. District Attorney was ti pareiitly di-tresse,l, but resv;ned. Messrs. Higgs nnd Thatcher wero really distressed and combative. And then, to advance a fow years In this chronicle, began real litigation with earnest ni"is, visor, courage, zeal and Ix-lief on thu part of Dig ;u and Thatcher, and technicali ties, delay, equivocation and a general 1-abian-liko policy on tho part of Garcia, Hoscoiinnon, et nl. Of all theso tedious pro cesses I noto but ono, win, h for originality and audacity of cono -ption appears to me to indicate more clearly tho touiper and civiliza tion of the epoch. A ubordinato officer of the district court refused to obey tho man date ordering a transcript, of tlm record to bo sent up to the United States supremo court. It is to be regretted that Uie namo of this Ephcsian youth, who thus 11ml the doiuu of our constitutional liberties, should have been otherwise so unhnpoi taut as to bo contineil to tho dusty records of that doubtful court of which ho was doubtful servitor, and that his liaim to iminoriality ceased with liis iloubi-fced servieo. Hut (hero still stands on record a letter by this young gentleman, arraigning the legal w isdom of tho land, which is not en tirely devoid of amusement or even instruc tion to young men desirous of obtaining pub licity and capital. How licit, tho supreme court was obliged to pn itect itself by procur ing the legislation ofhis functions out of its local lingers Into the larger palm ol it-sown attorney. These various processes of law and equity, wlii-h, when exerci.sed practically in tlu af fairs of ordinary business, might havo occu pied a few months' tune, dragged, clung, re trograded, or advanced slowly dining a period of eir,ht or nine vears. Hut the strong amis of Hi. s and Thatcher held possession, and possibly, by the same tactics employed on tho other side, arrested or delayed eject ment, and so made and sold quicksilver, while their opponents were spending gold, until Higgs, sorely hit in tlio interlacing of his ar mor, fell in the lists, lus chirk growing waxen and his strong arm feeble, and linding himself in this soro condition, and passing, as it were, made over his share in trust to his comrade and died, Whereat, from thut time henceforward, Hoyal Thatcher leigned in his stead. ind so, having anticipated the legal record, we will go back to the various human in terests that helped to make it up. To begin with Hosi-oinmon: To do justne to his later conduct and ex pression, it must be remembered that !.en ho accepted tho claim for the "Red Hock raneho," yet unquestioned, from the hands of Garcia, ho was cureless, or at least unsuspicious of fraud. II was not until ho had cxpericni-ed tlm intoxication of litiga tion that he felt, somehow, that ho was a wronged and delrauded man, but with tho obstinacy of defrauded men, preferred to ar raign some ono fact or individual as tho im pelling cause of his wrong, rather than tho arious circumstances that led to it. To this simple mind it was made patent that tho "Blue Muss Company" wero making money outof a mino which ho claimed, and which was nut yet adjudged to them. Kvery- dollar they took out was a fresh count in this pen- ral indictment. Kvery delay towards this adjustment of rights although made by his own lawyer was a personal wrong. Tho niero fai t that there never was nor had liecn any quid pro quo for this immense property that it had fallen to him for a mere sons only added zest to his struggle. Th -possibility )f his liisiij;1. this mere speculation a!r-s ted him more stron ;ly than n" ho had already paid down tin- Million ho expected tog. I, Iroui the mine. I don't know that I lane indieutcd as plainly as I might that univi l-sal prefer ence on the part of mankind to get something from nothing, and to acquire the largest re turn for the least possible eXK-nuiture, but I question my right to say that Hoseouinion was much more reprohcn-ihlo than las (el- lows. But it told upon him as it did upon nil over whom tho spirit of tho mur dered Con- lio brooded upon all whom avarice i Itcrnuti ly lluttcn-d and tortuicd. rom his quiet gains in hi, le-itimato business, from tho little capital accumu lated through industry nud economy, he lav- ihed thousands on this chimera of his fancy, Ho grew grizzled ami worn over hiscf-jm- posed delusion; he no longer jested with his customers, rcgnrdlcHs of quality or station or importance; he had i hque.sto nml ily, eii. nues to placate, friends to reward. The groci ry Vill'cri-l; llu-oiigh giving foo l ami lodgment tocloud'.nf uiiiiiiiouehub!o w it ileum s heloiv t ho land commission nud the distriet court, '"Mrs. Itos," found In i-self losing money. Kentlm ir failed; there was u party of "Hliio .Muss" Binployes who Iriink at tho opposito fondu, I uiidi'iiid tin- Ho- ominon i .mo- -rtno liquor, The t 'dm, me hai'ici1 ind .iiinuo, with win h r.oscoiumoii ha t u-i-ullns us-tomei-s was pone The lo.vilw s no longer used alter its perlunctory f -.111011, tho counter remained uuwipvl, tin il ks of VT. PKEB PRESS. claimant of tho "Ued Hock Hancho" weronl wny.i on the lookout for friend or enemy, Gmvi.i comes next. That gentleman's inborn talent for historic mlsicprosentutiou culminated unpleasantly through n de fective memory; a yi-ir or two alter ho had sworn In hlsiippllcati m forthe"I!aneho,'' being engaged in another ease, somo trilling inconsistency was illsiotcred ill Ills stale- meats, which had tin-die -i of throwing tho weight of evidence to tho nartv who had liaid him most, but was iiistnntly ihlccled by tho weaker party, (farcia's pi-i-cmlm-nee 'as a witness, mi expel t and general historian be gan to decline, lie was obliged to be cor roborated, and this required a liberal on: ' y of Iii fee. With the loss of his credibility a . a witness bad habits niperveiieil. lie was frequently drunk, ho lost hi, position, he lost his house, and Carmen, remitted to Sun Kran cisco, support "d him with her brush. And this brings us once more to that pretty painter and liniment forger whoso uinon scions net boro such baleful fruit on tho bar ren hillsides of the "I!ed IbH; Hacho," and also to n later blossom of Ikt life, thatojjcnetl, however, in kindlier sunshine. CHAPTKH IX. WHAT Tilt: I Altt HAD lo AliOUT IT. 11 K h uttso that Hoyal Thatcher so -informally quitted in fns exodus to the promised land of Bigg's was one of those over-sized, U n der-c a 1 ciliated .-?,ij5-s?23-I--cIlingsconci hed and erected in the extravagance of the San I-'raneisco builder's hopes, anil occupied finally in his despair. Intended originally as tho palace of some inclioato California Aladdin, it usually ended as a lodging house in which some helpless widow or hopeless spinster managed to combine re spectability with tho hard task of bread get ting. Thatcher's landlady wa one of tho former class. Sho had unfortunately sur vived not only her husband but, his property, and, living in some deserted chamber, had. nfter tho fashion of tho Italian nobilit v. let out thu rest of tho ruin. A tendencv to dwell upon these facts gave her comer atiou n peculiar signilieuneo upon tho first of each mouth, rliatelicr had noticed this with the sensitiveness of an impoverished gentleman. Hut when, a few days after her lodger's sud den disappearance, a nolo came from l,j, containing a draft in noblo excess of allar-j rears and charges, tho widow's heart was lifted, and tho rock smitten with the golden wand gushnl iH-neficence that shouu in a now gown for the widow and a iiuwsiiil for John- ! ny," her son, a new oilcloth in tho hall, better i servieo to the lodgers, nnd, let us lie thank- fill, a kindlier eonsi locution for the poor littlo black-eyed painter from Monterey, then dreadfully behind in her room rent. " For, to ' tell the truth, tho calls upon Mjs,s Do Hiiro's scant purse by her un cle had lately been frequent, perjury having declined in the Monterey mar- ' ket through excessive and injudicious supplv, i until the line of demarcation between it and absolute verity w.iiso finely drawn that Vic- ' tor Gun-in had remarked that "ho mmlit well tell thetruth at onco and savo his soul, ' since the dc il was in the market." ' Mistress I'lodgitt, the landlady, could not ' resist the desire to acquaint Carmen Do Ham I with her good fortune. "Ho was always a 1 friend of yours, my dear, and I know him to 1 lio a gentleman that would never let a poor widow sull'er; and seo what he says alxiut i you; uero she produced liiatcln ers note and read ,n, ,.. ,, . tell 111V llttJo neeril.ni. ,1,., I .,,, come back soon to carry her and her skctokk tools olr by force, and I shall not let her re turn until she has caught the black moun tains and the red rocks shu used to talk about, and put the -Bin- .Mass' mill h, t,c. foreground of tho picture- I shall order," Whatisthii, little one! Surely, Carmen, thou necdst not blush at this, thy first grand oiler, Holy Virgin! is it of a necessity that thou shouldst stick the wrong cud of Un ions! in thy mouth, and then drop it jal,y lapf Or was it taught th.si by the good Sis tors at tho convent to strido in that boyish fashion to the sido of thy elders and snatch from their hands tho missive thou would.-t rend? Moro of this wo would know, O Car men smallest of brunettes sjieak, littlo one even in thino own melodious sx-ech, that I may commend theo mid thy rare discretion to my own fair country women. Alas, neither the present chronicler nor Mistress I'lodgitt got any further informa tion from the prudent Carmen, and must fain speculate upon certain facts that were already known. Mistress Carmen's littlo room was opposite to Thatchers, and once or twice, the doors lieing open, Thatcher hud aglitnpso across the passage of a black-hain-d and a sturdy, boy ish littlo figure in a great blue apron, perched on n stool before an easel, nud on the otl r hand, Carmen hal otteii been con,cioiis ft:,., fumes of a tobacco pipe penetrating her cloistered seclusion, nnd had sein acro.,stho passage, vaguely enveloped in the same nico tine cloud, an American Olympian, in a rocking chair, with his feet on the mantel shelf. They had ouco or twice met on tho staircase, on which occasion Thatiher had greeted her with a word or two i.f respectful yet halt humorous courtesy a courteey which never really oireuds a true womaii, nlthough it often piques her self-aplomb by the slight assumption of superiority in tho humorist. A woman is quick to i-oeognizo tho fact that the great and more dangerous pussions are always serious, and may l, ex cused if in self-respect she is often induced to try if thcro bo not somewhere under the skin of this laughing Mercutio the flesh und blood of u Homeo. Thatcher was by na ture a defender and prods-tor; weak noss, ami weakness alone, stirred tho depths of his tenderness often, I fear, onlv imougii us nan -Humorous nsjHvts- and on nils plane he was pleased to place women und I children, i mention this lad for the U iicMi of the more youthful members of my spe. ns, and am satisllul that an uncomlil nuial sur render nnd I In-coiupli to Inj ing down at tho foot of beauty ot u!l strong iiiasnninity is a cheap Call! ism that is uutrnu-.latablo tu IOUJ31, nuiin-ii wormy mo wilimii; roi a woman must idway low, npti the man i'io truly lows s vcu it s n has to s,o down on In r knees to do it Only tho mas -ulino readi r will inf r f nui this that Carmen was in Jove with That mr, tho moro critical und analytical feiuf-ilne cyo j i -. n r s I FRIDAY. NOVEMBER paid a compliment to tho girl oven in tho unspoken but most delicato form of attention. There wero days when his room door was closes) ; thcro were days days succeeding these blanks when ho met her as frankly and naturally ns if he bad seen her yesteiday. Indeed, on those days following his Might the simple-minded Cat men, being aware heaven know-show thatho had not opened his door during that period, and fearing sickness, M,,i- lien Heath, or lierhaps suicide, by her appeals to the landlady, assisted unwittingly in dis covering his Might and di rection. As she i wis for a few moments in indignant as Mrs. l'ioilgilt, It Is evident that sho had but little sympathy with the delinquent. And Ihj sides, hitherto sho had known only Concho, her earliest friend, and was trim to his memory, ns against all Americanos, whom sho firmly believed to bo his murderers So sho dismissed the odei-und tho man from her mind, and went back to her painting a fancy portrait of the good l'adro .lunipero Serra, u groat missionary, w ho, happily for thu Integrity of his bones nud character, dhsl some hundred years lieforo tlw Americans took possession of California. The picture was fair but unsalable, and she began to lliink wriisisly of sign painting, which was then mueli moro opular and marketable. An unfinished b, ,,,) f Sun Juan ile Hautista, artificially I rained in clouds, she disposed of to a prominent druggist for $.V), wheru it did good service as exhibiting the effect of four 1 iot t li s of 1 'Jones's I-'recklo Hradicalor,'' and in n pleasant and iinobtruMvo way revived the memory of the saint. Still, sho felt weary and was growing despondent, and had a longing for tho good sisters and the blameless lethargy of conventual life, and then lie camel But not as the princo should como on a white charger, to carry away this cruel ly-uhusod and enchanted damsel. Ilo was sunburned, he was bearded liko"tho parti;'1 ho was n little careless as to his dress, and preoccupied in his ways. Hut his mouth and eyes were the same, and when he repcutl in his old frank, half-mischievous way thu invitation of his letter, poor littlo Carmen could only lu-itato mid blush. A thought struck him and sent tho color to his face. Your g. ntleinan Imrn is always as modest as a wo.nan. Ilo ran down stairs and seizin-; tho widowed I'lodgitt, said ha-tily. "You're just killing yourself here. Take a change. Come down to Monterey for a day or two with me and bring Miss De llaro with you for company," The old lady recognized the situation. Thatcher was now a man of vast Kissibili ties. In all maternal daughters of Hvo there is the slightest bit of thu chuperono and match maker It is tho last way of reviving the past. She consented and Carmen Do llaro could not well refuse. The ladies found the "Blue Mass" mills very much as Thatcher had previously delivered it to them, "u trifle rough and mannish. 11 Hut he niai'i-over to them tho one t. neineiit rcs'-ncd for himself and slept with his men, or more likely under the trees. At first .Mrs. riodgitt missed gas and running water, and these several conveniences of .civilization, among which I fear may bo mentioned sheets and pillow cases; but tho baK-im of tho mountain uir soothed her neuralgia and her temper. As for Carmen, she rioted in tho unlimited license of her absolute friM-doni from conventional restraint and the indul gence of her child-like impulses. She scoured tho ledges far and wide alone; sho dipped into dark copses and scrambled over tho sterilo Hatches of cheniLsal. and came li.-iel.- I t. n. ,i .. i i l,"im ".til .II-' JMHlli UUCKC.O Ol ISSOIUS. I ' - I maiizauita lierries and laurel. Hut she would j not ir.ako a sketch of the "Blue Mass com I pany's" mills on a Morrattfr's projection some! hiin; that could lie afterwards h'tho 1 graphed or hromocd, with (he mills turn , ing out tons of quicksilver tin ough the ener ! gies of a h.ippy and picturesque assemblage I of miners even to please her padrone, Don Hoyal Thatcher. ( )n Hi" contrary, sho luado u study of tho ruins of tho crumbled and de- cayod red rock furnace, with the black mountain ubovo it, anil tho light of a dying j camp liro shining upon it, and tho dull ml I excuvations in tho li-dge. Hut even this did ; not satisfy her until sho hod mado somo alterations, and when sho finally brought lrr I finished study to Don Hoyal, sho looked ut j Iiim a little defiantly. Thatcher admired j honestly, an 1 then criticised a little humor ously and di, honestly. "Hut couldn't you, I for a consideration, put up a sign board on that rock with tho inscription, "Houd to tho Blue Mass company's now mills to tho right," and combine business with art i That's tho fault of you geniuses. Hut what's this blanketed figure doing here, ly ing before the j furnace? You never saw one of my miners , there and a .Mexican, too, by his scrape." I "That," quoth Mistress Carmen, coolly," was 'put in to fill up tho foreground I wanted I toinethlng there to balance tho picture." ! "lint," continued Thatchi r, dropping intouii lonseiousiiilmiratiin again, "it's drawn to tho life. Tell me, M.s.s De llaro, lief on 1 uk 1 tho aid and counsel of .Mrs. I'lodgitt, who is my hated rival, und your lay ligiiro and model.''' "Oh," said Carmen, with u littb , sigh, "Its only poor Concho." "And where ! is Concho,'" (a little impatiently.) "Ile'sdend, I Don Hoyal." "Dead?'1 "Of a verity-very . dead murdered by your countrymen." "I seo and you know himj" "Ho was my friend." "Oh!" "Truly." "lift" (wickedly), "isn't this n rather ghastly advertisement outside of mi illus trated newspaper of my pinpertyf" ' Ghastly, Don Hoyal. Hook you, he sleeps." "Ay" (in Spanish), "a, the dead." Carmen i. iv.--ing her If hastily i, "After the fashion of th'-di-ad." They were both tooling uncomfortable. Carmen wa shivering. Hut, lieing u woman, and tuctful, she roeinerod her head first. "It is n study for myself, Don Hoyal; I shall make you another." And lm slipped uwny, u. sho thoii"ht. out i of tho subject uud his presence. Hut she was mistaken; in thu uvening ho I renew et I the conversation, Cirineu begun to I fence, not from cowardice or deceit, as thu i uiuseuhnu reader would ivud.ly infer, but from somo wonderful feminine iust.net that lold In r to be cautious Hut he poi from her tho fact, to him before unknowii, that sho was tho niece of his menu antagonist, and, Ih ing n gentleman, so iv loubled ills nttentioni lui -'om 'V that Mrs, I'lodgitt mado up 2(5. I sli,.TW! n.VK night poor Carmen cried herself to eloc-p, ro fcolving that sho would hereafter cast asido her wicked undo for this good-hearted Americano, yet never onco connu' ted her in nocent peiiinaii..hlp with the deadly lend bo- ineen mem. n omen tho lies! ol thcin tiro strong in to collateral facts, swilt of deduc tion, but vugiio as children are to the exact statement or recognition of pii-mises. Hi hardly ins-ess-iry to say that Carmen had never thought of connecting any act of hers with the claims of her uncle, and the circiim stance of the signatuio shu had totally for gotten. I he masculine reader will now understand Cui-inch's conliision and blushes, and lielievc himself mi ass to have thought themiicon lessitui of original direction. 1'ho feminine reader will, by this time, Ix-como satisfied that the deceitful minx's solo idea was to gain the all'ections of That-hcr. And m-lly don't know who is right. ovcrthcloss, she painted a sketch for Thatcher whli h now adorns the company's olllco ill San lVaneisco, in w hich the projiorty is laid out in pleasing geometrical lines, and tho rosy promi.-o of I ho future instinct in every touch of the brush. Then, having earned her "wage," as she believed, sho lio came somewhat cold and shy lo Thatcher, Whereat that gentleman lcdoublcd his alien Hons, seeing only in her presence a certain inepriso, which conei rued her nioie than him self. Thu nieco of his enemy meant nothing more to him than an inteiesting girl to lo protected always to be feared, never. Hut e en suspicion maybe insidiously placed in noble minds. Misttviss I'lodgitt, thus early "stopped of I matchmaking, of course put the blamu on her 1 own sex, and went over to the stronger side tho man's. "It's a great jly gals should lie so curious," she said, sotto voce, to Thatcher, when Car men was in one of her sullen moods. "Yet I s pose it's in her blood. Them Spaniards is always revenge! ul like tho I'yetalians. Thatcher ho.nstly loukf.il his surprise. "Why. don't you see, she's thinking how- all those lands mi-lit have boon her uncle's but for you. And instead of trying to bo sweet and" lu re she stopjKsl to cough. "Good Go 1!" said Thatcher, in great con cern, "I necr thought of that." He stopjicd fora inoinent. and then added with decision; "I can't lielievc it; it isn't liko her." Mr-s 1'. was pi piisl. She walked away, de livering, however, this I'.irtluaii arrow: I "Well, 1 hoo iifu'f 1,,'fiini uorsr." j iliati her chuckled, tln-u felt uneasy. When h" next met Carmen she found his gray eyes fixed on hers with u curious, half-inquisi toi ial look she had never noticed liefore. This only iiddiil fuel to the lire. Forgetting their relations of host and guest, she was abso- ' lutoly rude. Thatcher was quiet but watch ful; got the I'lodgitt to bed early, and, under cover of showing a moonlight view of tho , "Lost Chance .Mill," decoyed Carmen out of ear-hot, as far as the di-mantli d furnace. "What is the matter, Miss De llaro; havo I offended you! Miss ( '.ii men was not aware that anything ; was tho matter. If Don Hoyal preferred old friends, whose loyalty f course hi- knew, ami ulm leivv iiiorc sjtenl.imj ill inunfit I (rufi.-nina la his tidirr&ity (oh, Carmen! I fie!) if he preferred firir company to idler i ViYm.s why (the masculine reader will ob ' serve this tn mcinlous climax and tremble) 'why she didn t know why tr should blame j her. They turned and faced each other. The conditions for a porfict misunderstanding could not have been bett r arranged lictwocn two people. Thatcher was a masculine rea- souer, Carmen a feminine feeler if I may bo panloucd the expression. Thatcher wanted to get at certain facts and argue therefrom. Carmen wuutcd to get at certain feelings and then fit the facts to them. "Hut I am nut' blaming you, Miss Carmen,' he said gravely. "It tens stupid in me to con- front you here with the property claimed by your uncle and occupied by me, but it was a mistake no!" ho added hastily, "it was not a mistake. You knew it and I didn't. You oerlookedit before you came, and I was-too glad to overlook it afli r you were here." "Of course, said Cari.ien t(ishly, "I nin the only one to be blam-d. It's like von men (Mem. She was just fifteen, nml uttered this uwful ri sumo of experience just n.s if il hadn't Ix-en taught to her in her cradle.) ceiuiiiiue geueiauues always stagger a man. Thatcher said nothing. Carmen 1k rnme more em-aged. "Why did you want to tako Uncle Victor's proH-rty, then;" sho asked triumphantly. "1 don t know that it is your uncle's proi trty." "You don't know? Havo you seen tho application with Governor Michcltorena's indorsement! Have you heard the wit nesses" she said passionately. ".signatures iiiaylio forgisl and witnesses lie," said Thatcher quietly. "What is it you call 'forged;'" Thatcher instantly rconlHl the fact that the Sp.iiui.li language held no synonym for "forgery." Tin- act was apparently an inven tion of el Diablo Americano. So he said, wilh ii slight smile in his kindly eye: "Anybody wicked enough and dexterous enough can imitate another's handwriting. Winn this i. used to Iiem-Mt fraud we call it 'forgery.1 1 licg youriKirdon Miss De llaro, Miss Carmen what is tho niattorf" She had suddi nly lap-oil against a tree, quite helple.v,, nerveli-ss, and with staring eyes fixed on his. As yet an embryo woman, inoxerieiieod and ignorant, tho sex's instinct was Kitenti,d; she had in one plunge futh omul all that his reason had lieou years grop ing for. Thatcher saw only that sho was pained, that bho was helpless; that was mgh. "It is lissiblo that your uncle may h.ne U-en dc- eci.ed," he lioguii; "many honest men havo been fooled by clever but deceittid t ricks ten., men and women. "Stop! Mudro de Dies! Will you stopf" Thatcher lor nit instant recoiled from tho flashing eyes and white face of tho littlo figure that had, with menacing and clenched baby lingers, strode to hi, side. HostopiK-iL "Where is tin, application this forgery I" shu asked. "Show it to mo!" Thatcher filt rcliovod, and smiled tho su- jierior smile of our sox over feininino ignor ance. "You could hardly oxpi -t mo to bo trusted with your unclo's vouchers, lhspa pors of courso mo in tho luuids of his couusi 1 " "And when can I loavo this plncoi" she aakod passionately. PAGES. 1 .. lac.ible "1 u-.i j, i io-morrownt sunrise i 1 I. - " you v.ill." i-eturnid Vliut'-ln r ly "firm i.'is, Scmir." Tlr-y walked slowly back to tin- 1 i Thatcher wilh a masculine sense of ! i , n unisonal, ly nKlictod, Cnruicn with a v , i' In.stinet of Mug hocv.ly eru-lnl No word wtwffnthrri until tiny reacln d tin- cl ,or. Th 'ii Cat nn-n suddenly, hi her o'u, i-,r,-- n way, and in n chinl-liko treble, sung ouf merrily: "Good nigh!, O Don Hoyal, an pleasant dreams. 1 Instil maiinmi." 'J hat Ik.t stood cliti.il an I n-totmdi d ut thi (npricious girl. Sou saw his myst if lent Ion in stantly. "It is for tin old eat!" she wh.s pered, jeilJng her thumb over her slnmldei in the direction of the sleeping Mrs. "Good night go!" Ho went, to give orders lev a in-on to at tcnil tho ladles and their oqulpngo the nrxt dav. Ho uwoko t-i I ml Miss Do II.-uo gone, with her escort, towards Monterey. And without the I'l-nlgitt. ft i3 iv r rJ j L -V:: ' ;,:. u ft Apr J sW "H' call it Corner!-" Ho could not concc.: Ins surpiis from tho latter lady. She, left alone a not altogether unavailable victim to the wiles of our sex was embarrassed. Hut not so min h t Imt she could not say to Thiti her: - I told you so gone to her undo To tell him all '" "All. D n it, what can she tell liim!" roared Thab her, stun,' out of his self-control. "Nothing, I hoK-, li.it she should not," said Mrs. P.. nnd i h-istdy r. tirciL She was right. Miss Carmen posted to Monterey, running her horse nearlv olf its logs to do it, and then sent back In r I --ast anil -scort, laying she would rejoin Mrs-. I'lodgitt by (learner at San I-'rain-is o. Then sho went boldly to the law ollico of Sano-naii-ous W(id, district attorney and whilom solicitor ol her uncle. With the majority of masculine. Monterev Jliss Carmen was ki.own and resiM-etfullv ad mired, ds-iiite the infdix i-fj mi at i. m of her kins-man. Mr. Wood was glad to sei her.an l awkwardly gallant. MUs Carmen wnsio,.l and biLsim-sv-like; she hii-1 come fi-oinl.r uncle to "iegaul"the papers in the'-H .1 Hm-k Hancho'' case They were instantly pi o, Inc. ,1. Cariinn tiiimsl to tin- .-q pi' -at ion for tho grant. Her cheek paled slightly. With her dear memory and wonderful fidelity of per cept ion she could not be mistaken. The tig. nature of Mil holtorena was in her own hand writing1 Yet she looked up to tho lawyer with a smile. "May I take tin -e pajK-i-s for an ban to my uncle?" Uven an older and b. tter man than the dis trict attorney could not liuvo resisted those drooping lids and that gi ntlo voice. "Certainly." "I will return tlnsn in nn hour." Sho was as good a., her word, find within the hour iboppe.1 the p:qx'rs and a little i our tcsy to her uncle's legal advocate, and that night took the steamer to San I-Vain i- o Tin- next morning i--t,ir ( :ar,-ii, a I "1- tho worse fei the ii-i vn-as ni-J.fs di- .i,-.i-,hi, reeled into Wood's otlii e. "I have ferns, tor my nii-oo O.irmen. Sin- is w ith th en. m ," he said tliji My. "I.ook von at this." It was-an anonymou. letter uu Mix I'l lg iU's own nwkw.-inl fi !i. adi.sing him of tho fact that bis niece was bott-ht by the enemy, and cautioning him against her. "liiqwistiil.le,'' wiid tin- lawy'cr; "it was only last wit l she wut this- 'nl." Victor blushed, cmh through his ensan- guintsl i Ins ks.and inadeau iniiatient gestmo with his band. "Hcsiilet.." lidded the law yer coolly, -she has lieen ben' to examine tin- imjiiMn at th ix- qtn-st, and Ktui msl tiiem of yosteiikn " Victor t;as.sl "And you you ou- . ave them to her'" "Of course!" "A lit liven the up. -liration und tin ni turef" "Co tniiily you sent ln-r." "Sent her! The devil's own d.u. -lit. - shrieked Gnrtiu. "No! a hundred in. ,n times, no i Cuick. U '. re it is too la!. i , i.ie the iaK-ix" Mr WihhI n prodnce.l the (He, G,r r.-i . merit with ticiblni.. i;,ivi-s tin- 1-n I I h.tcln-d Us- liit.-uil dis -.nueilt. Not , with oieum:: it nnd gla. ',-uu ut in t t ,- i. tign.-itiire, Is- took it lb the wi'idow. It is tl.osanie," he Muttcml with a : - -'i , -i iclief. "Of con iv It is," sniil Mr. Woodsh.o' . Tho pntHtrs are all them You're ! Victor Garcia" ind so l.e was. And, for the i. that, so was Mr. Sapomu-eou Wood, Mi .o-iwh.le Miss De Uuro n'tliriled to ra. . eis, o rti-l resumed !- r work. . , , San i or , i nn ,.1 . , r - I ,cd ii n iwo l.itei she um, joiind Iv h -r l-m i I;x i'. bus loo large it iiutuiv to j . i iinony moil-. I. tier, wiiticu by her own 1 to mi I 1 t wivn lier mid hcrilcineain . lltil lilj-t r Sosbvcoild! d her mid u ' In r ti.-l t!iiiitd in slightly exa. ,i coloi- i ne net of Don Hoy ul nt hi r i in di -lure All of which Miss Carnn n re . I in u dt'iuiiiv, l.ittc.i like way, but still kept q, in Cv at her work. In duo tune Don Hoyul'- ir.hr was completed; still -ho bad lei uie nod . n hnatiou enough to ml, I ci rinln ti ,n lies to In r ghastly- sketch of the c. ,ib II. ig t'uinact . Never ;tir less, nj Don H- 'nl did iii)t ivturn, through excess of business. Mrs. I'lodgitt tui nisl mi honest penny by I i r his room, te nporai 'v, to two quiet M' i who, but f jf a lieastly habit of cig irnt j sr '.ing which tainUsl tho wholo house, wero ftitr enoiiBh loil(;eiv If they failed in inaUu tho uo- ft