A Romance of Gila Bend [pp. 447-454]

A ROMANfCE OF GILA BEND.
ous consultations they held, in the afternoon the dog was missing, until near
sundown, when he dashed into the station, panting and with protruding tongue.
Unobserved, she stole away, and when
quite a distance from the house, Bose
came tearing through the cactus after
her. The little cloud of dust seen in the
distance came nearer and nearer, and,
as soon as the horseman was distinguished, the race between Dora and
Bose began, and when the different parties met, Bose was fain to leap up and
salute the horse's face-because the
rider was otherwise engaged. The
horse continued the journey at a slow
wvalk, while Dora looked the question
she was too timid to ask. "Yes, darling, I think your aunt will be satisfied,"
answered George.
"Then you have brought a man?"
Her curiosity had conquered, for she
could see no human being beside themselves.
"I have." His laugh made her shrink
a little-like the mnimosa sensitiva, when
touched by ever so dainty a finger-and
he added, soberly: "Two of them: one
is the station-keeper at Kenyon's Station. Their wagon will come into sight
directly, but I don't want them to see
my little girl out here with me."
An hour afterward, a heavily-laden
wagon, drawn by two stout horses, came
rolling into Gila Bend, followed by
George. A hearty welcome was extended by all to the new arrivals-even
Bose, the hypocrite, barked and capered as though he had not greeted his
master two miles down the road. Supper was served by the mother and aunt,
the latter being narrowly but furtively
watched by the station-keeper of Kenyon's Station. All thoughts of business
or departure seemed banished for that
night, the aunt and the newly-arrived
station- keeper enjoying their pipe in
quiet harmony a little apart from the
rest. The next morning the second
man was offered to the aunt, by George,
as a substitute for Dora; but as the Kenyon's Station keeper had offered himself
to her as a husband earlier in the day,
the substitute was declined. Neither
George nor the second man, however,
seemed disappointed; indeed, there was
something suspicious about the readiness with which he went to work on the
half-finished corral at the station.
That night they all sat out under the
trees together; there was no more reserve or secrecy maintained. A dozen
papers of the choicest brands of tobacco, and half a dozen bottles of "Colorado River water" from Fort Yuma, had
wonderfully mollified the step - father.
As soon as possible, a Justice of the
Peace was imported from Arizona City,
to which place he was faithfully returned, after having made two happy couples
at Gila Bend.
Many months after, on my way back
from Tucson, we came quite unexpectedly, between the latter place and Sacaton, on a new shanty. It was built of
unhewn logs of cotton-wood and mesquite-trees, the branches with their foliage furnishing the roof. A certain cheerful, home- like air about the place made
me surmise the presence of a woman.
I was not mistaken; for, though the only
door of the hut was closed, and I could
see no window, a loud but pleasant treble
voice rang out directly: "Dad- Bud!
come right hy'ere to me. I know that's
her comin' thar; I jest know it is: " and
a little, lithe body rushed out of the door
and up to'the ambulance. A rouglhlooking man came slowly from behind
the house, and Bud, with a selection of
dogs at his heels, clambered over a piece
of fence-merely for the sake of climbing, as there was plenty of open space
to cross.
The delegation insisted on my alighting, which I did, in consideration of
Dora's mother being at the head of it.
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