Chata and Chinita, Chapters XXXIII-XXXV [pp. 2-24]

1887.] Chata and Chinita.
spoken no more of her foster father-had at the door of the meson of El Toro. And
asked no question as to what hands were almost at the same moment, far on the
set to tend him, nor in what direction lay other side of the mountain, two travelers, so
the cave in which he was sheltered. Such wrapped in long frazadas and covered by
queries would have been useless-she could wide sombreros as to be almost indistindo nothing; yet it would have been but guishable, the man from the woman, drew
natural that she should have made them. rein before a mass of cactus and grey rock;
Even if his care of her neglected infancy was and while the one gazed furtively around,
fbrgotten, or accepted as a matter of course, vainly seeking a sign of human contiguity,
and though her mind was absorbed by the other dismounted, and bending to a
thoughts of her own history, and her wrongs, mere crevice in the rock gave a long, low
yet his very connection with them should whistle, then turned to help his companion,
have made him an object of interest, if not saying, "That will bring Stefano. China,
of tenderness. thou wilt see that, though a coward, he is no
"Heavens!" he murmured, "can it be fool and has cared well for the ~adrino.
that this strange creature, as different in her Said I not so? Ah, here he comes."
instincts as in her appearance and education, Chinita was cramped by long riding, and
can be of the same blood as Mary. A be- was fain to cling to her guide. She looked
wildering charge shall I take to her, if Dora around her with a shudder. The wild soliIsabel still, to save the reputation of her tude of the place was terrible. She feared
daughter, lays no claim to this beautiful girl, to move, lest she should find herself face
and denies her such scanty justice as she to face with death. Her head swam,
can give! For a daughter of an Ashley the world turned black before her eyes; and
must not be left to the sport of chance — in the midst a strange hand touched her own.
neither to be sold to the first who bargains A low laugh sounded on her ear-it was
for her beauty, nor, worse still, to be con- that of a woman.
signed to a convent, as the unhappy Her- "Santa Maria!" she heard Pepe' exclaimlinda was. If this Gonzales but proves a ing. "It is the Vtrgin de la Fatrocenia herman of honor, I may gain some aid from self. It is then that we are too late to serve
him; he, at least, may know in which con- the poor~adron!"
vent this woman-whom he also loved-is The low laugh sounded again-there was
immured. By the way, he is a fanatic upon in it more of madness than sanctity.
this new scheme of Juarez, of secularizing Chinita, with superstitious fear and desperthe property of the clergy. Ah, in event ation, sought to wrench her hand from the
of the success of the Liberal arms, that hot clasp in which it was held. The close
might work countless and unimagined air of the entrance of the cave closed round
changes!" her, as with persistent force she was drawn
The thought was full of suggestion. Ash- within; and with a scream of terror she fell
ley gave rein to his horse, and dashed for- fainting, overcome by the excitement and
ward with fresh vigor. Afterward he scarce exertion of many hours, and by the unex
remembered how the day passed; but its pected apparition which had greeted her.
close found him, spent and weary, alighting Louise Palmer`leaven.
[To BE co~~i~uED.]