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TEE MOTION PICTURE STORY MAGAZINE
her, muffled her mouth with a handkerchief and tried to draw her out of sight of the house and the road. But her scream had been heard, and from the house came running a middle-aged woman, making the air clamorous with her cries. To Pedro's horror, there was an answering halloo from the road, and, a moment later, the sheriff dashed in, followed by his deputies and Melita.
The crumbling of her hopes staggered the plucky girl for one brief moment. When she saw her beloved Pedro being roughly handled and manacled, her resentment flared up anew, and the sight of the other girl, fainting in her mother's arms, acted as a fuse to her imagination. Without warning, she flew into a terrible rage. She denounced Pedro as a faithless lover, accused him of making overtures to the other girl, and vowed that she was done with him forever. Stunned as he was at this capping of the climax of his misfortunes, Pedro still made efforts to expostulate, and explain the situation. She was obdurate, and poor Pedro listened to her scornful denunciations in helpless misery. The men turned to get the horses ready for the ride to La Vista. In that instant Melita laid her hand on Pedro's arm and whispered: "I am but acting a part, Pedro mio, to be able to help thee. If I hate thee, they will not suspect and watch me. Trust me, querido!"
When the men ordered them to mount their horses, Melita was still railing at Pedro, and he was sullenly objecting to her accusations. The men laughed among themselves.
' ' Gee ! what a temper ! ' ' said one. "•The spunky little devil would stick a knife into him if she got a chance ! ' '
Melita heard the laugh and knew that they were talking about her. But her mind was too busy with the future to spare any thoughts for present retaliation.
When the party reached La Vista, Melita was told that she could go on her way. She dismounted, and, with a parting taunt to Pedro, started up a pathway to her home.
THEY BIND PEDRO TO A CHAIR
There were no jails in La Vista, so culprits were housed temporarily with the sheriff, until such time as it became necessary or convenient to remove them to the jail at the county seat. So Pedro was hustled into a bare room, rudely forced into a chair, and bound ankle to ankle with leather thongs. Having satisfied themselves that there was no possible chance for him to release his bonds, the officers of the law went out upon the porch with pipes and newspapers and a conviction that they had earned a spell of relaxation.
From the rear of the house stole Melita, flattening herself against the wall, advancing a few steps at a time. The gringos were talking. She listened, and learnt that Pedro was behind the very window under which she crouched. Raising herself, she looked in. Pedro drooped despondently in his chair. She tapped softly on the window and smiled at the awakening hope and animation in the dark eyes that lovingly met hers. Softly she raised the sash. The gringos still talked on the porch. She climbed into the room and went to the door to listen. The talking still continued. She tiptoed back to Pedro, took his knife from his pocket and tried to cut the thongs about his ankles. It was slow work, and the moments were precious. She must get Pedro out of there as quickly as