Motion Picture Story Magazine (Feb-Jul 1912)

52 TEE MOTION PICTURE STORY MAGAZINE for our commandante. ' ' "A braying ass ! ' ' said a bolder one, and perhaps the others thought him nearer the truth. In such a valiant, or asinine, humor it was the misfortune of the alcalde to meet him. Cristobal Galvez, the alcalde, was one who had grown white-haired gracefully, abounding in good deeds, which welled from him naturally. He had not an enemy in a town full of hatred, but then he had no supporters, as he was thought too good-natured. So kindliness had its disadvantages, but he did not weign his actions pro and con as some do; and now he was coming on an errand of mercy, relating to a certain poor widow. Isabella felt his pity, too, and with her supporting arm and flashing smile made a crutch such as half the bowing caballeros could covet. On the flight of steps leading up to the Presidio, they crossed the gobernador — a mismated trio — for coming down in wrath and pompous gout, he was halted by loved old age, and youth, and grace, and beauty. But wrath and gout can have seeing eyes, and his grew mellow confronting the gray stars that Isabella reached them with. He mistook her level gaze for admiration (a conceited mattress in gold epaulettes), and anger and gout forthwith left him, swaying ponderously and — as he thought — gracefully above her. The alcalde was bid consult on some business of importance with his secretary, and then Chico turned all his batteries of charm upon the wondering girl. Her charm lay partly in her direct, trusting glance, and was doubly sure in masking her wit under the Quaker gray of calmness. When once she warmed, or exposed her guns, a double row of milk-white teeth, the besiegers always surrendered. She could not help smiling at the heavy-gallant efforts of the gobernador, which humored him completely. "My chick," he thought, "what roost in Monterey has hid you from the fowler ? ' ' And then, to make his con quest certain, he placed a pudgy hand beneath her cup of a chin to uptilt it. A vigorous push — and hat and cane (and some say wig) were rolling down the steps. She burst out in silvery laughter as he clambered down in haste to salvage his emblems of dignity and youthfulness. Here, again, the unlucky alcalde must bear the brunt of his wrath, for coming down, he approached the discomfited Mexican to assist him from the kindness of his heart. Chico turned on him, stuttering in his rage. "You will hear more of this," he shouted, "with your mincing, soft ways. And as for this jade," he added, turning a furious glance on Isabella, "I'll make her the jest of the town. It's an easy step from huzzy to " He clapped on his hat and strode on, muttering her fearful ending. An hour passed, and a busy one for the gobernador, for he was no coward nor boaster — fool, knave and libertine that they said he was, withal. And in this hour he did a courageous thing, and one according to his liking, for he dispatched a document to the gentle alcalde that bowed him in his chair. Isabella found him half-fainting with the letter grasped before him. ' ' Read it to me again, ' ' he said in a heartbroken manner; "I can scarce believe my eyes." She loosed his trembling hands from the official scroll and sought its words. " 'Senor,' she read, " 'by the power invested in my person as gobernador of Alta California, I hereby remove you from the official duties of alcalde, because of your incompetency and carelessness in discharge of said duties/ " "A terrible charge — to me!" the stricken alcalde groaned. "No, not terrible, father!" she cried, "brutal, that's the word. I can fairly feel his hate burning thru the last malicious lines!" "I have done much good," he said, brokenly. "I had never thought that dishonor would overtake me, ' '