Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1916)

168 A Sister of Six {Continued fro "The Senorita Prudeneia," he murmured, and bowed low. "It gives me great pleasure to meet thee. Of a neigh burliness I have shown too little. I come to make amends." Prudence paled. "But why come as Mr. Sepulveda?" "It pains me quite as much as thee that I come as my— as Sepulveda," he explained haughtily. "But I come as I must. I have important business with thee." Prudence backed toward the door. Don Francisco saw, but continued smiling. "I come in peace," he said presently. "I know of the dislike of thy uncle. It is unfounded, ridiculous. With thee I would make friends. Come, let us converse." Prudence advanced proudly and sat opposite her visitor. "Perhaps he really means it all," she thought. Her opinion of their neighbor grew better as he talked. It was possible that her uncle and Sepulveda were wrong. She might be able to put things on a more favorable footing. So she was gracious. At the end of his call, Don Francisco held out both hands to Prudence. "So, we make friends," he said entreatingly. And she placed her hands in his. At the touch of her, Don Francisco threw his pretended courtesy to the winds, and amorously drew the slender figure to him. The girl was suddenly strengthened by fear. She broke his hold and ran for the door. Don Francisco followed. And before she could escape he cut off her retreat. She circled to the center-table of the room, keeping it between them. "I want thee ! I will have thee ! There is no use to call. My men are here ; they will do what I bid." Don Francisco breathed hard as he spoke, and tried again to catch Prudence in his arms. But again she eluded him. "Thou little devil ! I love thee the more for thy strength," he cried. "Come," and he held out his arms. "I am the man for thee. I am of the blood of nobles. Better be my favorite than marry with a vaquero." Prudence had gained the table again and was groping wildly. Suddenly her hand felt the cold of the revolver in the drawer. In a flash she held the weapon, pointed it at the Spaniard, and pulled the trigger. The noise of her shot produced a terrible effect. Spaniards sprung from everywhere. m page 132) The house was surrounded. Servants screamed, and the children, who had been taking their afternoon nap, started crying. But Prudence had head now. An enemy lay dead at her feet. She had tasted of victory. With a cautioning word to the children to stay right where they were, she grabbed a rifle from the wall and ordered ' the house locked. Then from a window the battle began. She held her enemies while two of her uncle's men. working not far from the house, could run to her aid. But both were killed by the time another dusty horse and rider pounded into the yard. He came with both guns firing into the Spaniards. He seemed a human howitzer. Dropping from his horse he seized the rifle of a fallen man, aiming from his knee. "Sepulveda !" went the word from one Spaniard to another, and those who could, broke and ran. CEPULVFDA explained everything to *^ Caleb Winthrop when he returned with the re-established deed to E'anta Rosa. He acknowledged that he should not have loved Prudence clandestinely. "But," he added, "if it had not been so, I Avould not have ridden all night in order to take advantage of the fact of your absence to see Prudence. And if I had not arrived when I did, well — " The young fellow paled under his tan. "Then it really was you who wrote the note to Prudence." said Winthrop. puzzled. "I did not. I never wrote. I came. Don Francisco was always extravagant with words. He never thought a man would ride all night, because he never loved a girl ; but he knew how to talk and write love. I'd ride two nights for five minutes with your niece." "That sounds like California!] lor New England push, all right." agreed Winthrop. "You'll do — that is. if you'll stand for the other six." Instinct compelled him to try to make a good bargain. "I stand for 'em." answered Sepulveda heartily. They say in the great Southwest that Spanish blood mixed with any other spoils both. Joaquin Sepulveda was by birth half Spanish and half American. He was the exception which proves the rule.