The Happy Family

weeds of mid-May tangled in the wind. The roundup tents of the Flying U Feature Film Company stood white as new snow in the moonlight, though daylight showed them an odd, light-blue tint

ed, to the youngest pair of knock-kneed twins which Happy Jack found curled up together cunningly hidden in a thicket. They had been honored

ry gray and brown, a coyote yapped a falsetto message and was answered by one nearer at hand-his mate, it might be. In a bush under the bank that made of it a black blot in the unearthly white

moccasined feet. Yet she passed the bush and the bank and went away up the arroyo, silent as the shadows themselves, swift as the coyote that trotted over a nearby ridge to meet

who owned many cattle and much land by right of an old Spanish grant. He was standing in the shadow of the ledge, leaning against it as they of sun-saturated New Mexico always lean

f her race she waited to see what he would do; to read, if she might, what were his thoughts-his attitude toward her in h

is own quiet camp on the slope that had the biggest and the wildest mountain of that locality for its background. He settled himself anew with his other shoulder against the rock, and muttered something in Spanish-that

t he was tall and he was straight, he was dark as she, he was strong and brave and he bad many cattle and much broad acreage. Annie-

silent. Ramon Chavez, waiting in the shadow of the ledge, muttered a Mexican oath and stepped out into the moo

tents and took a step forward, she laughed softly, a mere whisper of amusement that might have been a sleepy breeze stirring the bushes somewhere near. Ramon sta

superfluous words as is the Indian way, her voice that pure, throaty melody that is a

his two arms to fold her close and got nothing

re she had been, and saw the place empty. He laughed, cha

d. "Till priest say marria

d not attempt to touch her, and so, reassured, she stood close so that he could see the pure, India

his race betrayed in tone and acc

"I not like cow, for make plenty noise. I

hing out again, only to lay hold upon not

nd priest, I read prayers, I mind Wagalexa Conka-" There

of her armor. "So? He send yoh then to talk wit

sed. "You tell me come here you tell me must talk when no one hear. I come. I no ask Wagalexa Conka-him

. Yoh lov' him, perhaps? Bah! Yoh dirt onder his feet." Ramon did not seriously consider that any woman whom he favored could sanely love another man more than himself, bu

les might half reveal, half hide her thoughts; but the tongue, as her tribe had taught her sternly, must speak the truth or keep sil

know just what was the tie between these two. He had heard Luck Lindsay speak to the girl in the Sioux tongue. He had seen her eyes lighten as she made swift answer. He had seen her always eager to do Luck's bidding-had seen h

ow, make Indian fight with cowboys-all them act for Buffalo Bill-Pawnee Bill show. That time Wagalexa Conka boss of Indians. He Indian Agent. He take care whole bunch. He make peace when fights, he give med'cine when somebody sick. He awful good to them Indians. He give me candy, always st

n school. "Make him sdop'," she finished triumphantly. "Indians make much dance, plenty music, lots speeches make him Indian man. My fathe

mother go, all us go. We work long time. I," she added with naive pride in her comeliness, "awful good looking. I do lots of foreground stuff. Pretty soon hard times come. Indians go home by reservation. I go-I don't like them reservations no more.

that white girl come," Ramon observed, hittin

shot struck home. But in the shadow hate blazed unseen from her

" he complained. "Yoh lov' hi

r, my friend," she replied calmly, a

how he treat yoh-and yoh so trying hard always to Please. He got no heart for yoh-me, I see that." He moved a step closer, hesitating, wanting yet not quite darin

ance between them. "Why you not sa

ay yoh go weeth me, I be one happy man. I go back on camp and my heart she's singing lov' song. My girl weeth eyes that shine so bright, she lov'

. Maybe much troubles come. Maybe much happy-I dunno. Lots time I see plenty trouble come for girl that say them words for man.

t other. Me, I gets damn' sick hear that talk all time. Bimeby he marree som' girl, then what for you? He don' maree yoh, eh? He do

g stubborn under his importunities. "Wagalexa Conka my bro

saw her turn toward toward him again. The love-talk-that was what a

When I say I be

lov' me. Yoh maybe be happy, yoh kn

nothing but how beautiful my sweetheart is. I not tease yoh no more. Tell me, how long Luc

ot h

e gone do when roundup's all finish? Me, I know she's finish las' week. Looks l

ot h

. What's matter over there, nobody hear nothing? Lu

-I d

not the first time he had found himself hard against

eeth like a wolf?"

t." It cost Ramon some effort to kee

sk Wagalexa Co

s why I don' ask. M

might almost be called wheedling. "Me, I'm awful busy tomorrow. I got long ride away off-to my rancho. I got to see my brother Tomas. I be back here not before night. Yoh tell

to hide the fact t

olmes comes close, I feel snakes. Him not friend to Wagalexa Conka-say nothing-alw

ill Holmes one silver bridle, perhaps. I don' know-mus' tal

-which is the Indian way. Ramon, having learned

essage to Bill Holmes, she had given her word. That was one great advantage, considered Ramon, in dealing with those direct, uncompromising natures. She might torment him with her aloofness and her reticence, but once he had won her to a full confidence and submission he need not trouble

knew how, and avoided the wide, bright-lighted stretches of arroyo where he would have been plainly visible, Ramon both saw and heard him before he reached the ledge. What Ramon did not see or hear was A

lmly until Bill Holmes left camp stealthily that night, and she followed him. It was perfectly simple and sensible and the right thing to do; if

r bridle. She heard many words, but the two were speaking in that strange Spanish talk whi

Bill was telling all that he knew of Luc

nger; he's taken enough spring roundup stuff now for half a dozen pictures. He'll be moving in to the ranch again pretty quick. And I know this picture calls for a lot of t

e will he work?" Ramon was plainl

know any more than you do. And there's a running fight down the street and through the Mexican quarter. The rest is just street stuff-that an

fingers trembled so that he could scar

script. But he's been giving you some good bits right along where he needed a Mexican type; and those scenes in the rocks the other day was bandit stuff with you for lead. It'll be

uttered a few sentences-rapid instructions, An

es replied in English. And he added as he st

, when he was happy if the "squaw" but smiled upon him. It was because she had repelled his sly lovemaking that he had come to speak of her slightingly like that; she knew it. She could have named the very day when his manner towa

an incident of that kind. She whispered a fierce command to the little black dog and stood very still for a minute, listening. She did not hear anything further, either from Bill Holmes or the dog, and finally rea