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CHILDJ:{,EN OF THE SOUTH 3

Manuel is in love with a tall straight girl of thin and
graceful body, with jet black hair and dark velvety
skin and - - - eighteen. But she is rich and Manuel
is well bred but poor.

The parents of the young Senorita in addition to
their great wealth and enormous estates, are despotic
and proud of their high position.
Manuel and his Senorita have many romantic
meetings. And it is at one of these stolen trysts that
she tells Manuel her parents intend to force her to
marry a rich man of title. Manuel is frantic but power-
less. He evolves a plan whereby they can elope, and
by a hard journey through the mountains get to a
priest and be married. The girl agrees eagerly-to meet
her lover at a certain place at an appointed hour, so
they can start upon their journey. But Manuel waits
in vain. The Senorita is caught when leaving home by
her enraged parents and made a prisoner in her room.
A Priest is sent for and the girl is informed that the
hated marriage is to take place at once. The girl is
frantic, desperate, and determined not to be separated
from the man she loves. And while they are making
ready for the ceremony, she takes poison, just as
Manuel, her lover, climbs through the window of her
prison room. The poor distracted girl dies in Manuel's
arms, with a prayer of love upon her lips. The parents
with the Priest and rich suitor come to carry out the
wedding.
Manuel is insane with justifiable rage. He calls down
the curses of Heaven upon the parents and he kills the
rich lover, thereby forever becoming an outlaw and a
fugitive from justice.
His rage against the rich never subsides, and as a
bandit he roams Mexico. He robs the rich and gives to
the poor. He seeks out poor hunted families and at
great risk goes to them alone and leaves them wealth.
This gives Manuel Maretta the Outlaw a protection
in a country where itis difficult under any circumstances