The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-08-12
EBENSDtRG, THURSDAY, AUGUST u, 1852.


will know" he exclaimed s'what this man or
this phantom doing In an hours time
you VII be safe in Tehuacan 1 shall be there
two hours after you" And deaf to the remon-
strances Of the two women and Gamboa, who
continued to see supernatural apparition in
the Midnight Mower, the track-seeker retraced
his steps at agallop, and soon disappeared
second time. Shortly afterwards, the party
drew near to the town; few minutes more and
all danger would be over, when a troop oftwen-
ty soldiers who had just issued from their gate,
stopped their way. Day was beginning to dawn
and the nets which each rider carried showed
that they were out in search of forage. Such
in fact was their design. The leader of the de-
tachment questioned the travellers; and in the
dragoon's horse, still mounted by Robinson he
saw confirmation Of the report furnished by
Gamboa, to reply To his questions.
After this incident the cavalcade entered Te-
huacan without further interruption or delay
While they are seeking quarters, we may say
few words respecting the stranger who had come
so unexpectedly into their company. Robinson
was owner of considerable freight of muskets
on board of O brig anchored outside the bar of
the Goazacalcos, ard had sailed with the inten-
ton Of selling them to the first customer royal
ist or insurgent. He had fallen in with a Span
ish coInmandant, who, after hearing and agree
ing to his propositions, contrived scheme for
obtaining possession of the cargo of arms with
out payment. The Englishmen was thereupon
seized, shut up in prison, and given to under
stand that the price of his liberty would be an
order for the delivery of the muskets-a practi
cal Illustration of might makes right-against
which he demonstrated vigorously but in vain.
gent General Teran, and bribed his keepers to
let him escape. They feigned compliance, and
received the stipulated sum but the prisoner
haes a,sea}y left the fort behind than they
tempted to recapture him, and would have sue
ceeded but for the happy intervention of And
res, as has been related.
Notvith standing his recent elevation, the in
surgent chief was accessible at ali hours, as well
by night as by day Robinson took no further
time than toslodge his horse at the pasado, to
eat a~rnouthful and at the moment that the bu-
giles sounded the reVille he presented himself at
the gates eff the palace. He was at once admit
ted, and found himself face to face with young
man, whose yisage denoted at once distinction,
afabilty and high intelligence. 1t was the in
dependent general, Don Manuel de Mercy Te-
ran !; he was seated before paper covered with
papers and maps, for the business of the day
had already commenced. Cash was then plen-
tiful with the revolutionary leader, and he re-
ceived Robinsons offer of the freight ofmuskets
with the greatest. satisfaction. They were set
Ting the terms of the purchase, when a noise
was heard in the square outside, where the ris-
ing sun shone on two regiments encamped in
the open air for want of barracks. The general
approached the window to see the cause of the
disturbance.
"Ah,' said he, ''our foragers-they have
come back still more abundantly laden than yes
terday but what does that man want with
them?'
e'That man." answered the Englishman, is
Andres Tabia, the track-seeker 1t is he who
rescued me so bravely from the hands of the
Spaniards and if your cause triumphs by the
aid of the arms supply you with, it is to that
man your thanks will be due"
Andres was gesticulating and speaking vehe-
mently, but his words were answered by laugh
ter. eff it please you to listen to him. said
Robinson to the general. 81 am convinced you
will be of his opinion
s.Well, we will see,'' replied the chief, and he
ordered the track-seeker to be admitted. The
latter cried as soon as he entered. ''Will it
please your excellency (Uueza ezentia to give or
ders to burn asssquickly as possible, all the TO
rage that your men have just brought in?'
'tAnd why, if you please?"
s.Because our enemies use all sorts of arms
against us, and they have profted by super
stition believed all over our province, to poison
the forage supposed 20 be cut by the Midnight
Mower, and of which the quality is not suspec-
ted This forage, say, will cost US the horses
of whole regiment
Andres seemed persuaded of the fact. The
general, therefore, gave orders for temporary
sequestration of the forage-too rare to be hight
ly sacrifced-until worn-out horse had been
fed with the lucerne, and the result ascertained
The order was obeyed
ssSo,' said the guerillero to the trackseeker,
when they found themselves alone, ''this Mid
hight Mower"
..Was only knave who played the part that
| I'D been marked out for him, but who was not
| ever enough for a match with me.
| ss.Then he confessed that the forage was pois-
oed ?"