Southern shield., 1853-02-26


 him, an stopped 10 examine it attentivelv.
 At this very moment the moon emerged from behind thin cloud, und its light glea ming probably npon a gistening rifle bar rel, betrayed their place of conceament. for sudden exclamation of surprised esca- ped the Spaniard; but this was the last sound that issued from his lips, for when he saw that they were discovered, Pearson had calmly raised his rifle, and taken sure aim; there was flash, quick, sharp re- port, then a cry of pain, and the Spaniard fell lifeless upon the stony soil.
 "Settle the other knave quickly, or he will escape us," he exclaimed to his con- panion, who, pale and breathless, was lean ing near him against rock.
 "Take my weapon-I cannot use it," groaned forth the latter as he reached Pear son his rifle. His comrade seized it in fe- verish excitement, and raised it to his cheek to rid them of their other enemy; but the latter stepped behind large oak, which completely covered him, and his call, in a few moments, brought the others to the spot, who, checked in their course by the report ot the rifle, now obeyed the signal with wild joy.
 But Pearson had not been idle mean while. Perceiving that the Spaniard was entirely protected from his aim, he had laid Thompson's rifle aside, reloaded his own, and was in the act of pouring powder in. to the pan, when he beheld the dark shad- ows ot their pursuers, as they glided rapid ly onward through the scattered masses off rock and trees.
 The Spaniard from behind his shelter, described in few words the lurking place Of their enemies, and pointed to the new victim that had fallen by Pearson's hand A loud, wild cry of vengeance was the an- swer; the two fugitiveS started nvoluntari ly. and, like tigers, the Spaniards cast .hem- selves upon their prey.
 Pearson's rife was at his cheek, and the first, who, with a pistol in bis left hand and knife in his right sprang towards him from behind a rock, fell, at a distance of scarcely ten paces, shot through the heart. Then casting aside his rifle, he seized that ot his companion, and with the rapidity of lightning, took aim at the next-but his finger touched the trigger in vain; the cock snapped indeed, and the sparks were scat tered in the open pan, but the powder had escaped from it in falling, and the flint fell idly upon the steel.
 At the same moment bright flash gleam- ed from behind an adjacent rock, and Pear son sank back lifeless upon his companion.
 The latter, collecting all his remaining strength, extricated himself from beneath the corpse, drew his knife, and defended himself with wild despair, against the three remaining assailants; but blow with the butt end of rifle sent him staggering backward, and while with his wounded left hand, he endeavored to grasp the rug ged rock, he fell, with a loud cry, into the deep, yawning chasm at his side.
 Three days had passed, when hunter from the settlement on the Hurricane, who was following the track of deer; observed a multitude of vultures circling about one ot the terraces which rises in succession above that stream.
 Curious to see what kind of game had here fallen prey 10 the voracious birds, he approached the spot and found the skel- eton of human body on the mountain, and, guided by the vutures, a second in the abyss below. Not far distant from the for mer. however, he discovered recent grave, and upon it, as a sort of monument, was a wide -brimmed black felt hat, thrust through with long knife, and thus fastened upon the hastily-raised mound.
 He hurried back at full speed into the settlement, and on the succeeding morning returned to the fatal spot, with all the neighbors that he could collect, in order , from here to follow the tracks of the mur- f dererS. Who these were, it was no difficult ' matter 10 conjecture; and if overtaken ' they would have been visited with the i most summary punishment. Bu, all their efforts were in vain. They followed the tracks of the mules for days long, and with all the perseverance, and subtlety of Indi- e ans. T.
 The Spaniards were too crafty for them, a however. Transferring their treasure to t their canoes, they had made their escape by n water, with the exception of one of their n 1umber, whom they despatched across the a country with the beasts, in order 10 lead n heir pursuers astray, who, as they rightly t would soon be upon their trail The single Spaniard, after having sold the 7, lnimais in distant village disappeared, no n ,ne knew where. :. Since that time, indeed, no Spaniard has V, into those mountains, where theyl :. we're sure 10 fall victims to the vengeance ..' f the rude borderers, but neither has the s liver mine on the Hurricane been found by . hose who live near by, and although many . hunter has roamed the mountains for this urpose, yet, thus far, all efforts have been T,