The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-10-04

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The bandit, with sudden movement,
displaced the veil while he was speaking,
and 1 again saw face of the most raw
ishing beauty.
The reader will doubtless conclude
that was in love, and so make due al
lowance for my enthusiasm.
l stepped softly from my covert, and
as the lady's eye fell upon my person. L
laid my finger upon my lips and then
pointed Significantly to Uncle Samuel s
badges upon my shoulders. The mo-
ment L had finished this brief panto-
mime, l advanced upon the mountaineer
noiselessly and suddenly, and thrust the
inuzzle of my rifle barrel against his ribs
with an energy that nearly unhorsed
him. hHa
To turn fercely upon me was of course
his first movement, exhibiting a most
angry and forbidding face, while he FUN
bled for pistol with his right hand,
which demonstration / put a stop to by
striking him across the arm with my
weapon. If Mexican oaths had power
to hurt, should have been overwhelmed
in an instant, for he poured forth per-
feet storm of them. l was "fillibus-
tering american, a cussed gyingo," and
everything else that he could convent
emily think of on the spur of the occa-
sion .-
ordered him to move off on the
Vegas road, and very reluctantly he
showed me his back in obedience to that
mandate. He paused at the distance of
half dozen yards, and spoke to the lady
in tho language of the country. | did
not fully understand what he said, but
compreheded enough to know it was of
threatening and insolent character.
" Hurry up" l cried, g. or [ may not
let you off as L first intended. Your
impertinence well merits sound aagel-
lation."
=" Let me take another look at you,
Senor Gringo, and will be off, shall
remember your features-I have mark
ed you-harl -ha u he retorted with a
malicious laugh.
+" Do not threaten I added, holding
my rifein a peculiar way. 81 presume
your place could soon be supplied, if a
rifle bullet should chance to run against
you, few tears would be shed by the peo-
pie of the valley. "
=" I'm going, Gringo, but as [ said,
his hand to the young lady, saying
" Adios, my pretty saint, we will talk
this matter over some other time
adios "
The mountaincer spurred his mus
tang, and was soon hidden from view by
turn in the road. The lady who had
remained silent during this scene, took
occasion to express her sense of personal
obligation to me in very earnest and
becoming manner. Her voice was sweet
and won upon lie almost as much as her
beauty and graccfulness. L listened
with pleasure, not unmingled with sur
prise, to her correct pronunciation and
pure English. When she ceased, made
use of those commonplace phrases
which are invariably employed under
such circumstances, the repetition of
which is not ncedful-and, indeed, to tell
the truth, I cannot we'll recall what [
did say; for l was strangely confused
when L found myself alone with the
lovely unknown who had engrossed. all
unwittingly, so many of my thoughts for
the past few days.
perceived that she was greatly agi-
tated also in consequence of the rude
ness which she had encountered; so that
when she invited me to call at the ran
cheria, in order that she might more
properly express her sense of gratifca-
tion, L like stupid fellow, did not think
to ask where the rancheria might be, or
who 1 should inquire for. Well, the
consequence was, that she had ridden
away and left me long distance. be
hind, before L thought of my error.
The reader may fully believe that [
reproaohed myself in measured terms
for such palpable oversight. The Ia
dy either supposed that l knew where
her residence w:s, or had, in her per-
turbation, forgotten that important par
ticular. To follow her to the rancheria
of, for [ was several miles from Moro,
and she rode fast enough to preclude
the possibility of doing so, had the dis
tance been much less.
retraced my steps to the PADRES, my
mind in strange state of perplexity.
The second appearance of the unknown
had quite finished the work of enchant-
ment which commenced when I first
caught a glimpse of her face in the
street. For the next few days walked
the town of Moro with patience and per-
severance which, in worthy cause, would
certainly have been deemed commend
able But there was not house among
the two hundred composing the town,
which I thought good enough to be the
residence of my senorita; and then [ re-
membered that she had spoken of " the
rancheria, 81 and concluded that it
might be at the lower end of the valley,
or even farther. -.s...t-asi
The unity and consistency of my story
now compels me to speak about Father
Gardette-my kind friend and entertain
er. The padre owned very superior
horse of American breed which he had
purchased of Mr.. Bonny, a gentleman
from the States, who had been settled
in that part of the country for several
months. The animal was indeed a fine
one, and the pride of ownership, was
quite excusable. Beside the PADRES
steed, the Mexican nags shrunk into
colts, scurvy and stunted at that Even
my own horse, which considered one
of the best (although lie had been lame
week, on account of losing shoe and
injuring the hoof,) was somewhat iuferi-
or in looks if not in speed; but about
the latter 1 was in doubt, as their PAGES
had not been tested in the way of rivalry.
Gardette had many offers for his ami
NAL, but always refused to part with