Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-12-31

/" And have you really been robbed on
your journey back and forth ~ inquired.
Z" think have paid my share o. the
isdrOHe, for my transit through their eOun.
try ?" she laughed.
"And you expect to continue a repetition
Of the same for the rest OF your LIEF"
"wbo knows1" she replied. AT least
hope to bo always prepared"
"And your iellow.uavelers. .aid I
" have you never seen any disposed to resist
thc-e unlawful acts7
Once. Senior. an American and An Eng.
ii.hmAn, who were in the sane diligencia
sith me Cred upon tho robbers. killing one
and wounding two"
:" And did the robber. Gre hack1'
"Ye.. bot hcd immediately. and iortu.
nately injured none Of our party"
"A. should have expected, f" returned I.
" You were not robbed on that occasion, |
.upPo.c.'"
=" We were not. Senior hut the two Tor.
eGner, subsequently, paid dearly Tor their
remon'trance for in jonrneying back and
forth, both were killed, sper'te and a, dit.
fervnt line-, near ,he same spot. You sce,
these crosse. by the side Of tho road. s..
nor 80
81 have observed them frequently. bu,
hers there they seem 81 10 much more nu.
mernus," | replied looking forth from the
vehicle.
f" Each stand. on the .pot where some one
has met violent DEATH" she rejoinel,
and q, We 20 along, will call your a,ten.
ton To those where the foreigners met
theirs"
DO you know. said e. that Am re-
solved to emulate their example. let the
consequences be wha, they may"
Holy saint. defend me !" she exclaimed
You are not in earnest, scnorl"
Seriously 50, | assure you"
" You would only bring certain death upon
us both"
"Sly, rather, should tighten the cK.
pen.s OF tie purney-lor your knights oi
the road understand retrra, as we'll as ad.
nnee-and you yourself have acknowledge
tha, Grm resistance put them to hight
once"
" But there were numbers opposed to
them and you are only one"
" But fortunately have couple Of re-
yolSsrs. which. in ,wo good hand. amount
To some ten or dozen shot.. and my
friends have repeatedly told mo am not
bad mark.man."
"Ah! Santa Maria you will think bet-
ter Of this. Ssnor-,he very idea Of resist.
ancs terr6cs m- !"
+" But not the idea oi rohhery7"
" Because have never met with vio-
lcncc
We continued 10 cmvere in n similar
strain Tor some time long,r-my fair com.
panion gradually chansin, the suhjeei, and
seeming much interested in myself |
learned that her family name was Valerde.
that she was unmarried, that her lather and
brother were officers in the army, and -
forth. and 90 on; and IN rrturn | gave her
my own name. stated something OF my bis.
tory business and prospects, and altogether
became moro communicative than | would
advise any friend To be with any stranger OF
either sex in n strange country.
A. We continued our journsy. the con-
ver'ation gradually changing from one thing
to another, Senorita Paula suddenly brought
i; back to the point where !, first opened.
1--WE are coming up"n a dangerous part
OF the road," she 'aid; "are you .,ill res
olSrI To defend yourself II as.silrd1"
with your permission. Senorin'"
Z" | don't think IL advisable" she replied
3" hut still IL such he your intention, !
think it no more than righ, that yoa ,hould
give me chance to take q pat in my de-
fence, since my risk Of danger will be as
a. yours"
And have you really tn" nerve, after
all to defend yuur.elf?' I inquired.
Ill I hal the msans, Senor."
IL have two pistols" said !; ell you
will aecept Of one Of them !, b. at your ser.
vice."
You are very kind, SenOr-bu, eau I
Gre it'"
with ease, SenOri,a;" and producing
one OF my reyolrers, | explained TO her the
manner In which il was to bs used.
And this you say will shoot some half
dozen times?"
~ think it safe to calculate that FIVE
charges out Of Elk will explode. Senorita."
"A very formidable weapon, indeed :"
she replied {" aud with such can almos,
fancy VIC are saic. Yos have another. you
say like this?"
produced it.
"what a beautiful invention she obser-
ved. reaching over and taking 1t from my
hand. Then extending her hands, one Of
the reyolyers in each, she continued "Arm-
ed like this one might almost count him.
self safe against host You say this is
fred in this nanner'" she proceeded. cock
ing one Of the weapons as she spoke, and
pointing il toward the road.
"Ilave a care Senorita, or you will dis
charge IT,"
The words were scarcely uttered, when
her finger pressed tie trigger. and one Of
the barrels VAS exploded with sharp re-
port. A moment after and while ! was
Chilling her, We heard loud Quick tramp