The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1872-11-22

a.. 80 q +--s-A -
held on fast to the W lalebone handle
OF the whip, while the sharp teeth
vainly Tgashed and tore at the sponpv
wool that clogged them, and l retained
my hold in sheer, desperation, striking
in with my knife whenever | got q q
chance, but usually baffled by the
tenac ous armor Of my invalnerable ad.
versary.
Charlie, q few feet distant, sobbinr
Piteously, at the same time crying aloud
in appeal to Guachos, whom he knew
"Sanch y Diegor' Gel Negro r'-to
help "Mirry Warburton !" for the dear
little fellow, delivered from his agony
OF alarm, seemed now to think only of
my peril. The idea was a good one, al
though the child's weak voice could not
of course reach far. Exerting the full
strength of my lungs, twice shouted
forth the well desert cry when
laguar is sighted: "Mozos, mii-El
Tigre Mo EOS i'-and | fancied, as
uttered the second call, that l heard
distsnt answer, like faint echo. But
had need of all my muscles, for the
iEfuriated animal with which / fought,
tearing the cloth of the soft mantle to
pulp, was gradually getting its grim
jaws free. Twice already had my wrist
and arm been grazed by its keen teeth
i bear the white scars to this day.
and the horrible odor of the creature,
and the remorseless glare of its small
bloodshot eye, impressed me with the
fantastic notion that my enemy was
something evil beyond the mere furious
greed of wild beast. Yet grasped
the whalebone whip handle, and drove
in the knife with all the force of an
arm that was fast growing exhausted.
Spent, breathless, giddy, l was dragged
down, and, in kneeling attitude, ex.
erted the remains of my waning strength
in stab at the alligator's throat. The
blade broke short off by the handle as
it lodged among the stout scales of the
neckI
just then l heard a shout, and the
tramp of horse coming up at full and
furious speed. On they came, the steed
foam fecked and gored by the spur, the
rider brandished high above his heal
the spiral coils of the lasso. recog.
nized the horseman in an instant. It
was Juan, the boldest and most dex.
ferrous of all that Centaur brotherhood
and he knew me, and comprehended at
a glance the state of affairs.
STAND oack, Engiishman-stand
oacK ne criea aloud, - and III do the
Iest; MO zos ,1El Iigre MO zos !!
ana ne Wnlried tne iasso high, spurring
MS irlgnteneo morse nearer and nearer
10 Inc spot.
Events which it takes many words to
describe, inadequately, sometimes oc.
,upy but very few seconds or minutes
IF actual time and from the period of
my hurrying up in response ~ yvuns
Charles scream for help, to that Of
uan the Guacho's arrival on the scene
Of action, probably but few moments
nad passed. But, to Judge by my feel.
ngs, they might have been ages. had
rushed to the rescue just IN time to
'ave the tender limbs OF Don Mlgueis
heir from the greedy jaws OF the mon
'ter, and had made as good fight as l
could, nearly paying my own life for
the young life 1 had saved, when this
new champion rode in hot haste to en-
counter the common fo,. Keeling,
and dizzy of brain, | under
stood the Gaucho's meaning sufficiently
to stand back, letting go my hold OF
the whip handle, which, with the tat
tered poncho wrapped around it, had
hitherto obstinately kept between the
alligator's churning jaws. The infu-
rated brute followed me up with bitter
hate, his hateful snout all but brushing
my knees as l staggered back. But
Just at that instant, whirr crack !! came
the well-kDown sound OF the heavy
lasso whistling past, launched with un-
erripg aim, and, as L gazed about me
with hsggard eyes, ! saw the moose was
tightened round the reptiles neck
while Juan, with the end OF the stout
cord fastened to his saddle, had started
OIL at canter, towing along the ALI
gator alter MN, as ne hao tugged along
many Dull and many a WHO steed:
FOR an instant II seemed as II the
Guachos wouid pe an easy triumph
but 1t was only the surprise oi the
shock that nad mastered tne aiiieator,
a very large one ana she great weight
and strength OF which soon began to
tel. l saw 1he 1otse ,n oiougn', WIN
,..h, Sahs,d ~ ,he s, stsed and rider drssoed Sy
49, ] sorce toward the lagoon ya;nIy
sn NJ, TO- ~ res;st the ,unerior nower ~
~. e;ra,t;c tvrant Of the waters
In Inan Srove in his snrrs. ur,;no his
ant and terrified borse bv Voice
hand and knee. to nut out its whole
but f. soon seemed nlain that