Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-09-12

at the alligator's throat. The blade
broke short off by the handle as it lodg-
ed among the stout scales of the neck.
Just then | heard shout, and the
tramp of horse coming up at full and
furious speed. On they came, the steed
foam-flecked and gored by the spur, the
rider brandishing high above his head
the spira, coils. .of, the lasso. | recogniz-
ed the horseman in an instant 1t was
Juan, the Guacho, the boldest and most
dexterous of all that Cantaur brother
hood and he knew me and comprehend
ed at a glance the state of affairs.
. Stand back, Englishman - stand
back" he cried.aloud, land I'll do the
rest. Mozos! Ell tigre! Mozos !" And
he whirled the lasso high, squirting his
frightened horse nearer and nearer to
the spot.
Keeling, breathless, and dizzy of
brain, | understood the Guacho's mean
ing sufficiently to stand back, letting 90
my hold of the tongh whip-handle,
which, with the tattered poncho wrap
ped around it, had hitherto obstinateiy
kept between the alligator's churning
jaws. The Infatuated brute followed
me up with bitter hate, his hateful snout
all but brushing my knee as [ staggered
back. But just at that instant, whirl!
crack! came the well known sound of
the heavy lassO whistling past, launched
with unerring aim, and as | gaZed about
me with haggard eyes [ saw that the
moose was tightening round the reptiles
neck, while Juan, with the end of the
stout cord fastened to his saddle, had
started off at a canter, towing along the
alligator after him, as he had tugged
along many a bull and many a wild
steed.
For an instant it seemed as if the eau
chOs would be an easy triumph, but it
was only the surprise of the shock that
had mastered the alligator, very large
one, and a great weight and strength
which soon began to tell. I saw the
horse brought, with jerk, to a stop,
and then to my dismay, beheld steed and
rider dragged by sheer force toward the
lagoon, yainly striving to resist the SUI
perior power of the gigantic tyrant of
the waters. Juan drove in his spurs,
urging his painting and terrified horse by
voice hand, and knee, to put out his
whole strength But it soon seemed
plain that unless the saddle girths gave
way, dragged into the pool he would be,
horse and man, while there could be in
such a case little doubt of the issue of
the conflict. To cut the cord, would
have been the only mode of separating
the COmbatants in the unequal combat,
but I had let fall my broken knife in
the long pampas grass, and a GuaChO
clings to his lassO with the same me-
chanical impulse that causes Il seaman to
hold fast to shrOud or stay. LET gothic
rope" | called out as loudly as | could.
Loose the end from the saddle ring
and let the rope GO" but Juan paid no
heed to my advice, but squirting his
struggling horse. uttering at the full
pitch of his voice the tiger cry y Of the
hcrdsmcn.
The child had crept close to me, and
was holding on to my coat, weeping and
calling on his absent father, and his
presence embarrassed me: for. Wearied
and disarmcd as was. | felt eager to
come to the aid OF the bold lad who had
saved me from the very Jaws of death
but just at the moment that the mulatto
Girl. Charities nurse. came running down
the hill, with s0bs and OutcroS, in search
Of the truant charge who had strayCd off
while She was threading scarlet berries
for necklace, four Of our mountcdmcn
came laundering down, with CHEEKY
shouts and Iassoes wbirled aloft and in
q very short time the alligator, strong
and savage as he was, no0sed and en-
tangled by hepliant cords, stabbed with
knives, and beaten down by bolas. Law
dead and harmless.
Before we left the spot a number of
other persons, alarmed by the ''tiger-
call'-neyer before heard so near the
hacienda itsclf-camc up. and among the
last Of these was Don Miguel, already
instructed by a mounted messenger as to
what had occurred. He arrived, pale
with emotion, sprang from his horse,
and clasped his little son in his arms,
cycling the child all over with jealous
anxiety, as if to be assured that he was
really mscathod; then, coming up to
me, he graspcd both my hands. and be
fore / could prevent him. kissed them
fcryently as ever dcyotec pressed his lips
to the relics Of a saint.