Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-11-21

naO nOIlceu, as L approached the
ruin, small spring, covered over with
a stone roof, and had also remarked
path, looking as if often used, leading
therefrom towards one end of the old
rocky pile, and felt convinced that it
was to this spot the maiden was coming
for water, so wrapping my military
cloak around me, and buckling on my
belt of arms, l fastened towards the
spring.
The storm was still raging, though |
could see indications of its breaking
away, and the darkness was great, but
still l managed to trace out the beaten
path, and soon found the spring.
Some moments | waited, and was be-
Some moments l waited, and was be
ginning to fear that the maiden had
feared to venture forth in the darkness
and storm, when l discovered her ap-
preaching.
"Senorita -
At the sound of my voice she started,
turned, and was about to flee, when l
sprang from my place of concealment
and, jumping, grasped her hand, saying
hastily:
Do not fear me. 1 would serve
YOU"
How, senor?"
~ was driven by the storm to seek
shelter in the ruin, and there my horse
awaits l discovered that it was the
home of brigands, and | would know
why you are there"
"Oh, Senior, leave at once, for should
they discover you here they would
kill us both y and throwing down the
stone jar, the little hands were clasped
in agony.
"They will not discover us; why are
you there?'
81 was stolen from my fathers hdcien-
da, miles and miles away have now
been their captive for months, aDd they
treat me so cruelty"
"Then you shall remain no longer
with them tell me how they enter the
hall where they now are"
"There is only one entrance, Senior,
through an arched doorway, now nearly
filed up with earth, for one has to crawl
through to get in or out"
That room is their rendezvous,
then?"
eyes, Senior; there they sleep and
eat, and keep their plumber; another
room opens into it, but that is mine;
but it is only half rooted over, and there
is no way of getting il and out except
through the bandits hall"
How many robbers are there in the
band?"
Fifteen, and all in tonight on ac-
count of the storm
Then | will save you; do you know
how to ride ?"
"Indeed | do"
Then listen return with the water,
and make that fellow some coffee, after
which you must slip out unperceived,
and come around to the head OF the
ruin, where l will await you; then take
my horse and ride like the wind to
hacienda seven milrs from here, rouse
the inmates and tell the men to hasten
hither, you guiding them, and we'll take
the whole party. In the meanwhile |
will now accompany you around to the
entrance of the hall, and thus find out
its locality and then return and getmy
horse ready, and after you are gone l
will stand guard at the outlet, and if any
man comes out he dies"
The young girl almost clapped her
hands with joy, at the thought of soon
being freed from the power of the ban
dts, and filed her Jar for her, and at
a safe distance followed her back, and
noted the way to reach the bandits
hall: after which returned to my place
of concealment, and once more put my
eye to the opening.
In sleepy sort of manner the young
girl went about her task, preparing the
coffee, and was cursed for her pains by
the villainous leader, and then she
sought her couch.
So quietly did she steal from the hall
that l believed her still within it, when
l was startled by low
"Senorl !"
Turning, the young girl stood beside
me, and soon she was mounted upon my
horse, and ready.
" You have courage to undertake this
trip, Senorita ?"
81 have courage to undertake any
thing to gain my release" was the quiet
answer.
"Then ride like the wind; my horse
is swift and you can manage him; the
highway to the right, remembers" and
in second she was off.
L WdIc0oO n0r unIll IuS SlOOu ulu
her from view, then fastened around to
stand at the entrance to the ban
dts hall, where l could hear the loud
laughter, rude iests, and vile Spanish
oaths for some time, when all was quiet
within.
An hour and half passed, and then
a heavy step was heard within, scrap
ing around, and the Creeping form of
a man appeared coming from the
entrance, and rising glanced around
him at the skies an instant, and then
stopping down, yelled back into the en-
trance.
"The storm has cleared away, and we
must soon be on the move, for we've
work before u.s."
So had [, and thus thinking, shrank
farther back into the shadow of the
broken archway where 1 stood, and
knowing from the sound of voices with
in that l had no time to lose, raised
my pistol and fired.
II L III l.