The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-11-22

ruin, small spring, covered over with
| a stone roof, and had also remarked a
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, | fastened towards the
spring. =,
The storm was still raging, though l
could see indications of its breaking
away, and the darkness was great, but
still | managed to trace out the beaten
path, and soon found the spring.
| Some moments | waited, and was be-
| Some moments waited, and was be
| ginning to fear that the maiden had
| feared 10 venture forth in the darkness
| and storm, when | discovered her ap.
preaching.
| "Senorlta :"
At the sound OF my voice she started,
turned, and was about TO flee, when
sprang from my place of concealment
and, jumping, grasped her hand, saying
hastily:
"Do not fear me. l would serve
YOU"
! How, senior ?'
81 was driven by the storm to seek
shelter in the ruin, and there my horse
awaits; | discovered that it was the
home of brigands, and | would know
why you are there"
ooh, Senior, leave at once, for should
they discover you here they would
kill us both !" and throwing down the
stone jar, the little hands were clasped
| in agony.
"They will not discover us; why are
you there?'
:" was stolen from my fathers hacien.
d. miles and miles away / have now
been their captive for months, and 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
filled up with earth, for one has to crawl
through to get in or out"
That room is their rendezvous,
then p
"Yes, 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 in and out except
through the bandits hail."
How many robbers are there in the
banda"
"Fifteen, and all in tonight on &C.
count Of the storm"
"Then will save you; do you know
how to ride p
"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 | will await you; then take |
my horse and ride like the wind to n |
hacienda seven mills from here, rouse |
the inmates and tell the men to hasten
hther, 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 etmy
horse ready, and after you are gone |
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 filled her jar for her, and at
q 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 believed her still within ii, when
| was startled by low
"Senor! ~
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
to the right remember :" and
in second she was oil.
/ watched her until the gloom hid
her from view, then fastened around to
stand at the entrance to the ban
dts hall, where | could hear the loud
laughter, rude tests, 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 US.
So had !, and thus thinking, | shrank
farther back into the shadow of the
broken archway where | stood, and
knowing from the sound of voices with
in that | had no time to lose, | raised
my pistol and fired.
Without groan the brigand fell to
the ground, yell resounded within,
and another dark form filled the en-
trance, and waiting till the man stood
erect, | again fired, and one more rob
ba Li4 tho ,l,,g4