Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-03-18

with the regular though painful respira-
| lions of Kaweah, from time TO time, as one
would compare the beats of chronometers,
and found that the difference between their
intervals Of breathing was rapidly in
creasing, the stronger of the two NIexicans'
horses breathing now nine breaths to
/ I[aweah's seven, few minutes later, ten
20 seven. Then / felt the victory, and
| j yelled 10 Kaweab. The thin ears shot
back fiat upon hig neck; lower and lower
he lay down 10 his run; flung him loose
rein and gave him friendly pat. 1t was
| glorious burst of speed; the wind rushed
! by and the plains swept under US with dir
! Tying swiftness. l shouted again, and the
! thing of nervous life under me bounded on
| wilder and faster, till ] could feel his spine
| thrill as with shocks from battery. man
aged to look round-a delicate matter at
speed-and saw, far behind, the distanced
Williams, both dismounted, and one horse
| fallen .E
The station was Lalf-mile ahead.
| Reaching it, the traveller passed there the
remainder of the day, keeping a sharp
lookout with the glass he saw his enemies
disappearing at lenght, taking the road TO
Nilerton, which lay upon his own route.
Shortely after dark, Kaweah being rested,
he set forth again. When not far from
Nillerton, ridingh throug grove of oaks, he
heard the jingiing of spurs and sound of
voices. DismountiDg, he turned Kaweah
from the trail, tied him q few rods off be.
hind a thicket, and presently from his hid
ing-place saw his pursuers pass by, one of
them singing gaily. Arriving in Nillerton,
ne rested there the remainder of the night.
Early next morning he set forth, leaving
the road and following a mountain trail
which led toward Mariposa.
The trial led through region of open
hill covered with ferns and grass, Drowned
by exposure to the summer heats, then
among parklike slopes, covered with oaks
and occasional pine woods, the ground Of
ten covered with clumps of low shrubbery,
forming inviting ambuscades for highway
men. But seeing no traces of his pursuers,
the traveller at length gave up looking for
them and rode on with more assurance.
Late in the afternoon he came in sight of
number of rancho buildings, grouped about
a central space, One OF the buildings was
a store. Entering it he found the proprie-
tor asleep on the counter, a revolver grasped
in his right hand. Upon waking and being
asked for accommodation, be replied that
there was bed, and something to eat,
and hay,n and that if the traveller were in
lined TO take his changes he might
stay. This he concluded to do, though the
unsociable and ferbidding manner of his
host, and the quantity of firearms lying
about within convenient distance, as
though there was frequent call for their
use, encouraged the suspicious that the
chances might De somewhat risky. Fa.
Toward midnight he heard couple of
horsemen gallop up TO the door and
hold low conversation with his host. In
one of the voices he recognized that of the
elder of mis- Spaniards, and the fragments
of the dialogue which reached him warned
him that it concerned himself.
when did he come ?' was asked.
wall, the sun might have been about
four hours.D
Has his horse give outop
Going 70 Nariposa az seven IN the morn
ing,n -.. a-- -. a--es
!" / CUES I wouldn't, round here"
A muttered soliloquy il Spanish followed
this, concluding with
| No Antoine, not within mile Of the
place"
It was eviden, what they were plotting.
| Presently the hOrsemen mounted again
and rode away. Fl
King lay Tor some time revolving all
| kinds Of plans. His safest course seemed
70 be TO slip ont in the darkness and fly on
| foot 70 the mountains. But he was 10th 10
| abandon his good keweah after the no.
| BILE run 20 which ne owed his life. He
finally rose softly, laying upon the stand
by his bed compensation for his Keeping,
| and stole out of the house 70 the
stable of Kaweah, whose feet he muffi-
ed, by wrapping about them the various
| articles of his clothing, that the clatter
of the metallic shoes might not be beard
upon the stones Of the court.
Ordinarily, Kaweah would not allow
any one TO lift his feet the blacksmiths
who had shod him had done so at the peril
of their lives, But now, to his masters
surprise, he made not the slightest objec-
ton, but stopped down and nibbled play
fully with his hat. His feet thus muffled,
King led him cautiously from the rancho.
stopping al about a quarter of a mile,
where he unbound the wrapping, and
donning them, mounted and started on
the Mariposa trail.
After travelling noisely in the soft dust
a mile or so, he came suddenly on a smoul-
dering fire, where in the shadow lay the
two highwaymen, asleep.
They were waiting for him.
King held his pistol aimed at one Of them,
| and rode by without awaking them. Leav-
! ing Kaweah TO follow tho trail, he turned
in the saddle, keeping his eyes fixed upon
them until they We're lost in the distance.
Then be felt safe, and after galloping over
many miles of trail, at last reached Mari-
posa, wnere he deposited his gold and
made up for MS lost sleep.