The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-03-16


have seen to my shepherd boys he said.
(which way will you head -
"Toward the coast. They will either
push off to some ship, or hide away in
the mountain Businesses"
The dawn was coming up dim into a
sky blown free of clouds as we left the
grassy district and came upon sandy
barren.
Joaquin was mounted on a powerful,
apparently loose jointed beast; high
shouldered almost as giraffe. but with a
broad, full chest that limited at lungs of
immense strength and stretch. His slow
gait was uneasy and slouching, but there
was something in his eye and flexible
ears that claimed my attention the in.
slant it was sufficiently light to see MIN:
By-and-by the dawn spread out full and
bright, and Joaquin's fiery eyes began to
wander over the sandy plain,
The extraordinary horse moved on
with his curteseying gait, while not a
word passed between his rider and my.
self.
Just as dawn was merging into sunrise,
nv companion gave out the most unholy
sound that ever emanated from human
lips. The jungle tiger, wounded unto
death, would not have cried more fie:cely
than Joaquin did, as he pointed with his
short goad far away over the plain. l
arose in my stirrups, but at first could
could discover nothing; after few mo-
ments' gazing, however, there came up
full against the eastern horizon--two dis
tinct forms.
The Mexican lifted his cruel goad; it
descended, and horse and rider united in
one of the most horrible yells that ever
startled the echoes of earth. My steed,
electrified in every nerve, sprang forward
with such force that, hard rider as [ was,
it took all my skill to prevent being IN
seated. We had sighted them as they
crossed a slight ridge, and now, through
the sloughing sand, and into the bush, we
dashed with the fury of a tornado.
We were rapidly gaining upon them.
They either had not feared pursuit or
else their proximity to some mountain
Businesses had deadcned their vigilance,
for we were near enough to plainly dis.
tinguish the woman's scarlet tunic, be-
fore her companion, arising in his stir
rups, discovered US, as we burst from a
screen of ferns. We distinguished his
cry of dismay as they both pressed fiercely
forward.
On, on went Fora, with her long, loose
black hair lifting like lions name, and
the outline of her graceful form showing
distinctly her red garment, as she rose
and sank with the animal she rode. A
little ahead Of her was her companion
but behind the two, with fercer speed,
came their fate.
What could Captain Dacre-the Eng
| lishman in front-be thinking of, to thus
let loose upon himself such thunderbolts
Of hate and revenge? He could not find
in this beautiful, uncultered, but wild
savage-for Fora was little else-any
atfinitizing attributes. With him, we'll
| educated and gentleman, it must be
case of TOTAL depravity. With her, united
to that fierce, vindictive Spaniard, who
ruled her with the same spirit exhibited
| toward his dog, or horse-it might bet
no doubt was case of love; hazardous,
blinded. reckless love.
On the very pinnacle of cone-'ike peak
a rapid pantomilne goes on between the
English officer and her Of the scarlet
tunic. She wildly gcsticulates him to adj
vance. He moves little and hesitates.
That indecision seals his fate, for it
brings the shout.
'Halt, Senior Captain!" and the leveled
rife and the Infatuated Spaniard come
upon the eonical top.
Fora feels that she will lessen Dacre's
chances of making good defense if she
keeps opposition by his side, therefore
she draws off a little; I also rein out be-
side her, with some jumbled up plan of
defending her life.
There is a white, set look about the Cap
talns features, as joaquin pushes his
-shouldered beast nearer, and brings
the line of polished steel in range of his
fierce, red eyes. Then Dacre stoops sud.
denly, gouges the rowels into his steed,
and leaps against the giraffe neck of the
Mexican animal. There is momentary
scuffie, and then the carbine flies from
Joaquin's hand and clinks upon the rocks.
yards beneath however, he still keeps
the lower position, and steadily presses
Dacre up hill again--up and back toward
the precipice. Now see his purpose
he intends to push the Englishman over
into a bottomless chasm opening between
the two mountain peaks. Will Dacre be
pressed over? Blackjack; both parties
have fired repeated shots from their re-
!. volvcrs without effect on either side. BIZ,
! now it seems as though that ugly beast
Of Joaquin's has struck such terror into
Dacre's horse that the animal has becom,
entirely unmanageable-a fact seen ant
+ acknowledged by Fora with wild des
:; pairing scream. First backward, the,
d forward, then sideways, the frightened
animal whirls in mad waltz; yet, foo