Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-01-20

| Dut there was seemingly cold beauty
about it,
"Senorita," ventured to say, "this
is charming evening
She turned her face full upon me. l
was almost startled at the expression of
the eyes looking from face that was
beautiful to perfection. They were gray,
but unfeelingly cold
eyes" she answered, and her voice
rang with metallic sound.
"Do you reside in this strange place?".
I again ventred.
eyes"
"No more that was all the answer /
received Now, / am not inquisitive,
but was determined to learn more about
her.
"Do you reside near the mission,
miss ?" asked, persuasisely bending
my head until my face almost touched
her golden ringlets.
She turned her body, with back to me,
holding her position firmly ON the square
rock, and her figure took pose that a
sculptor would have admired, the folds
of her dress and gown forming drapery
no art could equal, and shot her arm
straight out, and the finger of her brown,
tapering hand pointed up to the western
slope to the top of stone house that
Just displayed itself from among the
deep growth of mesquite branches inter-
vening. No word in reply escaped her.
She only relapsed into her old attitude
and looked toward the village.
"Senor p
Turning, youthful Mexican WAS
standing near me. He beckoned Lac to
follow him. [ obeyed reluctantly as
the youthful being who steod on the
broad stone cross was really beginning
to become of great interest to me.
"Senor," and the Mexican gracefully
took from his mouth cigarette, she
will not converse with you.
"Why?" I replied, in apparent sur
prise.
"She will converse with no strangers
nor will she tell her history ;" and a
careless smile fitted across his brown
face. "One year ago to-day, just at day
break, the people in the plaza at Goliad
were startled by pistol shots, and body
Of men rode through the town, evidently
in pursuit of some Cne. On running
rom their houses this girl was found
wounded in the shoulder but she would
reveal nothing nJr would she permit
any one else to touch her except the
surgeon who dressed her wounds. 1t
was pronounced trivial. The surgeon, a
good man, took her to his house, but
she remained sullen and reticent all that
day, and in the afternoon fled, and in the
evening was discovered standing where
she is now. But nature could not bear
the strain, and at abort this very hour,
and he looked at the declining sun, "she
fell with moan, her wound broke out
afresh, and she was soon covered with
blood. The people in yonder house,
Americanos," aud he pointed to the stone
house, took her, and she has been
with them ever since Her mind is not
impaired and the people with whom she
resides say that she is gentle unless
aroused, and then she is like a tigress.
But her fierceness never displays itself
only to strangers, or to those who she
thinks are doing wrong"
"Strange, strange" said, and mused
over what / had heard. Z" Is there no
J link by which she can be traced?'
"None; it has been tried. The men
who rode through the town never re-
turned, and shortly after that occurrence
three men were found murdered on the
, banks of the Nueces river. They were
buried That is the only clew, and was
/ never followed, as no one cared"
As he ceased speaking, six armed men
rode up to the mission. Five dismount-
ed; the sixth, a tall, muscular, brown
haired, blue eyed man, was left upon
, his horse, bOund, his arms being tied
behind him.
"Help him to dismount, Rucker, "
| spoke the leader Of the party. " He
must be thirsty"
From the bound captive L casually
glanced at the girl. She had changed
/ her position, and was looking at the
prisoner, and her gray eyes apparently
dilated as she caught CLEAN from those
/ of the tall, bound man, and I thought q
| tear glistened in them. Their eyes
: fully met, and something like flash OF
= recognition, as an electric spark, passed
t between them, and again her face wore 4
look of cold unconcern.
. "Grey," spoke the leader, low set
l dark featured man, "will you have
s some water" as the captive dis
Y mounted.
y "Yes, Haskell. You know | have
/ drank but once to-day"
+ "When we reach San Patricio, where
2 you killed your victims one year ago
s you will need no water.
C "They pursued me one hundred miles
and fought me all the way. twas fai
S fight, and if were only loose and arm
ed you would not follow me, and til,
# blue eyes turned to an almost harsl
= gray.
e Curse you you shall have no wa
e ter" said Haskell, as he turned away.
e With bound as swift as cats leap
e the girl sprung upon him and wrenchec
}, the gourd, full of sparkling water, from
s his hand, and her metallic voice shrieke,
h out:
:, "He shall have water ~
A Haskell was startled, and a wild shou
> of laughter broke from the throats o
r. his companions. The laugh was lou
II and long, and the girl stood before a
Is one inspired with the ferocity of a tigress
e The prisoner remained unmoved, hi
IS arms still pinioned
v Course the little catamount p mutter
e cd Haskell. "Give it to him, and Civ
l. plenty-enough to last him to San Pa
tricio. We will hang him as soon as W
N reach that place. He is Mustang Grey !!
le Mustang Grey?" was re-achoed b
l. those gathered around, as he was know