Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-10-24
The Starp Teller.
STRANGE DELIVERANCE
4 WILD AMERICAN TALE.

"Rendezvous at Struggle Ford, eleven T. M,
sharp. Thirty rounds. l. ,.f r...... ,rs- / a..s..
captain BORDER REGULATORS"
These were wild :imes on the Texan from.
tier. No home was safe from scenes of rapine
and pilage; no man, or child secure from
violent death, or fate even worse. Out OF
this condition of things and the lethargy OF
our government authorities in obeying our ur-
gent pleas for military assistance, the indepen-
dent organization, known as the Border Reg.
ulators, was born.
We were stout, resolute body of men,
made desperate by desperate wrongs, and
caring little for the dangers we encountered,
so long as We wreaked vengeance on the bands
of Mexican robbers and murderers Who in
tested our borders. So every one of the fifty
forming our secret company knew, on receipt
of this laconic order, that work was awaiting
us, for we had received many similar ones be-
fore, and many brave fellow who went out
with as, never returned.
Our Captain explained, briefly, the motive
for his call. A spy had brought intelligence
that q strong body of ferocious bandits were
congregating ON the Mexican bank of the
Rio Grande, at point at about an hour 8
march distant, preparatory to raid on our
people. .........
1t was enough for US to learn that they we're
under the leadership Of the cut,throat Cucho.
ra, upon whose hands was the blood of hun
dred women and children of our Texan homes,
to secure an unanimous demand to be led to
their camp.
Ferrying the river, we made stealthy
march through the rank, tangled grass and
brush. The guerrillas were all asleep except
few guards, whom we surprised, and followed
in so closely that they did not succeed in
arousing the camp until we were charging
back and forth, through it, dealing death and
destruction in our way.
The rout was complete, the guerrillas flying
in all directions, with scarce an attempt at
resistance, though, greatly to our surprise,
they were four times the number Of our little
company. TN i've minutes after our first at
tack, we were separated into squads of five or
ten men each, all engaged in frantic rush,
in different directions, after the several wings
of the fleeing robber force.
I never realized just how it happened, but
in the rage of this wild pursuit, suddenly
became conscious that was alone in my chase
after force of twenty or thirty fleeing guer-
rillas.
My foes seemed to discover this fact at the
same moment, and suddenly the order of pur
suit was changed-I fleeing and the guerrillas
in chase. Shots hurtled after me, thick and
fast, but I would, probably, have. escaped uu-
harmed, had not run into the arms Of an.
other body of the flying guerrillas.
In a trice / was set upon, dsarmed and
bound in another breath should have been
made target for score or more of bullets,
had not breathess, brawny cut-throat, whom
I recognized as the dreaded Cuchora, himself,
interfered.
Ten thousand curses on him p he Kissed.
"Killing is too merciful to him. Have not
vowed to skin alive every aocursed Regulator
who falls into my hands? Drag him away
to the Salito stockade, and let him meet his
fate before US all, an hour after daylight. All
but FIVE of you follow me to our new rendez
vous at La Posa."
An hours terrible tramp with the FIVE ruff
fans, left as guard over me. brought us to
Salito, q miserable little Mexican hamlet,
whose inhabitants, awakened by our entry,
crowded to their doors and horribly reviled
me, or rejoiced over the terrible fate awaiting
me, as revealed by my boastful guards. l
felt relieved when thrown into cold, damp,
noisome room, half underground, and strong
ly grated with iron bars over the single aper-
ture, near the ceiling. l"
I could hear my guards, squatted outside
this aperture, holding desultory conversa.
tion during the first fifteen or twenty minutes
of my incarceration and at last coming to
the conclusion that one of them was sufficient
to stand guard over me, they agreed that
they would take turns at this task the re-
naming four, when off duty, seeking shelter
and amusement in neighboring house, whose
master possessed supply of muscalle, and
was not averse to joining his guests in fire.
quent libations, and game at cards as we'll.
After they had gone, my remaining guard
found it very prosy work, keeping watch over
so tsciturn prisoner as myself and took fre-
quent strolls to the retreat of his companions,
lingering there longingly. .-,... =. . .
What mattered it to me, this neglect of my
guards? My fate was sealed-a terrible fate,
surely. / knew how idle it was to hope for
mercy from the demon, Cuchora, and 1 also
knew that would only waste my strength in
purposeless effort, and raise stronger yearning
for life in any attempt to escape from this
strong dungeon.
was not regardless of the value of life.
/ could not face my fate without shiver. l
was not brave enough to look unhinchingly
towards the coming Of the morning light, but
in all my yearning for life, in all my terror
of my coming fate, was not fool enough to
hope against all conviction and against the
strength of theae prison walls and prison
bars.
Suddenly, while in this mood of mingled
despair and resignation, low "hist" sounded
just outside the grated window. l stopped
abruptly in my excited pacing up and down
the apartment.
"Senor Americana, are you unhurt p a
soft voice, seeming to tremble with emotion,
asked.
YES What wish your" I asked, sus-
piciously.
"Be quiet" the voice answered hurriedly.
"The guard is drinking with his comrades,
and if yon are cautious you may escape"
Was this treachery-some trap set by my
guards to torture me by some unexpected
method2 I hesitated. Who was this myste-
rious friend?
Clutching the ledge of the grated opening,
I drew myself up to level with it, and
peered out, dropping back with an exclama-
ton of amazement.