The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-04-21


threw the child to him. The young
ster, who evidently regarded tie en-
tire proceeding as treat got up for
his especial benefit, began to bawl at
being taken from its mother.
Garry the child back at once,
Antonio" commanded 81 will see
to the mother"
"Beuno senor." was the response,
and the fellow hurried off.
"Now then, Anita" i continued,
"come with me. Follow your child
home rather than your husband to
DEATH"
The girl turned on me two eyes
like glowing Goals, and shook the
staff, which she clutched as if in fear
that l would wrest it from her, at
the alligator.
"Never! May God strike me dead,
senior, if 1 do not kill Ell Cebado
first" she replied hoarsely.
What nonsense !" Iexpostulated.
"How can you hope to"
Before l could finish the sentence,
she took advantage OF a momemtary
relaxation OF vigilence on my Part,
slipped from my loosened grasp, and
in a second more was swimming out
into the river. She reached the bar
before / had hauled my boots off, and
rose out of the tawny flood dripping
like an Indian Venus newly born.
Her passion had rendered her
utterly insensible to tear. AS she
appeared OH the bank the alligator.
startled-as is always the case with
his species when out OF their native
element-by the sudden appearance
of human figure, made dash for
the water b the other side. She
cleared thu, distance between tnem
with single leap and drove the
iron pointed staff nearly foot deep
into his right eye. The blow must
have reached his brain, for after a
furious sweep of his tail that sent a
vast cloud OF sand flying out over the
river, the brute rolled over on his
side, the staff still planted in his
head, and lay quite still. The rays
of the sun resting on the pale,
smooth skin of his belly turned. 1t
scarlet as if it was painted with the
blood of his many victims.
With the effort which gave the
death blow to her enemy Anita's
: strength deserted her and she sank
senselessSGssa The sand. Weak trop1
] pursuit Of slSant by the effort to
t stem the rapid river in swimming tc
the bank, | found it impossible to
e raise her and carry her TO the ford
t which could easily be reached from
D the upper end of lhe bar.
: All | could 10 was to drag her tc
1 the middle of the islet and anxlousl,
+ watch the river.
3 l say anxiously for "a good reason.
: The tide was making, and | knew al
l high tide the bar was submerged
8 AS l watched the water lap the shore
| each wavelet tritle closer to me
l than the last, with the briet tropical
twilight rapidly fading into night
: and the helpless woman at my feet as
helpless as ever, telt chill per
. meate my veins as If they had been
a injected with ice water. A sudden
< plunge from the direction OF the
+ mainland drew my attention to that
| point. In the gathering darkness
: could see black. shapeless object
!, approaching. 1t was one OF the ALI
:. gators with which the river swarmed
Z one OF the subjects of which the dead
: Cebado had been, by virtue OF his
/ superior terocity, monarch.
=. Fortunately had brought my rifle
( with me and my pockets contained a
9 score OF cartridges. Untwisting the
t handkerchief which l had bound
e about the lock to keep the water
+ from the mechanism, | leveled it at
S the approaching monster and drew
: the trigger. The noise of the dis
t charge rolled away in fainter grow.
a ing echoes. The ball struck its tar
1 get with dull, harsh sound, as if it
hao come in contact with a mass OF
3 iron.
. The alligator vanished, apparently
, taking The last vestige OF daylight with
him.
Happily the moon rose at this
Juncture, spreading over the sombre
sea flood OF pale, spectral light. By
this illumination 1 could see that the
water was dotted with tormless black
hulks whose character knew only
too well. A second shot caused
them to disappear for moment. In
that moment fancied could hear,
as ii in response to the echo OF my