Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-06-15

y
that ought 10 have consumed hin
"you shall DO hanged for thial Ny
iaiher-the band, will hack You %
pieces with their mechetas, Good God !
arc you q man or q demon, 10 tear mo
away from my father, my home, my ai'
iiancedp Yes, Jago Martinez, liuy
Gomez Is my noriO, am belr0thed to
him, and no power on earth will ever
compel mo TO marry you, ughi" And
~ she uttered this expression Of loath'
ing she Quiyered again,
"Oh, yes you will marry me, Con-
chlta," retorted MaHlnezi "and," hc
added, In y tone that struck to~or 10
her heart, "don't anger mo or. by 81,
Jago may not marry You at all y
Not 4 human being did they eneOun'
tor In that night ride, No word was
spoken, save when Martinez would con-
for with Alyarado on tho bearings OF the
country.
ave must strike tho Apizaeo ford
before daybreak, Pedro"
Tho gray dawn was breaking as the
river came In sight, Though not In the
rainy season the stream was terribly
swollen, aud rushed through its chan,
mel with q velocity that BODIED III for
man and horse,
ave must cross here, Pedro"
"I don't like being no near tho Ia.
cuba Falls, and the Rio IL dangerous
II looks unlucky."
"Place the girl between ua, and
none Of your superstitious growling"
cried Martinez,
"God will punish you both for this
act II exclaimed Conchita, lifting her
beautiful eyes heaycnward. 81 pray
that may DO drowned ere / DO forced
to marry You, Jago MartinezW
"Wc'yo no time for prayers, Concha
miaj Now, Pedro T.
And squirting his horse ho led the
way into tho water, followed almost
abreast by the girl and Alvaado,
The magnificent little animals upon
which the party were mounted battled
vigorously with the stream; but il be-
came evident 10 tho riders that the
current was too much for them, and
that II was resistlcssly hurying them
TO tho Tacuba Falls. Once in It's
CHASTITY grasp, and it was all over with
them.
"Back TO the shorel" yelled Mar.
tinez,
at Is too late |" cried Pedro. "Every
man for himself now |" And as he spoke
he let 90 Conchita's bride.
For q minute or two Martinez, still
fighting tho stream, held on to the
other bride; but seeing that every in.
slant bore him nearer to the horribly
smooth water above the edge Of the
falls, with q terrible cath flung away
the rein and endeavored to turn to the
shore.
Conchita, pale as death, but with teeth
firmly set and still retaining her seat,
gathered up the reins.
The velocity with which she was now
travelling was sickening, and the under.
current had commenced to suck her
mustang down.
"God have mercy on mel" cried the
girl, Us she slipped OFF the saddle.
In second the stream seized her and
she was borne with inconceivable rapid
ity to the glittering waters that mirror
like arched over the thunderous depths.
As she passed a jutting rock her dress
caught. 1t tore-it tore still, but at
length it resisted, and with dull thud
she was rushed against tho rock. In
stantly she flung up her hands, caught
ledge, and then by dexterous move
ment OF her lissome frame swung herself
into safety just as Jago Martinez flashed
past her, uttering q terrible cry as he
and horse were hurled to death.
Alone on this isolated rock crouched
Conchita Juarez, the ever flowing waters
speeding by her.
"Even if they do discover me, how
can l ever be reachedP" she thought.
"Great God am I to lie here until I
die of starvation or grow mad and leap
over2"
It was the second day when Ruy
Gomez, with two Of the band, struck
the tracks, and came up in hot haste to
the Apizaco ford.
",There she is-therel" he cried. 81
see woman's face-a woman's dress.
I'll rescue her or perish /"
A rope was rapidly manufactured out
of the tibers of the maguey plant, and
with one end fastened to his body, his
two companions paid out the remainder
in such manner as to keep it taut.
Three times did he essay the perilous
task, and three times was he drawn
back to shore, numbcd and exhausted.
A pull at the tequila flask, and he
started once more, on this occasion
plunging in very high up stream, so as
to permit the waters to wash him to the
rock where the imprisoned girl stood,
and who now watched their movements
with the eagerness OF hope mingled
with despair.
BY frantic effort he succeeded in
reaching the rock, and, after regaining
breath and exhorting Conchita not to
fear, fastened the rope round both, and
on given signal swung off.
A snap like that of pistol
The rope gave way, and in a flash
Conchita Juurez, in the arms of her
over, went over the falls.
4
The band--for they were the notori-
Gus "Noche Negia" band of smugglers
broke up, the miserable Juarez jour
neying no man knew whittier, but the
story of the fate of the lovers is known
in every household on the banks of the
Rio Grande.