Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-07-26
Gales ar,o Sket1bes.
4 PATRIOT.
Continued from Yesterday. }

| Nv losing itself behind the nlgn peaks Oh
| the tabie-lands, and the shadows Of the
fast advancing darkness were making the
| n,ount,in paths almost invisible. Leaving
| the main road we descended into q noun
| tain gorge, by path so narrow that we
had to dismount and lead our horses, our
| guide in the lead mofioning when TO stop
| and when To go forward. Our steps were
| guided only By the dim twilight reflected
| from the overtowering mountain tops,
| whose gurgliDg clatier as it sped on its
| rocky lotion. gnided US to a light ahead {;
| the light proved to I've small adobe hut.
Give your horse to the man." said
| Henriaue, land follow me-"
We went down to enter the hut in which
were two men and woman; the men
| were living down on their blankets. and
the woman was leaning over charcoal
| furnace preparing supper. Two or three
stools were lying about
Ramon What newss" said Henrique,
addressing one Of the men.
..Signor. the roads are alive with troops.
Senior Cristoval has been captured. with
ten Of his men They were executed at
Queretaro this morning"
Were you there 2" asked HeBrique.
Yes, SIgnor. and they all died like
men. shouting. Viva the republic'
Ramon. | must he off before day. You
shall have 10 precede Us and see If the
road to Toluca is clear; in case of any
danger, retrace your steps to meet u.s.
CHAPTER III.
Before day, on the call of our peon
gnide, we mounted our horses held bv him
at the door; without word he started.
followed by Henrique and myself. We
were ascending a regular road: the
dark outlines of the mountains were
plainly delinea,ed on the clear hori-
ION. bespangled with its myriad of stars.
and as TIE approaching daylight began
to peer over the towering head, each peak
seemed decked with luminous crown.
When we reached the summit the sun was
slowly emerging from the mass Of noun
tains. and as its spreading rays Illuminated
the valley the uncertain, increasing light
appeared to dance from dome to dome and
roof TO roof If the city of Queretaro, lying
directly under u.s. Just then the sharp
blast of bngie accompanied by the roll
Of drums beating the reveille, warned us
to hurry up on our march. and, leaving
our guide, we then started on q brisk trot
toward Toluca.
1t was some two hours by sun when the
sound of a gaIiop behind us made Henrique
stop. a Mexican soon overlook us, his
horse in foam and painting from the swift
ness of the run.
In gallOp for your lives, he exclaim-
ed: 1.-THE French are after YOU. By speed
YOU can reach an hacienda and hide tor
the night. You have been BETRAYED BY
your peon guide"
1t was no time for words; a lash of the
whip and both spurs in the TANKS of our
horses sent us whirlinQ on our road
We had already covered long distance.
at IL gait which was telling on our steeds
when we came to a long ascending road
whose winding course we could see rising
for some two miles ahead of us.
"Caramba,h said Henrique. this is the
worst part Of the road. Ii we come with
in sight of the French as we ascend Won
mountain it will be a race for life and
death. We ought to have overtaken Ra-
mon ere this"
The declining sun was almost touching
the dome of the mountain, and we had
barely reached midway of the rising road
when we heard the Ominous clatter of a
troop Of cavalry; looking back we could
see in the dim twilight the French emerg-
ing in the valley below. We must have
been seen by the French, for the company
raised cheer which was echoed and re-
echoed from mountain-top to mountain
op.
Ramon had come back toward US. and
the three together we fastened up az fast
as our iaded steeds would permit. Dark
ness had then fairly covered the mountain
and dale.
Once on the summit. ready to descend.
Ienrique dismounted.
"Dismountw he ordered Each one
fasten his reins to the pommel of his sad
die so ~ not to interfere with the horse :
and hold the reins with one hand and
your whip with the other. At nv signal
on the French drawing near. let 60 the
reins. lash your horses. and tall back on
your face some distance from the DAD.
NV horse knows the roads. yours will fol-
low. and the French tan. If they will.
We did as ordered. and waited in 81
'ence. on the declivity of the mountain
for the approaching Of the French. Near
er and nearer came the sound of the
horses feet. the voices of the soldiers be-
coming more and more distinct They
seemed to be almost upon on us. so close
that Ramon and held on nervously to
our reins. Henrique was As immOvable
rs statue. Seconds counted as minutes :;
we could hear the painting of their horses.
Henrique whispered: Ready! Let 90.
Lash ? he rolled back from the road, fol-
lowed by Ramon and l.
The three loosened steeds. in one
bound. were laundering down the descend
ing road; and the echo being caught up
by the yelling French, who swept by US
in whirliny mass.
When the rumbling sound of the pur-
suing host had almost died away in the
distance, Henrique called us to him, and
we CROPPED our way to where he was.
Friends" he whispered. 1--WE must re-
trace our steps to the capital. Let US
reach the hacienda of Rinaldo. and there
decide what road to take
Feeling sure that at this time of night
the roads were secure, we started on our
way back. thankful for our escape and
hopeful of meeting with no more mishaps
CHAPTER ".
We walked on in silent mood, with our
hands on our weapons. retracting every
step we had just been over, each one in