St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-03-04


shot far ahead in advance Then, be-
fore he could recover himself, she was
securing another quarter of the plateau,
in dangerous proximity to the poorly
mounted Mario, whose other rival Just
then CHANGED to get temporarily mixed
up in cactus-thicket.
Presently they all four disappeared
behind a series Of small clumps, about a
dozen rods away, and their reappear-
ance was awaited with no little sus-
pense, for it was felt that the result
would there be,decided. ss4,.l4.5sE
1t was so, but in a manner not alto
gether looked for -nltu.0. ..|
] Benjamin. first burst into view, in
narrow space between two cactus
clumps, and SO closely pursued by Man
uelo that his outstretched hand was in
among the raven meshes of her out
blown hair. atE fsa @."' t55.
But she successfully executed the
same trick upon him which she had
played shortly before upon Vasco-that
is, throwing herself upon her pony's
neck and coming to a stop so suddenly
as to cause him to miss his grasp, and
then go plunging ahead far beyond her
But in this instance she was more
tardy in recovering her own equilibrium
than before. Indeed, before she could
do. so and get.away again, Vasco, who
had been following closely behind Man
uelo, spurred down upon, her like
whirlWind, givin g utterance to a wild
and triumphant cry. .,sa.3z. 49, 49,. -
4 But neither was the prize OF youth
and beauty for him. a5l5 81 sYa-. 49, "a
When Vasco was midway in his on
ward rush, Mario, who had made an
unexpected detour, suddenly sprang'outi
of the ecacti to the Left and collided upon
his rival s flank with such a shock that
Vasco's saddle girth was burst asunder.
and he went laundering in the dust,
while his riderless steed galloped far
away. H.. ~. "a t.f..! .',. ....r:
Then Benjamin. dashed away in the
clumps once more, with Mario close
upon her heels, thefpther twin bringing
up furious but almost hopeless rear.
The suspense Of the spectators was
now wrought up to the maddest pitch,
but it was of brief duration.
While the endorsed Vasco picked
himself up, with a peculiar murde1ous
expression on his dark face, there first
galloped into view Benjamina's pony
without a rider. Then, amid a storm of
applause from the on-lookers, came the
favored Mario, with the girl in his arms.
Riding after them came Manuelo, with
pale cheek and lowering brow, his
smile Of easy confidence having given
place to smothered rage and troubled
discomfort; though, for that matter, his
disappointment was designations self
compared with Vasco, whose aspect was
more like. that of a baffled fiend than
anything else I could conceive of. t.t
Thong Oh pale from her hard riding,
Benjamina's handsome face was
wreathed with smiles, as she was
brought in to receive the congratula-
tons of her friends; and she seemed
Joyous that, according to the custom of
her people, there was no appeal from
the result of the trial to which she had
submitted herself. L. E. a. a., ~
How different, however, would have
been the girl's feelings had she fallen to
the lot of Manuelo, for whom she had
no liking, or Vasco, of whom she stood
in positive dread, can readily be mag
ined! But pluck and craftsmanship had
been cunningly supplemented by loving
strategy and natural inclination, and the
mountain beauty was destined as the
bride of the man she loved. "a '0.& ts.'
The enraged Vasco, however, was al
ready giving vent to his disappointment
and to threats Of vengeance, in spite Of
the laughs and ieers that beset him on
every side, ,...f.f ! gfs. fsl,i.t.ag .- fa
80. - was cheated hy~.a base trick
robbed by the. meapest streacheryn we
overheard him texclafm, in , The villain
ously mongrel Spanish that forms the
dialsetof fhese psoPls Y eesTe
will Tot submitfoit: " II - -
haee. VascoW sad Manueb,
mournfuIly.. ike thee, have been
defeated in the race. The fates we're
!" cara1a6a,@ no! 1tswas not fstes hut
the treaehery If thy BROTHER thaEsfost
her to me at least,'"' ;hoarsel y vocHef ated
Vasco., z Lethim 1ooksto shinselfI A
fortnight must yet elapse beforeathe
Ere that shall come to
mass 3, a'ts sl..i - |
Here a roar of disappro bation drowned
his passionate words, and my compan-
ion and rode away. sts 80
a week or ten, days later, when was
preparing to- quit Quay aquI for The
southern coast, I saw q man being led |
to Jail BY squad Of soldiers, with q flu
rious mob at his heels. The man to |
mYsasto nishment, was Vasco. Iran |
for information to Nj. Provost, whom I |
perceived 4 making bis ! way out II, Ct the
s.gThe trouble has come, as : I ~antici-
pated, . said he.a, 'sTheb body of poor
ago among the rocks, with Vasco's sti-
lette' sticking in his heart. ''s ,s@7F'N''aH
."And Beniamina p''sA 1''sR sss'@ tA4 81
Poor chfld!, She is doubtless upon