The Mineral argus., 1884-08-28

AD~oGN bANfNAf 0p-A6 Ao HNDAAr uALAA u
sabre-cutin his sword-arm forced him to
desist.
From tie wild and picturesque dress
of his captors Lieutenant Ives saw that
they were a party Of Mexican guerillas
fierce and cruel men, out of whose
hands few escape alive.
The night was now falling, and the
Mexicans hurried their prisoners into
the house. The lamps were lighted in
a large apartment, from which most Of
the furniture had been removed, and the
leader of the band, a fierce-iooking
man of gigantic stature, whose features
showed clearly the Indian blood that
was In his veins, seated himself in a
chair, and, lighting a cigarette, order
ed the prisoners to be brought before
him. The Americans, who, with their
arms bound behind them. had been hur-
ried In one corner of the room, were
led to the captain of the gueriIlas, who
was spoken of by his subordinate as
"El Tigere."
"Ah, Senior Americana" said Ell
Tigere, addressing Lieutenant ives,
$50 you thought to take Don Francisco
and his daughter captives, did you? If
L I'm not mistaken you were one of the
cabelleros who leaped so CALAMITY from
the first boat of the invaders hat land
ed to-day" 1 and my men were lying
behind q hummOck near the shore at
the time, and / covered you three
times with my carbine. lam glad now
that l did not kill you then. / have
you now where 1 can shoot you at my
leisure"
Nay" Interposed Don Francisco,
who was standing near, "these are pris-
oners Of war, captain, and must be
treated as SUCH"
"Do not cross the path of the tiger in
his fury" replied the captain, with a
dark scowl. "Those are my prisoners,
and shall be dealt with as Isee fit"
Lieutenant Ives knew that his failure
to return from his scout would by this
time begin to excite apprehensions, and
a strong party would be sent out in
search of him. So great was his cha
grin at having been surprised by the
Mexicans, however, that he really
cared little whether he was rescued or
not.
During the conversation between
Don Francisco Monteverte and Ell
Tigere, the don's daughter, Dolores,
had stood close beside her father. She
had been frightened at first, but her
fire was reused by the manner in which
the guerrilla chief had replied to her
father, and she stood up as proudly and
definity as the don himself.
Lieutenant Ives had tied a handker-
chief tightly around his arm after he
had been wounded. The wound was
now causing him intense pain, and he
was beginning to feel faint from loss of
blood.
al fear neither tigers nor banditti,"
said Don Francisco, hotly, in reply to
FL Tigere's last remark. II insist that
these men be treated as prisoners of
"There's Just one reason that will
purchase them, Senior Don, "and that
S the hand Of your daughter Dolores"
"Neverl" exclaimed Don Francisco. :
I would rather see her married to that !
Toung invader, much as 1 hate the :
whole race of the Americanos, than
% you" {
Lieutenant Ives, who was becoming :
more and more impressed with the
Donna Dolores, thought to himself that
he don's alternative would not be such
/ bad idea after all. =
swell we have no time to p~arley,now," I
laid FL Tigere. 1.-THE Americans will
down on us before we know it. / ]
will take my prisoners with me to a i
of safety, and in the morning they /;
shall die" :
At that moment the report Of a mus
ret was heard outside the house, and Ell
and his followers rushed to the r
ioors and windows in alarm. A party 6
II American soldiers was coming up to :
he house on the double-quick, and the l
hot had been fred by one of the Mexi- E
an pickets to give warning of their APP ;
The Mexicans ran to their 1
horses, which were tethered heal the l
house, but before they could mount the l
Americans were upon them, and a fierce :
land-to-hand struggle ensued. The |
prisoners, being left unguarded, ran out 7
# the house, and the thongs which Q
pound their hands being cut by some c
Who had come to their rescue, they too {
oined in the fray. I
The had now risen and looked L
through the palm trees and giant ,
on the scene of tumult below. /
The don and his daughter stood in the E
looking helplessly on. To e
hem it mattered little which side won,
or n party was that of the invaders
Vhom they hated, and the other that of
he banditti whom they feared. Donna
Dolores, however, secretly hoped that, o
whichever way the conflict was decided, 4
he handsome young lieutenant (who had =
eiZed a sword in his left and was fobt- v