San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1884-03-27

sleeping in the willows, in the tai
grass, waiting, praying for some ont
to come that way with whom she
could trust her life and that which il
more than life to woman.
No need of questions or Of answers
now. The dead body and its com
panions in chains down by the black
rock which rose from the lake by the
little island, how silently told the
whole terrible story. The two mute
and sullen Danites that had galloped
past, spoke to the man by the coffin,
and disappeared; the silent mer
that followed and searched and
searched and searched the rank grass
and willows, and looked in every
direction for some one, need not open
their lips now. All understood the
whole terrible tale.
"They had been judged, and were
not"
The tragedy had taken place, or
rather the murders had been COM
mitted, on this very stream, and not
far from this very spot; as some
blood stains a little way up the
stream still bore testimony.
Everything, Of course, of value had
been taken; "they had been judged,
and were not" Their property was
confscated to the Church. How the
girl had escaped she hardly knew her
self. And indeed no one asked di-
rectly. You do not understand
Well, when you reflect that no one
could trust his neighbor, you will
comprehend why no one spoke above
a whisper now; and you will not be
surprised that she was not pressed to
tell her tale. Words are not the
most elegant things to tell a story
with any way. Even the children
huddled together in groups as they
crept out of the wagons, and under
stood and were silent as Indians.
The girl sat sat down by the water,
we'll concealed, and ate some bread.
Then after while, with the help of
some plying women, she combed out
her long splendid black hair and tied
it up with q ribbon. She was. even
then strangely beautiful.
The men kept looking up and down
the stream as if half expecting the
Danites to dash in upon them from
almost any quarter at almost any
moment. A steep high hill rose
abruptly before u.s. To move on
with the girl and 80 escape by sud-
den fight before discovered-this
was doubtful experiment, and yet
some wanted to try it at all hazards.
It seemed that if we could climb that
ridge that rose steeply before us, and
drive straight and steadily ahead till
we came to Green River, we might
escape. Any we were too terrified
to remain here. Things were pack
ed up, the weary oxen again yoked,
and all was ready for an advance.
"One thing to our advantage, the
old spy is off our track anyhow" said
a woman to her husband as she hand
ed him his ox-whip.
The man look at her, crooked his
thumb just q little down stream
toward the lake, and said nothing
There sat the singular man compos-
edly by the side of his coffin, quietly
reading book as usual and, MUNICH
ing morsel Of dry bread.
just when he had come no one
knew. Perhaps he had passed the
little party in the night by shorter
path, known only to himself and his
Danities.
However, it was all important that
no one should seem alarmed at his
presence; and then what else could
be donei ALI was now ready for
moving on. We could not stop now
without showing fear. At the last
moment, the girl, between two women
and quite concealed by their shawls,
crept into the wagon with party Of
children. The little train stretched
itself out and began TO start brayely
up the hill toward the west The
leader stopped, threw up q hand
And there on this hill, right across
the dim road, party Of horsemen
suddenly drew rein.
"DAnites !"
1t was whispered-this one word,
and that only by the women The
train. which had not fairly started.
was stopped the children came out
Of the wagons The girl even came
out. and there was no concealment Of
any kind. This was best and honest
These people were not prepared or
disposed 10 hght Tbe fret impulse