The Southern herald., 1885-01-24

Il the idea 81 their son aIlying himself
Is an Indian, but the Indians themselves,
uiih trus tribal pride, resented the idea
& such a union. Sill love, as usual, |
/ laughed as lOcksmith's, and Franks
absence from the hacienda upon riding
expeditions Of questionable utility be
came more and more noticeable as the
weeks wore on. There were stolen in
terviews with Bonita in the chappaFal /
near the rancheria, at one Of which the
loving couple were surprised b. the old
chief, when Frank vas warned that such
interviews must cease forever, under
pain Of the dire resentment Of the tribe.
The fair Bonita had, he was told, been
betrothed TO Domingo, . gallant Of
her race, and the nuptial ceremony
was to be performed in the course Of a
week, on which occasion a grand fam
dango was to be held, at which the
whole tribe would participate. From
that time forth Bonita was not permitted
go outside the bounds Of the rancheria,
though a solitary hOrseman, presumed
to be Frank Willard, could still be seen
daily riding among the adjacent hills.
At length the day Of the fandango ar
rived. The large adobe building in
which the orgy was to be held, was
filled at an early hour of the evening
with as motley an assemblage of squaws
as ever appeared at such a gathering.
The weeping Bonita was led in. be-
) decked with as much fnery as the
wardrobe Of the tribe afforded, and at
her side stood Domingo with a triumph
ant expression on his coarse and repul-
siye countenance. Dancing was engaged
in around a fire built on the ground in
the center of the building (it was win
! ter), the smoke from which assembled in
wreaths to the cone shaped ceiling
, through hole in which it issued to the
q open air. Squaws danced with squaws
and bucks with bucks, as the invariable
T custom is. Under the influence of agar.
# diente, Of which there was a liberal
T supply, the orgy waxed wild and furious
e Suddenly it was remarked that Benits
d had disappeared while Domingo was en-
s gagged in dancing In an instant deaf
Il ening howl was set up, and the motley
ic gathering rushed pell-mell from tn,
Ie building, spreading hither and thithe
c with pine torches and glowing frebrand
h in quest of the missing maiden. Pres
ID emily a shout went up from an outlayin
at quarter. Ageneral rush was made thith
er. Just at the limits Of the rancheri
le stood horse, on which was seated Fran
le Willard, while running towards it, an
IN now only few yards away, appeare
G. Benita. A second or two more and sh
es would have reached the horse and bee
ID swung into the saddle by the strong arr
to Of her lover, when, hapless fatel an al
s. row whizzed through the air, piercin
ne the flank Of the animal. With boun
OK the spirited beast leaped forward, tn
O. abrupt movement throwing the poe
IS, youth out of the saddle. In an instar
ed he was ON his feet, with one arm roun
%. the maiden, while with his revolver h
at covered the approaching Indians. 81
sr, shots rang out in sharp succession, an
IL three swarthy forms fell groaning to tf
" ground. But what chance had the pot
us boy against the superior numbers of IL
ne now maddened barbarians2 Frank WI
ar quickly overpowered, bound with rushe
ad and council held over his prostra
Tn body. Some counseled despatching hi
ey instantly then and there, but this VI
'rn overruled by the older heads Of the trib
ro- After a short consultation, four Of Il
Inn stoutest Indians raised him from Il
'as ground and began to bear him out Of Il
Il rancheria. They took the direction
the river, making straight for the preC
nd pice which overhangs it at height
er, 500 feet, followed by the whole trib
er- Arrived at the edge of the bluff, the ty
stoutest Indians took the body of Il
ne youth by the head and feet, and swim
Ith ing him backward and forward thr
'p- times launched him out into the strear
ne whose hoarse murmur could be hea
he 500 feet below. The next instant I
va male figure sprang forward from Il
IN throng of Indians that had pressed clio
'ut up to the brink Of the precipice, an
yes with wild, despairing shrek, leap,
he down after the body of her lover.
ay was Bonita. Her body was found ne
lrg morning, dashed into an unrecognizab
rraI