, 1886-06-25

Wildly improbable he would nave tnought
itD the beautiful girl who might be even
now on the top of the stage on her way
from Del Norte to Alamosa.
When he parted from his new friends,
before the train from the north arrived, he
left the Mexican village on one side,
climbed a little elevation, and, getting
therefrom n splendid view of the Spanish
peaks, threw himself on the ground, and
lay there smoking and surveying the
prospects, Just as two Misunderstanding
Mexicans approached the bnse of the low
cliff, and began talking eagerly together.
Suddenly his attention was arrested by
what he overheard Of the conversation
below. Fortunate, indeed was it that
he understood Spanish, for the fell
lows were plotting vengeance against
Tom Lewis. HI listened eagerly;
they spoke vaguely, but finally agreed to
obtain certain information and meet
again at the same place at s O'Clock.
Stanley waited until they were out OF
sight, and then descended and walked
towards the new town" There was an
uncommonly serious expression on his
face, and he said but little to the &C
quaintances whom he met on the streets,
or while submitting TO the miseries of
supper nj "A restaurant called. with savage
irony, "Delmonico of the Mountains
After it was over, he sat silently smoking:
and then, after carefully exam
ming the caps on his revolver and
looking several times at his watch, he
walked away In the direction from which
he had come.
An hour later he broke in upon Burke
and Harris, sitting IN the ~latter's room.
Burke caught the expression on his face
In n minute.
"Bet you ten to one, Jack" said he, abe
fore he opens his mouth, that this yere
young ~feller's got something serious to
tell US
"Well, | should say So" said Stanley.
He told his story rapidly and concisely.
The Mexican scoundrels had, he said, a
grudge against Tom Lewis.
~ told him So interrupted Burke. 1t
was Jose and Carlos, an don't you forgit
Ill Wa'al, what the DEVILS work are they
up to nowi'
"Only throwing his train Off the track
tomorrow morning" said Stanley. Then
he gave all the details of the plan, as dis
cussed in his hearing, and designated the
place which they had selected where they
would draw the spikes from the rail.
The expression OF his hearers faces, as
they listened, BODIED i'll for the future we'll
fsre of the two Mexicans.
"Sort o. rough on Tom" said Harris, "an'
not ON him alone. The vice president nm
his party will be on that thar train. The
telegram came half an hour ago. You
asked me to let you know, an ! was
a-goin' to send word to you, out TO the
ranch. Now Wen just-ehl what's the
matter, young feller' Here, drink this"
Stanley had turned deadly pale, and well
he might, for in that party was Nelliel
lie struggled to regain his composure,
and a few works sufiiced him to make the
situation clear to the men. Harris rose,
muttering an oath between his teeth.
"Forcwarned is forearmed my boy, " said
he. "There's plenty of time. The night
freight eastward is taken off, and there1l
be no train over the curve till Toms comes
along, an you bet your life she won't be
thrown off the track neither; an them
cussed greasers will wrastle their hash in
well, just wait and see. Don't say a
word to n soul, and look sharp now, for
we've plenty of work to do"
Jose and Carlos had conceived, as they
thought, n very satisfactory plan. The
big Americana, strong armed and loud
voiced, had brought his fate upon him
self. Had he not dared TO pay atten-
tions to the sweetheart of one caballero,
and insult another by laying vigorous
hands upon himS Madre de Diosl his
blood should atone. And then, what mat
tered it II ten or twenty Gringos were
sent to perdition at the same timer Ac-
cidents will happen, and rails will he
loosened, in spite Of all possible vigilance,
No one would be the wiser; and, indeed, If
they concealed themselves near the spot,
there might be n rare chance for plumber.
Yuien sabe, They would be wary and
watch their nance, The Gringos some
times carried plenty of money in the cars;
and If the big man with the two revol vers
and the belt full Of cartridges, who took
care OF IL. should be killed, AS he surely
must be, they might secure n fortune,
cross the mountains by paths known to
them, defy pursuit, and live rich and
happy in Sonora or Chihuahua. A pretty
plan, indeed SO, in the gray of the early
morning, before the first rays OF the rising
sun had bnthed the snowy summit of
the Sierra Blanca in rose-pink, they
climbed the steep and intricate trail. They
beguiled the weary way with gleeful talk;
they INDUCED in roseate visions Of the flu
ture; they built grand castles in the air.
Why, pious rascals as they were, when
their revenge was achieved and their fort
unes were made, they might even place a
votive Offering in some tawdry little adobe
chapel on "A Mexican hillside. Little did
they know that, an our before, three men
had climbed that same path ahead of
them, all strong and brave, all armed to
the teeth; aud two OF them frontiersmen
faithful and devoted enough to be cut to
pieces before harm should come to lives
entrusted TO their care; and who, too,
hated the greasers with such n righteous
hatred that, in the line of their duty, they
would have looked upon the extermina.
alton Of an entire settlement Of them with
extreme Indifference. Trouble ahead,
Senors Jose and Carlosl
When Mt last they reached the chosen
spot, and toiled at the spikes with their
rude tools, little, too, did they know thai
from a hiding place not far distant, these
three same men watched their every
movement.
Burke, filled with righteous wrath,
showed some Impotence.
Say, Jack whispered he, whats the
use OF waitingi Let's blow the ID
scoundrels' brains out now, and nave done
with it,
Harris put his hand ou his arm.
Not for the world" said he, with n
grim smile. Wen do as the guards did
down at the pe~nitentiary at Canon City
last month, when the prisoners had put
up a job to dig their way through the wall,
and some one give 'em way. They let 'em
enjoy themselves a-working the whole of
every night for three weeks. saying that
exercise was good for 'em. And then,
when they finished the hole and was crawl
ing through, they bagged 'em all as they
came out an wished 'em good morning.
And blame me II they didn't make 'em go
to work an build the wall up again"
So Jose and Carlos to lied away without
molestation. Finally. in the bright day
light, they succeeded in drawing the last
spike and they tried the rail. Ali they
had forgotten tn chairs at the ends, which