Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-07-04
THE ROBBER CHIEF.

In one Of the fertile wales at the base o;
tho Sierra Madre mountains the famous Al
cade dc Mendana controlled the affairs OF
the region Among the inhabitants of the
hills, tho bandits and their lawless friends,
this same man was known as Don Carlos,
the Robber chief but so well was his secret
kept by those acquainted with it that no
whisper OF his unholy connection ever pol
luted the air Of the valley over which he
held sway.
As Don Carlos he conducted his outrages
with all the courtesy of a robber of romance,
being liberal to the poor with what he
gained from the rich, and, while often
cruel, be would sometimes exhibit such
seeming generosity toward his victims, or
those in his power, that his virtues were
loudly sung by the easy going multitude,
while his wrong doing was only whispered,
and most charitably CLOSED over.
From Sonora, on a chilly evening in JAN
uary, Is, the coach which Travelled the old
road to chihuahua was well filed with pas
sengers, all of whom, by display Of arms as
well as by personal appearance, seemed to be
possessed Of property worth defending;
and weapons were necessary, for the road to
lie traversed was VIGOROUSLY infested by
robbers
~ VIC poA ~Sio . 6cheaS, eAhAN OAA Aooy
and her black-eye1, vivacious, beautiful
niece, Marie de Navarro, sole child and
orphan Of the noble Count dc Navarro, who,
dying left his motherless child to the care
of her dead mothers sister: and with this
aunt the charming girl had passed Ter early
life in Sonora
Good as beautiful, and with all the frank
ness of innocence, Marie entered into unre-
strained conversation with her fellow travel
ers. Naturally, the talk settled into ex-
periences Of each, or their friends in con-
nection with robbers and robberies, and this
continued long, dread Inducing wakefulness.
But at last fatigue and slumber conquered,
and an were sound asleep, despite the terri
BILE jolting OF the clumsy vehicle
very sudden pull-up Of the horses and
halt of the coach betokened that something
had happened", and in an instant every one
was wide awake-awake to see, surrounding
and peering in on every side fierce, dark,
wild, and wicked faces, made more hideous
by the dim flicker of the rude torches tbs
men carried
The passengers were made to dismount
and stand in row, while the brigands
hastily pillagei them Of their valuables
Somewhat apart from the others were
Marie and her aunt They were the last to
70 sSoiNhouI oiib eho SVo-heoocA 6hA WIZ
pied the time in keen observations Through
tine darkness she could discern the figure Of
a man on horseback, evidently in command,
though he took no part in the active plum
dering
When q rude Desperate approached Marie
and her aunt, and the light of the torch fell
full upon her beautiful, pale and determined
face, she placed herself before her aged rela-
tive: Il have no wealth worth your taking;
We do not carry our treasures with us. My
aunt, neither has anything of value, and the
first of you that lays hand upon her or
me"-the rounded arm flew out fiercely,
and in the little hand was firmly grasped
Keen, long stilletto.
Staggered for moment by this most un-
expected opposition, the rufiian started back,
with hall oath and half laugh, and was
about to grasp the girl when, from the
gloom, was heard voice:
"The senoras are not to be molested. We
harm no children or women"
With the laugh turned to angry maledic-
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