St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-08-28

} he left the Mexican village at one side,
climbed little elevation, and getting
therefrom good view of the Spanish
peaks, threw himself on the ground and
lay there smoking and surveying the
prospect, just as two Misunderstanding
Mcxicans approached the base of the
low cliff and began talking eagerly.
Suddenly his attention was ARRESTED
by what he overheard of the con-
versation below him. Fortunate, in
deed, was it that he understood Spanish,
for the fellows were plotting vengeance
against Tom Lewis. He listened eager
ly; 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 walked to the
new town." There was an uncom-
monty serious expression on his face
and he said but little t, the acquaint-
ances whom he met on the streets, or
while submitting to the miseries of sup
per, at restaurant called, with savage
| irony, ''Delmonico of the Mountains"
After it was over he sat silently smok-
ing, and then, after carefully examining
| eliC Stp oiI LID lCSOAStI, anu iOOhlIlO
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 of
his face in a second.
''Bet you ten to one, Jack" said he,
"before he opens his mouth, that this
yere young feller's got something seri-
Gus to tell us
"Well, | should say so, 'said Stanley.
He told his story rapidly and concisely.
| The Mexican scoundrels, had, he said, q
| grudge against Tom Lewis.
81 told him SO" interrupted Burke.
1t was Jose and Carlos, and don't you
forget it. Wa-al, what work are they
| up to now?'
"Only throwing his train off the track
tomorrow morning, "said Stanley.
Then he gave all the details of the plan,
as discussed in his hearing, and desig-
mated the place which they had selected
where they would draw the spikes from
the rail.
The expression on his hearers faces
as they listened, BODIED i'll for the future
welfare of the two Mexicans.
sort o rough ON Tom, said Harris,
an not on him alone The Vice-Presi-
dent an his party will be on that thar
train. The telegram come half an hour
ago. You asked me to let you know,
an | was a-going to send word to you
out to the ranch. Now, We'll just-eh,
what's the matter, young Teller? Here,
drink this
Stanley had turned deadly pale, and
well he might, for in that party was
Nellie! He struggled to regain his COM
posture, and few words sutficed to
make the situation clear to the men.
Harris rose, uttering an oath between
his teeth:
"Forewarned is forearmed, my bov,"
said he. There's plenty of time. The
night freight eastward is taken off, and
there II be no train over the curve till |
Toms comes along, an you bet your
life she won't be thrown off the track. !
neither; and them cussed greasers will |
well, just you wait and see. Don't |
say word to soul, and look sharp |
now, for we've plenty of work to do.
Jose and Carlos had conceived, as
they thought, a very satisfactory plan.
The big Americano, strong-armed and
loud-voiced, had brought his fate upon
himself. Had he not dared to pay at
tention to The sweetheart of one cdbdk-
Zero, and insult another by laying vio-
lent hands upon him? His blood should
atone. And then, what mattered if ten
or twenty more accursed Ga'ingos were
sent to perdition at the same time? Ac-
cidents will happen, and rails will be
loosened, in spite of all possible vigil
ance. No one would be the wiser, and,
indeed, if they concealed themselves
near the spot, there might be a rare
chance for plumber. They would be
wary and watch their chance. The
Gringos carried plenty of money in the
cars, and if the big man with the two
revolvers and the belt full of cartridges,
who took care of it, should be killed, as
he surely must be, they might secure
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 bathed 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 in
dulged in roseate visions of the future;
they built grand castles in the air.
Why, pious rascals as they were, when
their revenge was achieved and their
fortunes were made, they might even
place votive offering in some tawdry
little adobe chapel on a Mexican hill
side. Little did they know that, an
hour before, three men had climbed
that same path ahead of them, all strong
j. IL 4e u, Il |