Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-08-21

an isolated ana out.oi-tne-Way place Dy
the rancheros in that part
Of the country. That was my FIRST
Impression Of the place, and
I dare say II vas the same as all Others
who for the first time beheld IL. Those
who gathered up enough courage 10 force
themselves through the tall weeds TO the
building, II not halted aud ordered 70
leave, found, upon a near approach, a
long, low, ~ramsnackle house with a broad
veranda running its entire length on the
east side, covered with moss and ivy, and
a handsome little garden spot, carefully
kept, in the rear. The welcome visitor
was always met by a little, old, dried-up,
saddle-colored Spaniard, who gave the
name Of Senior Jaral, and, II invited to re-
turn, was usually presented to the senor's
daughter, q young Mexican girl about
twenty or twenty-five years old, who was
seldom seen and never heard by the
visitor while he remained.
THE YOUNG LADY
was not so strikingly handsome, but,
strange as 1t may seem, she had large,
light blue eyes and flaxen hair, and a
demure way Of passing 70 and fro about
the house that was very attractive. | was
introduced into the house by Bent, and
evidently made q favorable impression on
the recluse senior, as he always made me
welcome.
Gin November, 1888, Bent and | found
ourselves In FL Paso broke. We had been
holding down Silver City for several
weeks, but luck went against us, and We
saw u last dollar 60 across the green
cloth OF the faro-dealer. Bent was des-
perate, and / wasn't much bet
ter. We determined to mako a
break for our old quarters In Southwest
Texas. In Deming | met a friend and
made q raise, so that we went into El
Paso in shape, and lasted for a week.
But we couldn't get on top any more,
and Bent had about decided to shoot a
Chlnaman "to change his luck" when
APAL Or HIS CAME IN
from Eagle Pass. They hobnobbed to-
gether a day or two, and suddenly told
me one day they were going to run down
TO Chevallto and Chihuahua.
"rhey were either trying to deceive me,
however, or changed their minds rather
suddenly, for they left town over the
Texas & Pacific, ran down to Colorado
City, thence down into Tom Green coun-
ty, by following the river, to San Angelo.
. young fellow named Golden, haillng
from near Carney, H., was a driver on
the stage line that ran from Abilene to
Fort Concho, and Bent evidently got some
pointers from him, for in a few days there
was a big sensation created through.
out that country by the report
that a lone highwaymau had
the Concho stage. The
stage was stopped about a mile from the
colorado river on the Runnels side, the
highwayman losing himself to the
IrinhtannH fpayalaru hu zIgJln. la. A..
ihick %chapparal that grew on each side of
The road, as 500 as he had relieved them
their yaluables. That the highwayman
acquainted with the country was evil
lent, for again within a week the per-
.ormance was repeated, except that this
line two men made the demand to
THROW UP YOUR Hands,
at Is unnecessary for me to tell you
who these modern Claude Duvals were,
or you can guess as easily as / did when
read a report Of 1t.
, "The boys laid low around Buffalo
zap for awhile until the talk died down.
for them there was a stage
'oboed between Lampasas and San Saba,
Which turned the attention OF the officials
n that direction. The highwayman did
lot cover his tracks as well as our BOYS,
or he was nabbed down near Fort
Mason, and during the excitement Bent
md his pal pulled out without creating ,
comment. In a few days / got a
to Join them at Uvalde.
fastening there l found them flush and
gentleman OF leisure. Bent
gas acquainted with Maj. Smith, in
Command at Fort Clark, and would &C.
~asionslly put on his clerical duds and
un down to see him. But there was ,
method in his madness, for he told us !
me day that If we wanted to be in the !,
addle for a few days we could make !
money, and explained to me his !
Icheme. | was to run down to Eagle ,
Ass and bring up some men whose names .
'e gave me-men who had been there ,
'eiore and could be relied upon; and we
to run a drive OF cattle over the !
rande and bring back horses, l
ant explain to you the difficulties Of ,
uch an undertaking. 1t is simply
breach OF the laws of both countries, as |
We Intended smuggling them across be.
ween Pilares and Preside del Norte, !
md II spotted by the officials meant i'm. !
'risonment, or by the vigilantes hemp, ,
and accoutered. we were a mat.
or OF two or three days reaching the
ange from which the cattle were to be
nipped'-the lower Pecos-and we kept .
out as well as we could so as .
lot TO attract attention. / and one of !
he Allemanni were deputed to do the adj.
.ance accommodating, and an easy lob IL !
vas up to the time we sighted the river. '
I was
EARLr IN II AFTERNOON, :
'hen we looked down from an eminence
beheld the Rio Grande. The river
7ss nothing, however, and we would a
ave forged ahead, thankful that so much =
I our journey had been passed safely,
'hen my attention was attracted by a =
mall body OF horsamen riding south
long the bank of the river, apparently 4,
ngaged In search for something, and y
didn't need TO ask for what. The h
attic had been missed, and a i posse OF
Zen had come in pursuit. BY some
nance they had passed the main body q
I u gang and had beaten us to the !,
liver. They were now engaged in search. :
X the tords TO see II We had crossed the
Iver, Our only chance OF successfully
now lay In our waiting until
ighttall, and hoping that II pursuers A
light go on down the river. i ana nv
ompanion waited until the men came up s.