St. Paul daily globe., 1888-05-21
She Rescued Him.

Frank Bayard was a young American
of good family who went to HermO-
sillo in New Mexico to superintend the
Santa Rita gold mine. 1t was while liv-
ing here that he fell in love with beau
ttul Spanish girl, Donna Francesca
FonSeca, the daughter of the alcade, or
local justice of the peace.
Donna Francesca could handle gun
as well as any hunter in the neighbor-
hood, and from line of sturdy Spanish
ancestors she inherited a brave spirit
and indomitable courage. The young
couple were betrOthed, and it was set
tied that they should be married early
in September.
One day boy who worked for Mr..
Bayard rode up in great haste to the
ranch of Don FOnseca and informed
him that band of robbers, under the
redoubtable JaQuin AlvarOs, had robbed
the office OF the mine and carried Frank
Bayard away prisoner.
Donna Francesca did not weep and
wiring her hands when she heard the
news. She slipped up to her room, cut
off her beautiful hair, and putting on
boys suit, mounted fleet horse and
galloped away in pursuit of the bandits.
For several days she continued her
march to the mountains, hardly stopping
for food. On the noon of the third day
she was delighted to see the
camp. Crawling toward the opening
her JOY increased as she saw her lover
wandering unharmed about the camp,
but evidently under guard. That night
through the rocky gateway the brave
girl crept until she found herself at her
lovers side.
Ssh! IT'S Francesca! Follow me
but make no nOiSe," and she thrust re-
volver into his hands.
Back to the gateway with infinite care
and caution; past the sentry into the
cleft: then Oh their feet; one long, low
ing embrace, and then onward up the
trail she was leading him.
The horses reached, they saddled and
started, Francesca going first; and as
they rode she told him how she had
come after him.
1t was nearly 10 o'clock, when, as they
were climbing up the side of mountain,
after having crossed a small valley,
they heard some shots behind them, and,
pauSing, saw the bandits, some twenty
in number, descending the trail they
had gone over two hours before. Fran
cesca laughed.
II know a place about three miles
from here" she said: tive could hold
out for week against an army. Come,
let's hurry on"
A turn of the road, as they wound
round the highest part of the mountain
trail, and she reined her ho1se in. 1t
was natural fort. On one side the
rock went up straight for nearly a
hundred feet, while on the other the
precipice went down sheer. The shelf
upon which the trail ran was not more
than six feet high.
"Let US camp here and wait for
them"
Tying the horses behind in a little
bay-like opening in the side of the
mountain, while Frank Bayard built a
wall of loose stones, some five or six
feet high, Donna Francesca got the sad
dle-bags, and from them produced an
abundance of food. The two took their
breakfast leisurely, talking and laugh
ing the while.
But this pleasant time was inter-
|srupted by the tramp of horses, and a
!sman appeared round the corner.
f "Senor," said Frank, 81 have escaped,
zas you know. advise you to go back. 1
am well armed, and if you advance it
will be death.'
The bandit paused, then speaking to
the men behind him, he turned his horse
round and disappeared. In few min
utes, however, he came back with three
or four more. There was clear space
of some thirty feet they had to cross be-
fore reaching the wall.
"Senors," said Frank again, 81 warn
you."
The reply was an oath, followed by a
rush. Crack crack crack! went the
repeating rifles, and only two men
reached the wall. One Frank struck
with his fist and knocked him out to
the edge of the cliff, where he made a
desperate attempt to recover himself,
failed, and fell with yell. The other
the girl shot.
In that narrow space, AMI among that
compact body of men, it was impossible
to miss. The attacking party wavered,
| one turned, and then another, while the