Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1889-02-22

blush smoke Of tho cigarette mounting
lightly In little eddies In the transparent
clearness Of the atmosphere. or lifted bis
head to examine the windows 0fthe husises
to surprise a pair Of eyes that contem
plated him a hand that drew aside a cur
tain. and he was happy al the little effect
produced by his passage
lmpelled by force OF habit, he had taker
the road TO the quarters He perceived Il
presently and smiled coutemptuously,
nevertheless continued his route lie de
sired to see for the last time the beings
and things familiar to him He saluted
with the tips Of his fingers the sentry who
presented arms. gave an nmicablo good
day to the SONS officer on guard. a man Of
his own squadron. made the tour Of the
barracks without dismounting. threw a
glance into the stables. directed the officer
Of the day to remit some punishmonts
that he had inflicted the evening before,
passed to the gate, leaped it and turned
and swept the building with a gaze Of
adicu
Only then did his heart sink, and, fear
ing the trouble that invaded him, he put
his marc to the trOt. seeking to hy his
weakness. He had resumed the way to
the forest; before long he was in the
woods Rays OF sunlight filtered through
ont the leaves. designing the shadows of
the trees and branches upon the brownish
earth Drops of the nights rain still
pcarled upon the grasses
Capt Random brought his horso to a
walk. There is plenty of time he
thought. and allowed h'msclf TO 10 dream
ing idly. soothed by ne freshness Of the
morning breeze.
In the meantime he h-i passed inso.a
wide, sandy alley-'the training alley,
as he remembered. of tho barracks; he
had travelled two kilomoters at n jump
lie dropped the reins upon Einiche's neck,
and the head and shoulders of the mare
balanced to tho right and balanced TO the
left with the regularity Of a pendulum
Random was absolutely contont-content
with tho pride Of a resolution well Il
firmly taken lie was happy even to find
himself calm and proud Of his bravery
At The end of the alley he travcrsed a
wide clearing. and u hundred meters fur
ther stopped Behind n tall hedge near
by. n stones throw from the highway.
not more. the line Of lie railway ran, the
descent that led to it was perpendicular
and covered with pebbles and jagged
points OF stone. Pale as a corpse, Ran
don observed it. a strange emotion hold
ing him. his legs weakening beneath him.
lie made a half turn. threw his animal
upon her launches and advanced again,
but at u walk There was plenty of time.
Niniche was afraid of u tree that had
.allcn across her route, and plunged vic.
entity a little more and Random had
been discounted 1t was a painful sur
prise to him
''Chutl no cried. what is tho matter
with mel Can | ride 10 more Aud,
afraid Of being afraid. be stiffoned aim,
self anew G.l began TO pct and soothc her
less to calm his animal. perhaps, tran
% re1ssure himself
Gently, Mamie, gently; no precipita-
ton Easy, my girl. easy Thou shalt
layothy gallUP by and by.
Again ho stopped ard made n half turn;
again hesitated: for the desire 10 wheel.
the desire TO fly and turn no more had
como upon him strongly; but only for an
instant. Then quiclIy-unwilling to
allow himself q raomcnt to reflect, q mo
ment to regret-ho rose in his stirrups,
bent his body forward, ond-the race
began!
The wind cut his fecc. tears wet his
eyeiashes. but still he went with d~iazying
rapidly. the trunks Of the trees passing
him GEo spcctcrs. Nothing was clear OF
Misunderstanding but a vaTuc confused
impression that It was his liIe thus dying
from him in fragments.
But still he went, and now it was the
noise of @ horse that no beloved he heard
pursuing hirl Tie tyrael in the saddle
n0thiar-the noise was nothing but tho
noise of tine pebbles that NiniaAc's AyiaC
feet cast behind her Dut this idea thai
a horse pursued hin pleased his fancy
set it going. and Immediately be imagine,
D. Is--.E .-. ALL. .a.-.H.T -.-T- . Hs L..
last grand round lie hurried tho pace OIL
his mount.
The circuit Of tho clearing he'd twice
been passed. tho gait was irigltiul. bul
tho hedge wGs before him. behind tht
hcdgc--l.o OWNED it without sociuT it,
tho PrcciPico, with its Jagged. rocky sides
Then he iclt himself ut the cvd Of li.
brolth-thc air he swallowed came liu.-
his ranting lungs in slrill whistiin~s'
In the twini;iug of IN eve he nAd
vision. a din realization OF that whicl
was to be his death-a fall into space.
complete failure Of respiration. u crushin,
blow upon the head!
The idea Of stopping his raare crosse,
his mind lie boro tho reins-.oo late
Alre.dy he was upon the cIgol he close,
his eyes; 30 abandoned himself but in
stinctiycly looscuing the re.,s end lock
ing his legs according to his habit whel
ieaping obstacles.
He had n half consciousness Of tho mo
men when GinicEo arose in the air II
experienced a sense Of relief. il was Gin
ishodl
Ho forced hi-las 4 neither TO hear, t
sec uor TO breathe. but DO bent his SPIN
as one who awaits ! voliey Of blows fror
a cudccl! He fell he bounded. he rolled
How long il was. tho, bounding cld roll
ing; and then-that duh noise Of a shoe
upon hard ground that lie hcardl
81 am %swooning. he Thought lam
a cruel pain in his head recalled him II
had broken IT, Had hc'- Eut immedI
ately thore was a second shock that shoe
him from head to fuot-a sensation q
rending and tearing throughout his body
he remembered that be had fallen upo
the railroad-undoubtedly n train h.
passed. a train that had cut him in two
An his ideas wero cloudcd-a nist be
foro his eyes-but he was peaceful IN
comfortable, very comfortabic-ho vishe
TO remain thus always-always-he kne'
no uorci -
Meanwhile he had come 10 himself again
About him was d whispering Of voices. O
about a colin
1T is the interment-lo am dead-nowl
he thought, AID the Conclusion gave hin
B IL Dloncnrp