Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-11-15

he was walking Ieisurely back to cover, +
with the delicately. scented note thrust T
IN his breast, when his steps were vast /
ly accelerated by a huge Mexican I
bloodhound suddenly Undertaking. (
among the bushes at the other end OF
the garden, and plunging after him.
Leo felt that the dark orbs of the /
fair lady might be following him, and
he would fain have been dignifed in
his retreat. But he found it very ex- !
pedient to change his viii in the case, /
after one sweeping glance into the ca
paciOus red mouth of the canine mon
ster In hot pursuit, who had been so
speedy to resent an intrusion on his
masters private and beautiful grounds.
Leo said farewell to dignity for that
time, and vaulted the fence in the face
of his savage foe. He Just made his
escape and no more. He congratulated
himself, as he hastily entered their
part of the hacienda, that the Mexican
dress he wore had no superhuOus coat
tails to have suffered an inglOriOus
diminution In length, as it no doubt
would have done.
Safe within the quarters that had
been assigned to him and his cOmpan-
ions Leo broke the seal of the dainty
little note, and with eager eyes perused
| the following lines:
SENIORS A1EERICANOs: This is written
/ you by an unfortunate maiden who. beHeV-
/ ing in your nobleness of SOUL 1mplores you
/ to save her from a cruel fate
Ny father, the rancherO, who reluctantly
permits you to pass the night under his
/ roof, is forcing me this night to wed an
! officer Of MaXimiian's army whom late
/ most vehemently; but he holds some great
/ m Y ii
| victim.
The one I truly love is FL Captain Equal
/ do, one OF the braVestin our chief (Juarez' 81
army, and am very DESTROYS OF flying to
The ceremony is to be held at 10 o'clock
tonight, when that detested man. Col.
! Henrique Fernandez, will be here to claim
I my unwilling heart and hand. He dare not
| venture within the lines OF Juarez, except
/ under the cover Of deep night.
/ The little chapel, which IS opposite the
| wing you now occupy is where the mar
! rage rites will be performed.
In writing this, good, brave Seniors
/ AmericanOs, 1 appeal to you to save me
| from this living death, and in doing so you
will ever receive the sincere prayers Of
P. S.-My trusty maid, Zela, will have
| horses ready in the grove beyond the gar
den and we beg to ny under your P pr
ton to that of my noble Ezualdo. Z. "
Leo read the note over several times
and then said to himself:
"Of course I'll do all she asks and
more, too, for my friend, EzualdO.
This is the girl have heard the young
officer mention with such deep esteem
so often when we were together in
/ camp. This promises more romance
than anything it has been my lot to be
mixed up in for long time. We may
as well get ourselves ready, I suppose,
and consult each other in the matter. :"
So saying, he aroused his sleeping
comrades and told them of lula
Velasquezs appeal to them for help
from the cruel union her father was
forcing upon her.
The party happened to be composed
of Young men of adventurous spirits,
and most of them knew the handsome,
noble Ezualdo in Juarez's army, and
were willing to engage in any combat
or undertake any enterprise, no matter
how daring, if, in so doing, they served
him or his chief, Juarez.
They accordingly made themselves
ready and waited for the hour Of ten to
J roll round.
Leo was on watch at the narrow
window, and when, at last, he saw the
= bridal party moving swiftly and as
? silently as specters towards the little
2 chapel, he gave the signal to his com
l panions to follow him. Very soon the
s little party was joined by six unlimited
! guests.
/ The ranchero, who was leading the
= lovely but unwilling lula, halted
? near the door of the chapel and looked
2 back Perhaps he had detected the
tread of the Americans, although they
q had arrived almost noiselessly. Al
2 the same time a tall, middle-aged Mex
/ lean officer. Henrique Fernandez, the
. ! wOuld-be bridegroom, who was little
in advance of the bride and her father
/ and who was attended by two younger
officers, all dressed in very gorgeous
/ uniforms, became aware of the attend.
} ance of the American soldiers. The
. party stopped. Henrique Fernandez
In an imperiOus voice, demanded:
2 "Don Velasquez, why this intrusion
) and who are the strangers ?"
? The moon had lowered herself be
, hind q bold range of mountains in the
r. west ere this, hence only the dim out
lines of the intrUders could be made
r out, and nothing Of faces and dress
r could be distinctly seen.
r at is the Seniors AmericanOs, re
2 piled the savage voice of Velasquez.
/ why are you here, senOrs ?" he de
2 manded.
/ Leo boldly stepped before the ranch
3 ero as he replied:
a "Don Velasquez, you are cruelty
forcing your child to marry one whom