, 1890-01-25

Isola was a pleasant companion, and Ned
was very sorry when the time drew near
for him to leave. The last day of his
stay h two rode out among the foot
hills, and it was plain to see that they
were deeply in love. AS they halted
for a moment in a breezy canyon a dozen
horsemen suddenly surrounded them.
Ned made a gallant fight. and shot one
of his assailants and MORALLY wounded
another before he was overpowered. In
the leader of these mountain bandits he
recognized Manuel Godena.
81 told you that l would not rest until
l had revenge, accused Americana" he
Kissed. Now, Isola"-
But the girl, giving her horse the rein,
broke suddenly through the ranks of the
men who surrounded her, for they had
not taken the trouble to secure her, and
set off at a mad gallop, closely pursued
by four or five of the banditti. But
there was % a man in Chill who could
ride with Isola Mendez, and as they
passed out of sight sll could see that she
was gaining rapidly and was likely to
escape. A cry of rage burst from the
lips of Godena.
"Now, 10000 curses on the girlr' he
cried. 81 meant that she should witness
my punishment of her Yankee lover;
but at least we have him secure. Place
him against the rock there, with his
hands and feet bound. Make him fast,
SO that he cannot fall down"
The men obeyed, and Godena dis
mounted with a pistol in hand. Ned,
held in his place by his bonds, looked
him boldly in the face. Advancing a
pace the miscreant aimed at him, chang
ing his aim from time to time to distress
the prisoner. But Ned did not give the
slightest sign of fear. At last the pistol
exploded and the ball tore through the
feshy part of his shoulder.
"Onet' said Godena, producing another
pistol. 81 am going to hit you on the
other side"
Again he fired, and the other shoulder
was torn by the ball.
"You black hearted hound!" cried Ned.
''if you think to wiring a single cry from
me o are mistaken. Go on, savage,
complete your bloody work"
Godena, with the grin of a fend, took
two other pistols from the hands of one
of the men. Again he fred, intending to
pierce the arm of the young sailor, but
this time he missed
Poor practice, said Ned. "Try again,
my lear fellow"
The fourth pistol cracked, and Ned
gave a start and shiver, for his left arm
had been pierced. Godena was very
angry, for in spite of the torture, he had
not been able to wiring a groan from the
gallant young man. Reloading his pis-
tolls carefully he stepped close to his
prisoner, ard again and again touched
hin with the muzzle of the cooked pistols
over the heart, upon the forehead, in
every vital part, but he did not finch.
"Why don't you end it, cowardly
dog?' cried Ned.
81 will end it," replied Godena, STEP
ping back a single pace. "Thus Manuel
Godena avenges himself"
He raised the pistol in his right hand
to a level with the heart of the prisoner,
and was about to pull the trigger, when
a rifle cracked on the mountain side
above them and Manuel Godena, shot
through the heart, fell upon his face,
dead. At the same timo a score of
stockmen and rancheros chased down
the canyon and the bandits turned in
fight, pursued by the herd riders, led
by Senior Mendez. Then Ned tainted
from loss of blood, and when he came
back to life his bonds had peer removed
and he lay upon the green sod, his head
pillowed upon the knee of Isola Mendez.
"Do not move" she said softly. "Yo
to amo!" Il love you).
Ned Wilton recovered from his wounds,
but not soon enough to sail in the Yes
per. Indeed, he never left Chilli, and is
now a rich ranchero. and the name of
his wife WAS once Isola Mendez. Boston
Globe.