Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-11-14

| arm.
| | watched him as if fascinated. He
reached for the loop, opened it wide, turn
ed sidewise in the saddle and swung it
round his head. If it caught me should
| be dragged headlong to the ground. If
| leaned close to the horse it would close over
| us both, and we would go down together.
In either case certain injury or death
| threatened me. In utter despair pulled
| in my horse and stopped.
| The Mexican rode swiftly up, coiling his
Iasso as he came. The hard look gave way
| to the same smile that he had worn before,
but thought detected something grim
| in it this time Again, with that horrible
polteness, he said:
| "Ah, the senior is too queek-he no wait
to say adiosl But the boss, he is as l say,
he is vera fast Will the senior no try my
boss now? ST, 81, think he will lika try
| Chihuahua now. He's hossis mucha tired;
he lika leetle rest"
In the same graceful way as before he
threw himself to the ground, and instantly
caught Montezuma by the bride. was
entirely unarmed. I had no doubt that
the Mexican was well armed and quite
ready to kill me if 1 attacked him. dis
mounted slowly, with bad grace. To my
surprise the Mexican handed me the bride
of his horse with bow.
| Nov you shall try my Chihuahua
! There is no more bettare in thees countree.
You will so say eef you will try heem only"
But had no heart to mount. had lit
tie doubt that the beast which was now
leering at me with vicious eye would
buck me off at the first jump The Mex
lean waited moment out of sheer court
esq., then mounted Montezuma and started
gracefully off. He did not push him to his
utmost at first, but went down the road
carefully, as if trying him. Then he turned
and came back at a somewhat better pace.
| stood like dummy, holding the bride
of his horse and watching him. His riding
was magnificent exhibition, but I was
not in a condition to admire it.
| AS if satisfied with the powers of Monte
yuma, he turned again and came down
past me at full speed. AS he passed me he
shouted few words in Spanish to his
horse. The beast jerked back from me,
struck at me with his forefeet and was
after his master in an instant.
The Mexican had turned in his saddle
and was watching US with interest. AS his
horse broke away from me smile spread
over the mans face, which was more than
smile of politeness, and he raised his hat
in sweeping bow of derision.
stood there as if paralyZed on Lone
some valley desert, fifteen miles from
home, and watched the villain ride my
horse toward Mexico.
But the Mexican cared too much for
theatrical display. His people are the most
perfect riders in the world, and my enemy
was no exception to the rule But he
made mistake in assuming that all horses
are as sure footed as he was secure in his
seat. This is true of Mexican ponies, the
only ones he had ever ridden, but it was
not true of Montezuma.
AS the Mexican spurred him deep, still
looking back over his shoulder at me,
Montezuma came to a gully or wash.
There are thousands of these across every
road and trail in the southwest. This one
was not more than three feet deep and five
feet across. A native horse would have
jumped it or leaped into it safely, even if
it were six feet deep. But Montezuma, as
he came to the wash, made no effort to
jump over, but plunged in with his fore
feet set together.
| AS he struck the bottom, which was of
rock loosely covered with sand, his knees
doubled under him like straws The best
rider in the world could not have kept his
seat. The Mexican, still glancing back at
| his own horse, went off as if hurled from
| a catapult.
Montezuma jumped up, shook himself
and limped slowly away. I involuntarily
ran forward The Mexican did not rise,
and guessed he was dead or stunned. AS
T drew nearer, however, could see that he
was not dead, but very much alive. He lay
on his back, with his right arm stretched
out over his head, and he was writhing to
and fro as if in great pain.
The man certainly was in serious pre-
dicament When Montezuma stumbled
he had been thrown straight upon a large
| fish hook cactus-a low cylindrical va
riety, completely covered with long, recur-
ring, overlapping, horny spines of needle
sharpness and most tenacious strength
They resemble enormous bone fish hooks
in everything but the barb.
| If the Mexican had struck this cactus
head foremost he would have been killed
outright. AS it was his right arm had
been thrust deep into the long curving
thorns, and they had closed into his arm
and hand, holding them in grip of steel
As he lay there writhing on the ground
his arm transfixed in dozen places with
these infexible hooks, saw my enemy de-
| livered into my power. 1t only remained
to take advantage of the fortunate acct
dent which had humbled him. I first
searched him, and took possession of his
knife and revolver. Then, very slowly,
freed his arm, cutting away the softer parts
Of the plant rather than trying the almost
impossible task of cutting through the
| thorns.
AS the Mexican rose l reiterated to Mon
tezuma's back, and covered the man with
the revolver. My precautions were use
less. His arm was sprained as well as
gashed in dozen places by the cruel
hooks. He painfully removed these, and
bound his arm in a bandanna that he took
| from his neck.
Imotioned for him to walk ahead of me to-
ward the ranch. Wemade slow and sorry
procession; the furious Mexican in front,
Montezuma limping painfully, and myself
behind, the other horse following at some
distance. But a sense of triumph sus-
tanned me through the long journey.
At the ranch we dressed the villains
arm, set a guard over him and sent for the
sheriff He came, identified him as dar-
ing horse thief wanted for several offences
in the northern part of the territory and
relieved us of his company.-Brank Gil
lette in Youths Companion.