Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-25


He tossed about in a troubled, fever
ish sleep until daylight, and then rose
and strobe out into the open air, The
atmosphere of the house seemed to
stifle him; his old restless longing for
an active life was upon him again, and
he must be moving. IF / had not
promised her to see this man, he muir
INJURED, Il would go now, and be among
the mountains once more Nature is
the only thing that's true, after all,
Yet why should | wait to see him2 She
would be disappointed and unhappy,
but am not unhappys l shall go.
Nevertheless, in spite of his deter
mination he fingered on through the
day and into the afternoon. The day
was hotter than any he had ever ex-
perienced, but he did not mind the
weather. The atmosphere became more
smoky, until the sun shone through it
with lurid glare Even the Spaniards
felt prostrated by the unusual heat,
and Josefa glanced anxiously toward
the mouth of thecanyon through which
the trail wound by which Manuel was
to return. He had gone across the
mountains with herd of cattle, his
only companion beinga Mexican va
quero, and he had been expected to
reach home that morning, but still he
did not come
Suddenly II low, distant rumbling
was heard, and a sound as of a strong
wind blowing through the trees The
rumbling increased in volume, and the
earth began TO sway with sharp,
quick motion that seemed to increase
in force with each movement.
"El temblor!' (the earthquake ex-
claimed Josefa, springing forward with
blanched cheeks. "And Manuel is in
the canyonl He will be killed he will
be killedw
The few horses that were near the
house were running wildly to and fro,
and the cattle were believing, adding
to the confusion Of the moment.
Josefa rushed forward, and securing
her favorite horse was on his back and
speeding toward the canyon in a mo
ment, despite his nervous and excited
condition. The trapper rose andfol-
lowed her as fast rs he could, and as
the trail in the canyon was difficult for
the horse owing to the loosened bowl
ders that had lodged across it and
broken it away in places, he overlook
her before she had gone far
"You must not come here, F" lie cried.
''The earthquake has loosened these
powders and has cracked the trail, so
that itlnay give way with you at. any
moment Go back, and il Manuel is
in the canyon viii find him and bring
him safely to you"
mo, ! must comc,n she said briefly,
and on they went up the trail They
had not gone far when they came upon
the object of their search. Manuel was
lying in the trail, beneath an immense
bowlder which, wedged between the
bank and small tree on the outer
edge of the trail, rested upon his legs
50 that he could not move, though his
arms and body were free.
Although he was not badly hurt, his
position was precarious one, for the
bowlder in striking the tree had loos-
ened the roots, and the whole trail at |
that point was likely to give way at
any moment, plunging him thousand
foot down fhn oranirino
Keeping Josefa back from the dan
gerous point he examined the situation
thoroughly, and then shook his head
gravely,
"There is but one way" he muttered
to himself, 'and any way it will pay
my debt A life for life is fair turn
about" Then addressing Manuel he
said when | tell you push upward
with your hand on the bowlder and
crowd yourself as close to the inner
wall as you can. Doyou understand"
Yes, answered Manuel.
Stepping carefully over the crumbling
earth he caught the small tree and
picked his way out until he stood over
the precipice.
"Now push with all your might, he
cried, and giving himself violent
swing outward he threw all his weight
upon the tree. 1t trembled moment,
and then the roots tore themselves
loose, and tree, bowlder and man went
crashing down the precipice
Josefa, who had gone back around a
bend in the trail, heard the crash and
forward saw Manuel lying upon
the edge of the trail, released from the
bowlder, but still lying upon the
crumbling earth.
With glad cry she rushed forward
and helped bin out of his peril Then
she looked around for his preserver.
He was nowhere to be seen.
''Ah, he has gone" she said. "He
said he would go when you came, and
he has run away from us; but | have
You now, Manuel, and am so harpy."
Then with a little shudder as she looked
over the edge Of the trail of the seem
ingly bottomiess abyss, Suppose you
had gone over there, Manuell 1t would
have been horrible l"-H. Elton Smith
in Overland Monthly.