, 1890-11-06

the idea being left for a night IN
the lonely ranchhouse without Johh
was not pleasant. The desperaao
and bandit Vasquez was then IN
full power, and though he was last
heard of In the Santa Cruz ulouhV
aims, his marches were so swift anu
In such unthought of directions,
that his very name carried lear
through large tract OF country
where he had not as yet appeared
Johns rifle hung In the Kitchen,
and Mary, who well understood lts
Use, took 1t down and carefully cx-
amined 1t, then placed 1t In u con-
venient position, while she iay
down, dressed, on the bed py the
now sleeping baby.
John made his purchases, not for,
getting one of Nlary's orders, ana
adding to them neat, wooleh
gown and cart for little John.
The horses were weary, for the dls-
tauce from San .Juap Bautista was
all up hill, so John drove slowly
along, as he had scarcely q mile
farther and it was not half'past
eight.
And fare thee weel, my only luve,
And fare thee weel iorawhile
And | will come again, my luye,
Though II were ten thousand milc'
Had Johns thoughts not been at
the end Of the Journey with Mary
and the baby at that moment, ne
had surely heard the step of a horse
behind him, rs he drove into the
willow.shaded stretch of road by the
Arroyo Seco. d,
The last words of the song had
hardly been uttered when he was
violently seized from behind, his
arms tied, q gag pressed between his
teeth, and lariat wound around
his legs. About n dozen men were
soon around the wagon, all speak
ing in undertones and in the Span
ish tongue.
"Who Is he?" asked one.
"Tho American who has the
Guadeloupe Rancho" was the re-
ply. ,
"Search him and leave him here
in the willows. Drive the wagon
off the road and take the horses; they
are good"
The orders were quickly obeyed,
and John, AS helpless as little John,
was rolled into the reeds by the
roadside.
"Shall we go to the ranch-house"
asked one.
"Ges; but one of you will be
enough. There is only n woman
and child there. You go, Jose,
and bring US all the food on II pack
horse
With all his strength John tried
to beak his bonds, but to no pur
pose, and the gag kept him silent
Ii was q time of agony to him M
the party drove away as silently N
they had come. John had expected
them to shoot him or carry him
away captive, for without doubt thu
band was that Of the notorious Vas
quez
However, life was spared, and II
his heart he gave thanks to th'
Almighty, praying God to save hi
Mary and little one from harm.
Mary, by the side of her boy, hat
fallen asleep; she had thought to 10
main awake until John nigh
possibly come, but sleep overcam
her.
From pleasant dreams she wa
suddenly awakened by step upol
the porch. Her first thought wa
of John.
\ "Who Is there" she cried.
mo matter who" was the reply
"open the door"
"f shall not"
"Cherc Is no man In the house,
know, and | shall break 1t i'm
The answer to this speech was tn
report of rifle, and the rufllal
gave cry of pain as the bullet Gu
his arm. Man or no man, Mar,
Fernald, thanks to Johns instruC
tions, could defend herself when ne
cessity came. Presently the rapi,
steps of "A galloping horse were hear,
going down the hill.
"Thank heaven that / have no
killed him." were Mary's tirs
words; ait would be awful To hav
the doorstone OF our home staine
with blood, even though Justly shed
| should have aimed lower" sh
added, as she looked at the bullet
hole in the redwood panel jus
breast high.
"IIe may come back with others !!
Mary kernaid knelt beside her baby
who already slept, though wakene
by the familiar sound of the rifle
and prayed for strength.
! 1t was too late, she knew, 70
! John to come that night, and sh
thought how happy would be thei
greeting I'm the morning when sh
, would fall safe forever into his stron
arms.
Several times she heard sound
l which startled her, and even tn
wind, which moved the madron
: branches against the roof, cause
. her to shudder.
B., The sound of horses tramping ol
the san Juan road startled her onc
!, and later the unmistakable creakin
OF the garden gate, followed by
stealthy movement upon the porch
less suggesting that of man tha
, that of some large, wild animal.
Presently the door shook as
, II would break from its hinges d
, the heavy body pushed against 1
Mary stared with terror, holdin
the rifle aimed at the lower pane
A second assault followed, accom-
panied by u low gutteral sound
half Kissing.
Sharp and quick rang out the rif
again. The house seemed to shak,
r From the door came II cry half-hl
: man, awful to hear i'm its agoi,
Y Mary fell upon her knees, coverin
, her face in the clothes beside tn