The National tribune., 1891-02-26

In a moment / was mounted and ready for
any emergency. The buck was evidently
making for the water, but quickly scentlng
me turned sharply, and with a bound re-
entered the timber.
Inexperienced rs j was, started quickly
in pursuit i soon realized, however, that
had lost my prize, for not sound could
hear Of the movement Of any living thing
Not contented TO give up the chase so readily,
j leisurely rode along, breaking my way
through the tangled wood, hoping 10 arouse
some sleeping game Of consequence upon
which to try my aim.
1 was listening very sttentively, and soon
heard the pounding of feet as if some ami
NAL was upon full run. 1t must be a deer
or an antelope / thought Gracious, how
fast il is runningl The twigs and branches
snap. Perhaps il is the buck that just dis
appeared. 1t is certainly making straight
across my path, and not more than so yards
| I'm front Of me. / kept ont of sight as best i
could and anKiously waited for chance TO
shoot. / could see the thick branches shak-
ing and swaying and hear him bounding by.
/ could wait no longer; il would be
chance shot knew, but if / waited / should
lose my chance altogether. raised my rifle
and, aiming as carefully and quickly as /
could at the moving branches, fired.
What did / hear2 a horrid screech, an
awful, awful scream, seeming 10 come from
the throat of man writhing in the agOnies
of death. My blood almost chilled in my
veins and trembled so that ] could hardly
stand. i tried TO regain my cOmpOsure, and
| partially succeeded. Then / listened and
my ears, sharpened by terrible apprehen-
sion, heard the same tTamping Of feet; some
thing was yet running, but in opposite direc-
tion. was bewildered, but hastened as fast
as i could to the spot where, as near as i
could Judge, the branches were moving when
j fired. Alter some trouble j succeeded in
making my way through the tangled under
brush.
looked. Merciful God. What did seep
Still breathing but quivering in the last
throes Of death, with blood trickling down
his coarse shirt, lay q Mexican. He was
young could see at a glance, not more than
30 years of age, at the most; cOmely Of face
and form, with a complexion of the hue that
comes from much exposure in the open Air.
i moved nearer. There was no more quiyer-
ing of The muscles All was still. / was
alone with the dead.
Dear friend, do not wonder If ] fail TO de-
scribe my feelings then. i hardly know
them myself j seemed 10 be chained in
some horrid nightmare. i must have sat
there for an hour, perhaps longer. had no
realization of my position until aroused
from my stupOr by heavy rumbling sound,
as NJ made by the tramp Of many horses.
/ Still sat there by the dead.
The tramping Of feet soon heard more
clearly. Somebody was surely approaching
me. A sense of my surroundings began 10
dawn upon me. began 10 reflect upon my
strange position. Suddenly il occurred 10
me that the approaching party might be
looking for the young man had killed. His
! horse had doubtless returned TO the camp
riderless, with perhaps blood upon the sad
die, which alarmed his friends, who were
now searching for him.
What should / do? j dare not try 10
escape, for ] knew that any movement /
made would be heard, and j would be over
taken and probably killed. i knew that
] was innocent Of any thought Of wrong,
and so determined 10 tell the truth and
trust 10 fate. The searchers, for such they
I proved to be, were now very near me
/ In another moment they came in sight j
stood upon my feet, leaning upon my rife.
The leader Of the party, which was COM
/ posed of about 20 MeXcans, was somewhat
advanced in years. His hair was gray, and
though long, had no appearance OF being
anxious expression on his face. he was
| looking intently ahead.
Suddenly his eyes rested upon me and
the dead man at my feet. A second only
did he gaze, then, with cry Of anguish, he
/ leaped from his horse and flew TO the pros
! trsie body. Down on his knees he went
and with awful wildness in his eyes raised
the dead mans head and looked into the
CLASSY eyes. felt the truth Immediately
they were father and son. Not n word was
uttered by any Of the party, not a movement
was made, while the father cOmmuned with
has dead. But IS cast my eyes around that
strange group / could discern in the com
pressed lips and flashing eyes a malignant
/ longing for revenge which BODIED no good
20 me. With last eager look the old man
lowered his sons head. For a moment he
gaZed At me intently. Pale as death he was,
aud in his fierce features ! could read the
| great depth Of hatred that he bore me.
| Without tremOr Of his hand he pointed
TO the body at his feet, and without culver
Of his lip, looking straight into my eyes, he
said:
Man, Is this your work."
j do not know how il was, hut somehow
or other / regained my presence of mind,
and again determined 20 tell the whole
truth. ] did 30 as best / could, assuring
him Of my great sOrrow for having caused
the death Of one who had never done me
harm. In answer 10 his questions j told
him who j was; the party with whom was
travelling; where We were from, and where
we were going. After having said as much
as thought necessary j stopped. The con-
yersation had been carried on in Spanish, a
language which, as you know, Ispeak fairly.
For a time the old Mexican seemed TO be
lost in reflection, but soon arousng himself
he inquired AS TO the number Of our party
and the location Of our camp. i told him,
and begged him TO take me TO my friends,
that they might corroborate what had told
him. lie turned his haggaTd face toward
| me with a look as full Of malice and hate as
a demons face could be.
From that moment feared for my friends
at the camp, and deeply / regretted having
given any information concerning them. A
short consultation was held, after which the
corpse was placed upon a horse and taken
away. Two men then approached me, one
4 taking my rifle and knife, the other, seizing
the bride of my horse, ordering me TO mount
and follow him. i did so, my other guard
following in the rear.
The sun was fast setting. The deepening
twilight seemed 10 increase the melancholy
burden on my heart, and in the dying day |
read an omen of the approaching end, for
me, Of all things earthly. While brooding
thus, was aroused by the report Of fire.
] arms In the distance An I fhnuubf th.y