Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-07-28


tudes there was no twilight. saw no
cultivated fields. no houses, 60 signs Of
| the hacienda of Don Francisco Mendez-
The situation was growing serious.
Occasionally stone weighing a pound
or two was hurled at me from some
| ieafy covert. and then the gigantic
monkey would give . horrible laugh
and scamper away. He was 3 funny
looking chap in nv blue flannel coat,
| but 1 was too angry to enjoy the comic
aspect OF the matter. II struck me that
| if the brute caught me in the dark he
| would make an end of me in no time
! 1t was both horrible ana humiliating,
such a death in the tangled forests OF
this savage land
Just then saw q short distance OF.
| in clearing, = square stone hut
Here was shelter and protection i
was not disappointed much to find it
| uninha bited. 1t was strongly built,
| with no windows, and one entrance,
from which the door had long since
rotted away. A stepladder led to the
loft Ascending, found a small apart
ment dimly lighted by round holes in
the wall. which had evidently been used
| by sharpshooters at some revolutionary
period in the history of the country
=
| went back to my mustang and picketed
| him about one hundred and sixty yards
from the hut in the bushes. Then re-
turned to my fortress just as darkness
closed in upon me, and sought refuge i'm
the loft, pulling up the ladder after me.
i was safe here, even from the mon
keys. and lay down feeling a sense OF
perfect security.
1t must have been late in the night
| when heard something moving in the
room under me. Looking through the
opening in the floor could see moth
ing. / struck match, and by the flick
eriDg flame recognized the monkey
The wretch still wore my coat, and IN
| the dim. uncertain light his appearance
was more repulsive than ever.
/ lay down again knowing thattb
beast could not get into the loft, and
| commenced planning for his destrue-
| ton in the morning. / was satisfied
that the animal belonged to species
of mountain apes, OF great strength
and terrible ferocity. Their cunning, I
heard, was almost human, and they did
not scruple TO attack men and rend
them limb from limb. I concluded.
when the morning light appeared, to
draw the brute's attention and shoot
him in one of his eyes. Having set
tied on this plan. L was about drop
ping into doze, when L heard voices
outside the hut 1 listened with alert
ears
IF. as you say, Pedro, this American
is inside, we should ambush him and
shoot him when he comes out in the
morning"
Now, by all the saints, JUAN" was
the reply of Pedro. you are a coward
ly fool. The Englishman. like all his
countrymen, has his eyes open, and
may get the drop on u.s."
| recognized the voices. Pedro and
Juan had followed me all the way from
Jackson's camp What to do was the
question. It was hard to decide, and I
waited further developments. The two
robbers conversed in low whispers. and
! all could hear was their final agree
| ment to rush in and overpower me.
Wonder what they'll do with the
monlxey?" I said to myself with q
| chuckle.
II hear the American moving" said
Pedro.
1t was the monkey. The monster
| was walking in the circle all the time,
| and the dead leaves that had drifted
into the hut rustled under his feet
There was another whispered consulta-
ton, and the MeXicans rushed into the
| room below. The outlaws saw a dark
form and charged with their long, muir
| derous knives.
| I heard two dull thuds, and knew
that Pedro and Juan had been dashed
headlong against the walls
Mother of Moses" gasped juan
| ''Knife him.
\ a. Il.
yourself!''
The robbers made another rush
'.Ahi ah,'' yelled Pedro. Where ara
you, Juan2 This hog of an American
has me by the throat, and have lost
| my knife"
He is Demon groaled Juan He
is pounding my head against the wall!''
A volley of wells followed and then q
| chorus of groans. Through it all I
heard an ominous dull thud At length
silence prevailed, and 1 knew that all
/ was over.
My last match was gone, but to my
great delight it was almost morning.
With the first rays OF daylight peered
through the hole in the floor. 1t was q
CHASTITY sight that met my gaze. The
two Mexicaus lay on the floor quite
dead Their heads had been smashed to.
jelly against the walls and their throatS
bore dark blue marks
| Sitting in the corner was the monkey
He was bleeding profuselyr and was
evidently seriously hurt At first
thought would spare him. He saved
my life and / was grateful But when
fixed the ladder and descended the
untamable beast prepared, for a. spring,
and there was such evident malice In
his eyes that ] aimed at his eye and
fired One shot did the work He rolled
over dead
1t was no place for me after such an
adventure, and ] at once went in search
of my musteng. To my great Joy he
was all right. and / was soon In the
saddle and on my way to Aspinwall
Depositing Jackson's- money in the
bank when / arrived, I immediately
boarded the steamer. knew that IL
would not be prudent to, speak Of the
two Mexicans. and ! had suspicion
! that a statement of the part the monkey
had borne in the tragedy would be re-
garded by the authorities as cock
and-bull story So wisely kept my
mouth shut until / was again among