The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-09-18
be quickly caught. Using its rope headstall

be quickly caught. Using it's rope ,headstall
and paced cautiously out into the road. Here
he kept the curve, of the long line Of ,stockade
hidden In the withored. sapless, but still stand
Ing stalks OF grain. Ire slowly began u circuit
The misty. gray dome above him, which an
invisible moon seemed TO have quick; i,vered
he could see the outline Of the broad auadran-
gle Of the house quite distinctly. except on tho
ine arms al every gust. Elsewhere moth.
equally shining. watery plain. He had
and was still noisSiossiy, picking his way
a,onE the burrows, muilied with soaked
sprin:ins Of the "9, voIantesT" Growth. when i,
suddenly. not fifty yards before him. without
sound or warning. a figure rode out Of the
ntely halted with u %listiess. aJstractei. wait:
ins air. Clarence instantly recognized pne, Of
but he as instantly OWNED that he was only
an outpost or confederate stationed to give the
each hearing the other. and the lesser height
s1nS%,sS sSS srai as Al he the g gcSsS man G msGs S:
doubt that tho real trespa,ser was nearer tho
casa. along the line Of willows. he wheeled to
fortunately his horse answered the ropO
h,ridle climsily. and splashcd in striking out.
Clarence knew that his only chance was now
to suppress him. Determined to do this at any
hazard. with a threatening gesture. he charged
But he Ind not crossed half the distance
bet,ween them when tho man uttered an ap-
seemed to chill, even tho hot blood OF Ciar.
once's veins. and dashed frenziedly down the
Clarence could detormine il that cry was a
si:na' OF an involuntary o%uthurst, II was fol;
and, struggling hoofs Gathering against the
wall Of The casa, and u swaying OF he shrub
S SSry n nis rs sh9 S SaSk gate w e ths bssifsti1 lIG RE
rGds nd d11riG , iSr,, toward yarr it. n As no ap,
s snnmI ne lor s9rr66ery. with ~ the retreeting
ilrging' aud Clarence dashed in pursuit: FOL
lowing tho sound. for tho s!,rnbbcry hid the
the casa. but i soon became evident that tho
unknown had the batter horse. Thu hoof beats
r.sw ia, sY"m to nna cease aa,n snitl ans Eia o at timer nps,oa az,
started them again. eventually tofade away In
f into d ths a hanks In Of yp hIs I har r s dug his dr heels ell.
REACHED the edge OF tic, tfhicket he had lost
descent to the lower terrace lay, before him
empty and d~esolat". The man had escaped.
vented something. although he knew not
had idontinepdi' his coniedernate. " and for ST' tie
first tins held n clue to his mysterious WISH
tent ant II There wa WWas no uss to alarm the house
time. and tho 'ttemipt Would hardly be res
back To- the corral. let loose his horse. and re-
gained the casa unobserved. He unlocked
dnrkened passage. stopped Il moment to open
the doc, Of the %boudoir; glance ut the, securely
fastened easement. and eNtinguish the burn
ing candle. and. relnpkiDy tIR door seruTnlv-
made his way to his own room.
But he could not sleep Tho whole incident;
yell Of the ~varuero still rang in his ror-. but
meaning, He awakened from a Gtful sIumber
In inc arr" s'S siam siandRn n' Hy his h In s1s room and
The. yellow face of the s'ewardw was greenish
senior Clarene Ii get ny at once. my mas mast "r.
slranG" things have happened. Mother OF God
Clarence rolled to his feet. with the events
Of the past night s'rnsglinE back Yr"n his
he muttsred incohercntIy. "speak! i com
1T is Josd. the little vaquero-who is even
nov AT the PADRES, hous" -~raving as a lunatic
assri s;,sn a. a nal mai'm n; n with terror: He has
Are ySn mad Yourself. Nnscio: p said Clar-
padron-sehor Peyton himself He rushed
toward him,here in the patio last night ont
his own self wrapped in his old storm CLOAK
and hat and riding his own ~hors"-erect. terri
holding a roy" as sol lie saw n~ lin hMnu' with Hf"t These eps
eyes as | see you. What no said to him-God
knows; TIL priest. perhapsl-for he has made
In a flash Of intelligence Clarence compre-
a a%maYi hi1 "nl; He S S%S' a sT W"r1 Of nn1 !h Gi"F "a tho to
woinen-to any one. Nascio: doSt thou under
StandI, he sail; curly: 1t may )" that lose
But villa! possesses thee! Collect myself, good
all. mother OF, God! 1t is not all. MASTERY he
sran m drGfpinnGr h t2 marb knees b. and stu IN
corral. ther lind tho horse Of Pedro. Valdez
splnshel and spatternd, on saddle and bridle.
hanging. the ~torp-ofl boot of Valdez ali. God!
TIE same as his! Now, DO YOU understand?
i; the vengeance Of God!"
ro Gl at. nj vn Tas sstnEGe1be sys ," "An az, you haze e.
,"Eycrywhere all over the plain. The whole
t Ha = and hs s=ys Sss@ o%t since Hna S tnMrs i herr HERMAN, and
IL pointed solcmniy TO the ground.
coat aS sni .Sisins i lis hs %inFs *FSilo SH' me. his
liz ran down the passage. followed bv Incar-
back gate. JIG turned first along the wall OF
the taSn tnWard the barred window OF, the
They ran quickly forward. Hanging from
from the grating Of the window like IL mass OF
linn and saturated clothes was the body of
Pedro valdez. with one unbooted foot dang
Ing within an inch II the ground. HIS head
wa. passed inside the grating and fixed as at
that moment when. the first spring of the
tright"nod horse had broken his neck between
the vars as in Il garrote. and the second plunge
Of TIA" terrified animal had carried off his boot
in the caught stirrup when it escaped.
CHAPTER NJ.
The winter rains were over and gone. AMI
the whole long line of California coast was
luslel with nnlor. Thnrn ware Iuilns Of Wi. |