San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-12
.THE SANTA FL TRAIL.
By MRS. ], K. HUDSON.

IN mere WantOnneSS, or TO show then
dexterity, their wielders make the blood
squirt from the sides of the oxen, or
strike leader in the face until he reels
and plunges. Boys and dogs and beg
gars follow after until the round of the
plaza is made, and then comes the gen.
eral scramble for the custom house, the
clamor of the interpreters and the
swarming of the country traders, and the
long journey of eleven weeks is done.
Not quite so our story.
In the busy throng, yet somewhat
apart, stands Mexican who scans the
faces of the newly arrived men. They
are preoccupied and do not notice the
furtive looks of the black browed fellow
Presently, with gesture of impa-
thence, he turns to one near him and asks
in broken English:
Where's Kinghsher? Wasn't there a
driver or wagon master in the train by
the name OF Kingfsher? Where is he?"
: "No, dor't know no sech man"
"a big man, not talk much. Amer
icano, Joined the train at WestportY
"No, ] tell you, curse you. No sech
man among EN-. Captain King was the
biggest man in the crowd. We lected
him captain after old Jose was shot"
blue eyes and yaller hair and sortel
soft spokenTs
Eyes, reckon that's about the size OF
him. What's it your businessY
A volley of oaths and muttered curses
was the answer to this question. A
change of name, either partial or total,
was so common thing that the Mexi.
can knew better than to trust mans
title as a means of Identification. He nc
longer doubted that Captain King" was
the man he wanted. Neither did he
doubt that. in the language of his time,
he had missed his man." hence his
anger But suddenly he ceased cursing
his luck and drew his brows down in
thought. Then turning again to the
man at his : lie he demanded in voice
vibrant wit suppressed rage:
Where nd this Captain King as
you call him, leave the train?'
''At San Miguel"
"lf you are lying to me I'll cut your
heart out. for It'll"
What object have | in lying to you
about Captain Kingr He left us at Sar
Miguel, TEL your
Which way did he go?"
South the trainman said.
ITO Mexico cityr growled the "greas
er" between his closed teeth. 81
knew it'll he thinks he will get there
and with a stream of oaths, half Eng
lish and half Spanish, flowing behind
him, he hurried out of the adobe build.
ing, sprang upon his saddled broncho
and galloped Gathering up the street
toward the hill, the dogs barking at hi;
heels and the stupid gazers half guess,
ing that some desperate deed would be
done if Herpando Marine rode like that
with hate glaring from his eyes.
"Who is that-Mexican?" questioned
the trainman of those who were attract.
ed blythe noise in the street and turneG
to look out. He is trying to find g
man by the name of ngfsher-thought
he was with the train"
"Hughy" grunted a grizzly half
breed who was turning over packages,
'he's missed him agin! Kingfsher is
too smart for him. He's the man thai
caught Marine stealing cotton down in
Mexico and had him jailed for it. Ma.
rino always said it was because King
fisher wanted to marry the Senorita
Avellaneda. As soon as he was free
Marine swore vengeance, and has been
trying to get on the track of Kingfsher
ever since. He went back TO he States
whar he come from, they sa but Ma
rino says he'll come agin to the senoriua
some day and he's always on the watch.
Maybe he will, the garrulOus old man
continued, but if he does, | reckon
he'll give Santa Fe the go by. He
knowed that Marine come back up here
and there's more'n one way round to
Mexico. Besides, Marine is jealous of
his sweetheart, and"-
Hurry up there, old man; what are
you chattering about? Handle them
things lively now!" interrupted a COM
manding voice.
None but the trainman whom Marine
had questioned had given much heed to
the half breeds talk, and nobody else
noticed when he left off The tale was
intensely interesting to this one listener
but it had not solved the riddle of Cap,
tain Kings disappearance from West
port Landing, it had only whetted this
mans curiosity, and he waited about i'm.
patient for the time when the old man
would be released from work and he
could loosen his tongue again with a
drink of pulque.
He was not hard to start. But in the
meantime it had become current rumor
that Captain King" and "Kingfsher
were identical, and that fernando
Marine, his bitter enemy, was on his
track. No man in the train had known