Feliciana sentinel., 1892-10-08
keeper. in which language the new.

Keeper, IN which language the new |
comers had become quite proficient.
During tho stay of the Mexican the
silent partner In the concern ran in
from the kitchen close by to get some
necessary articles for the culinary de-
partment, aud seeing him lounging |
about her fears were excited, and as she |
departed to resume the preparation of !
her evening meal she threw warming |
glance across the counter at her huS.
band.
The afternoon wore away and the
sun was sinking into the broad bosom
of tho Pacific, casting lurking shadows
toward the Sierras across the valley
and spreading u cool mantle over the
bronzed earth. which seemed to hush
into dreamy reposc the sounds Of life
in the foothills, ERE the busy house
wife began to look for the coming of
her mate. He seldom varied the time
of his arrival, being regularly on hand
| to draw up his chair as soon rs supper
| was placed upon the table. But on
| this occasion he failed to appear, and
the expectant woman felt strange
foreboding, and she could hardly re-
frain from running up to the store to
| see that all was right. She went often
to the door, casting anxious glances to-
| ward the store, but he came not.
Before taking the evening meal from
the stove she stepped once again to the
door, and as sho paused ou the threshold
there came to her straining ears q noise
resembling hoarse cry iE the dis
tance. Instantly she felt the fears OF
the past months returning with re-
newed force. and for n moment her
heart was faint with apprehension.
With her, however, action followed
quickly in the wake OF thought, and
her next move was to secure large re-
volver, kept always within easy reach,
dart out into the road aud hurry toward
; the store. In moment she stood upon
the threshold, and there, before her,
was sight that sent the blood in a
torrent back into her heart, paralyzing
for a moment her entire being. In the
back part of the store her husband
crouched. borne over by the weight OF
the Mexican, who. while clinging to
his back, was striving to saw his head
from his body with huge pruning
! knife, such rs are used in the vineyards
of that land Of the grape. With one
swift bound she was beside the strug.
Cling men, and placing the nuzzle OF
: her revolver against the MeNican's
back, essayed 20 discharge it. She
!. tugged at the trigger with all hei
strength, but in her haste 10 rescue
, her husband she had only partially
4 raised the hammer, and thus was un
> able to bring it down. Casting the
weapon aside size seized the wretch
1 about the neck, and with mans
strength hurled him across the store
3 Unfortunately for her, he went in th'
direction taken by the discarded
= weapon. He sprang for it. and turn
l. ing, began firing at her rs he retrcatcf
backwards from the store. One of th'
cruel bullets pierced her through from
IS back to breast. and laid her low besid
her bleeding and half unconscious hus
K band.
is They had lain thus but fcv
- moments when a wagon stopped befor
n the door, and from it descended
neighboring rancher, who lcisurel
d secured his team and entered the store
ID There being but few apertures for tn
i, admission of light, and the sun havin
'e by this time sunlten almost from sigh
IS beyond the world of waters to tn
q, west, objects were growing dim. an
a. the man did not notice the two neari
Up lifelcss forms lying just beyond son,