Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-09-22
keeper, in which language the new

keeper, in which language the new
corners had become quite proficient
During the 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, and seeing him 1ounging
about her fears were excited, and as she
departed to resume the preparation of
her evening meal she threw warning
glance across the counter at her hus-
band.
The afternoon wore away and the
sun was sinking into the broad bosom
| of the Pacific, casting lurking shadows
toward the Sierras across the valley
and spreading a cool mantle over the
bronzed earth, which seemed to hush
| into dreamy repose 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 as 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 chances 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 she paused on the threshold
| there came to her straining ears noise
milling a hoarse cry in the dis
tance. Instantly she felt the fears OF
the past months returning with re-
| newed force, and for a moment he1
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 olt into the road and hurry toward
| the store. In a moment she stood upor
| the threshold, and there, before her
was sight that sent the blood in {
| torrent back into her heart, paralyzine
| for moment her entire being. In the
back part of the store her husband
crouched, borne over by the weight O.
the Mexican, who, while clinging tt
his back, was striving to saw his heaC
from his body with huge pruning
knife, such as 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 muzzle O.
her revolver against the Mexican'
back, essayed to discharge it. Sh.
tugged at the trigger with all he
strength, but in her haste to rescue
her husband she had only partially
raised the hammer, and thus was un
able to bring it down. Casting tn,
weapon aside she seized the wretch
about the neck, and with a man,
strength hurled him across the store
Unfortunately for her, he went in tn,
direction taken by the discarded
weapon. He sprang for it, and, turn
ing, began firing at her as he reiterated
backwards from the store. One of tn.
cruel bullets pierced her through from
back to breast. and laid her low besid,
her bleeding and half unconscious hus
| band.
They had lain thus but a few
moments when a wagon stopped before
| the door, and from it descended
neighboring rancher, who leisurel,
secured his team and entered the store
There being but few apertures for the
admission of light, and the sun having
by this time sunken almost from sigh
| beyond the world of waters to tn,
west, objects were growing dim, ant
the man did not notice the two nearly
! lifeless forms lying just beyond some