Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-02-16


resolutelv about, that found the goats,
but that the wolves had found them first"
Then he put spurs to Juan and rode to-
ward Dona Ana.
1t wanted vet two hours of dawn when
Ysabel, lying awake, heard again the noise
of approaching hoofs. She arose and threw
u blanket about her and went outside
Ramantaro leaned from his horse and
whispered:
Get me some pistols, quickl have but
one and the regulators are close behind"
WitlNlt pausing to question, the girl
went into the hut, put on some clothing
swiftly, came out and ran to the corral,
where in an instant she had saddled and
mounted her fathers horse. Then, wheel
ing to the side Of Ramantaro, she handed
him pistol and placed two in her own belt.
Two can fight better than one" she said.
Ramautaro laid his hand gently upon her
arm.
Have you thought?" he asked.
YES, was the firm reply.
"If you 90 now you cannot return"
81 know"
just then the goats, aroused by such an
unusual stir at that carly hour, began to
move restlessly behind the cactus hedge
This seemed to remind Ralnantaro of some
thing
He spoke hcsitatingly:
"Gsabel, did not 20 after the goats"
81 know. 1t does not matter They werc
not lost. You have been to Dona Ana
wanted to keep you from that"
They were not lost? We are quits, then"
With that the outlaw bent toward his
companion and drew her to him and kissed
her full upon the lips.
Then they seat ed themselves well in their
saddles, laid their rcins loosely on the necks
of their horses and rode away toward the
coming dawn.
For long time they rode silently, neck
and neck. When the day began to show
across the bare plain the girl looked about
her and shuddered.
Ramantaro saw the look and spoke:
at is our only chance, They will not
dare follow here"
ut is the tornado del Muerte."
YES. 1t il the Journey Of Death"
Then they rode forward calmly into the
brown horror.
A little later the leader Of the regulators,
without slackening his pace, extended his
right arm before him and said to his COM
panion
DO you know where he has gomez"
Into the tornado del Muerte," was the
awed answer.
Yes, into the Journey of Death" Then
he added grimly.
1--WE shall have him now, like a rat in a
hole"
As they rode on the hot sun came out
and burned upon the brown sand that had
already been parched in the furnace of
many thousand years. Its heat was reflected
into their faces. and the alkali dust dried
their Threats and tongues almost beyond
endurance Some began to mutter discon-
tentedly, and to look back over the way
that they had come.
Later, when they disccrned some moving
specks IL long way off, they gathered up
their courage in both hands, rode grimly on
to seize their prey
Ramantaro looking back saw his pursu-
ers. He laid his hand upon Ysabel's rein.
They come" he said. Il can escape
only by going on. 1t is twenty leagues
yet. Few have ever crossed the tornado
del Muertc and lived to tell it. But YOU
they will not harm you. Will you turn
back"
The girl shook the reins upon her horses
necl; and urged him forward.
/ 81 will 20 where you 20" she answered
/ 'Ile is a long way off, " said the leader OF
the regulators, halting his pace and watch
| ing the moving specks ahead Of him. On,
cannot tell here how far Distance cheats
the eye. 1t lies to one"
I'VE will go back" lie said again after a
little while. II am ashamed to go back
but it is only death to go farther. But he
is just as safe, nodding in the direction OF
the fugitives, repeating, Just as safe a,
though we had rope around his neck"
When he saw that his pursuers no longer
followed Ranantaro rested a little. liz
unslung the leather water bottle from hi.
shoulder and gave to isabel to drink. Thel
| he made IL motion as if swallowing some
himself and poured a little of the water
into his palm and moistened the horses
mouths with it,
( He used it sparingly, for upon that and
the endurance of their horses now restcC
their hope for life.
All through the long afternoon they rode
on, straight across the brown desert. They
grew faint and weary, and once Nsabe
would have fallen but she was stayed by
her companion's hand. lie gave her water
again, and when the moon came up they
yet rode-riding for life,
YsabeIs horse stumbled and fell ant
could not rise again. Ramantaro lifted
her in his arms
Leave me and ride" she whispered. But
he raised her to his own saddle, and tn,
good Juan bore them both forward. Final
ly he, too. fell,
Then, knowing that his own strength wa.
all that they could depend on, Pete rose ant
lifted the girl in his arms again and made
forward as best lie could, weakly, blindl,
staggering and falling sometimes, but al
ways forward with u strength born of de
spair, And SO he struggled on through the
long night
When the Indians who live in the ole
peublo Of San Miguel, which is just upor
the eastern edge of this terrible desert
which men yet know by name as the Jour
ney of Death, came out in the morning t.
draw water from the single well that Go,
has placed there to mark the limit of tn,
cursed place." they found a man and
woman lying asleep beside it,
The half empty gourd which the woman
rlutched in her hand showed that they hac
drunken, and when they awoke and tolt
whence they had come the Indians crossed
themselves and murmured: