The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1893-04-14
IN The QUICKSANDS.

1N LID VUlOANANUN,
The story properly begins at
midnight on The San Luis ObispO
coast, California, twenty years ago,
when the September moonlight
shone down upon Sloner's cattle
ranch, near the Picific ocean, in
The rugged Santa Lucia mountains.
Stoner had been IA Texas ranger,
and could hold his own extre melv
we'll in that rough frontier coun.
try. He had carried off pretty
Spanish wife from the chihuahua
region years before, had brought
her to the rocky California coast,
and had purchased IA settlers claim
and an Old adobe house built by a
Spanish hidalgo half a century
ago.
Here he farmed, raised cattle on
the unused government lands, and
kept a sorl Of hotel, for several
mountain trails joined at that
point the broad highway which led
from The county seat, twenty miles
south, to the norlhern settlements
in the plneries. He had five daugh.
rs,'oo,-lhe youngest, Theresa,
known as Tessa, girl OF II. Tat
added TO the attraction, and al.
most every night he dark eyed,
half Spanish girls sang and danced,
aud old Sloner managed to hear all
the news that Was atloat,and some.
how most of the loose com of the
region ultimately found its way in.
to his pockets. lie was IA deep one,
that same Ephriam Sloner, quiet.
sly aud patient, secret in his meth.
dds and deadly IN his blow.
Stoner'S wife and his four eldest
daughters were uneIucalcd anl in
complete subjeclion to his will.
But Iessa had more brains and en-.
ergy than all The rest put together,
and quite as much beauty, and so
'ne Old Texan ranger took a Ger.
tain pride IN her, and had even al
lowed her to attend a street
school for two years.
This midnight when, as | have
said, the story begins, IA person of
prying disposition might have dis.
covered several interesting per.
iormances in progress around the
S'oner abode. On the north side
of the house Tessa was leaning
from her window conversing in low
tones with Il blonde, falr haired
and sturdy young man on horse.
back.
tom, do you know my father? ?
lie Is not the careless, warmed.
hearted man you may suppose.
must admire his ability, but that
Is all. | warn you, Tom, there
Lever was il more dangerous man.
lie may lie where he hears every
word you say, though if he is he
will not speak to you or me about
it. But if he knew you cared for
me he would he your enemy. He
has other plans for me. He wants
me to marry iOr money"
Tom Warren had once been the
school teacher in The mountain dis.
irici, miles away, where Tessa had
been one Of his pupils. Thrown
upon us own resources from child.
hood, he had developed a strong,
earnest character, and was already
so popular in The county that he
and just been elected sheriff,
though the youngest man on the
ticket
While Tessa and her lover were
lalkirg,a scene ofa different ma.
ture was being enacted on the
south side Of the old adobe, which
overlooked IA deep ravine, and a
camp OF five or six men in field
below. For several years these
men had spent their summers
there, ostensibly hunting and ex-
ploring lhe country with dogs and
guns. Every one knew them, most
persons liked them. Tessa did
not.
Sloner, though it was midnight.
sat in the moonlight on an old
rawhlde chair outside The door,
smoking his pipe and medilaling--
a tough, slnewy, grizzled night owl
OF a man.
"That internal knucklehead at
the camp ought to have reported
beior now," he thought to himself
as he smoked.
a man came ont of the brush
and spoke deferentiaIly.
"Cap'n, good evening"
"You're late.'
"Dick was shot.n
"Wellf"
"Just as The driver ihrowed off
the box. Shot by n passenger in
the neck and shoulder.
Vile mustn't stay here to get MS |
into trouble. Take a boat aud |
carry him 10 the point aud leave |
him in the cave there.
"Yes, capt'n." !