The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-06
CHAPTER vi.

drag over the sandy surface, and tn
awful sense Of the calamity that ha,
befallen HIM and the dread and doub
as to the fate of his beloved ones seemet
to rally his stunned and bewildered fac
ulties and bring him face to face will
the horror of the situation. Barely abl,
TO breathe, he found himself rudel,
gagged. Striving to raise his hand
to tear the hateful bandage away, h,
found that he was pinioned by the el
bows and bound hand and foot by the
very RATA probably that had dragged
him thither. No doubt as to the ma.
tionality of his unseen captors here.
The skill with which he had been
looped, tripped, whisked away and
bound-the sharp, biting edges. even the
odor of dirty rawhide rope-all told
him that, though Americans were not
lacking in the gang. his immediate an
tagonists hailed from across the Sonora
line. Who and what they were mat
tered little, however. The fact that
after hours of repulse in open attack
the foe had all on a sudden carried their
castle by damnable ruse was only too
brcibly apparent. Writhing, struggling
in miserable effort to free himself from
his bonds, poor Harvey's burning eyes
were maddened by the picture before
him only couple of hundred yards
away.
There in the fierce light of the flames
now bursting from every window and
roaring and shooting high in air from
the brush heaped roof of Moreno's
ranch-there stood the Concord wagon,
stalwart men clinging to the heads of
the plunging and excited mules, big
ruffian already in the drivers seat,
whip and rei.s in hand; there beside
1T was the paymaster's ambulance, into
which three of the gang were just show
ing the green painted iron safe--the
Pandora q box that had caused all their
Sorrows there Moreno's California
blackboard, pressed into service and be-
Ing used to carry the wounded, drawn
10y tho extra mules, and then-God Of
heaven! what a sight for brothers eyes
to sec and make no sign then one big
brute lifted from the ground and hand
ed up to fellow already ensconcsd
within tho covered wagon the senseless,
perhaps lifeless, form of pretty little
Ruth. his fathers idol. The poor child
lay unresisting in the ruffian's arms,
but not so Paquita. 1t took two men,
strong and burly, to lift and force her
into the dark interior, and one of these,
to tho uttermost detail Of his equip
llent, was TO all appearance a trooper
Of the United States cavalry.
There stood his painting horse with
hanging head and jaded withers. the
very steed whose rush shey had well
fomed with such exceeding Joy, sad
He'd, bridled, blanketed, saddlebagged,
Iariated, side lined, every item complete
and exactly as issued by the ordnance
The trooper himself wore
The field uniform of the cavalry-the
lark blue blouse, crossed by tho black |
,arbine sling, whose big brass buckle |
Ned could even now see cleaning be- |
ween the broad shoulders and gath |
red at tho waist by the old fashioned |
thimble belt" the troop saddlers used |
o make for field service before the |
woven girdle was devised. Even
more. Harvey in his misery remem-
'ered the thrill Of joy with which he
lad noted, as the splendid rider reined
n and threw himself from the saddle.
he crossed sabers, tho troop letter "C'
nd the regimental number cleaning
t the front of his campaign hat.
Who-who could this be, wearing tho
onorable garb of q soldier of tho United
tates, yet figuring as ringleader in q
and of robbers and assassins now add
ng rapine TO their calendar of crime?
,dward Harvey's heart almost burst
nth helpless rage and wretchedness
hen he saw his precious sisters
ragged within tho canvas sshelter-saw
10 tall, uniformed brigand leap lightly
fter them and heard him shout to the
lady driver, Now, off with youv'
Crack! went the whip rs the men
,rang from the heads OF tho frantic
ules, and with bound that nearly
rcnched the trace hooks from the stout
the Concord went spin
ng over the sands to the south, whirl-
e so near him that over the thud of
)ofs and whirl Of wheels and creak of
ring and woodwork he could hear
'or Fanny's dcspa.ring cry-the last
und he was aware of for hours, for
wv in dead earnest Harvey swooned
way.
Half an hour later, tho rafters of the
nch having by this time tumbled in
ID turned the interior into glowing
rnace, there came riding from the
1st slender skirmish line Of horse
en- in the worn campaign dress of the
gular cavalry. With tho advance
ere were not more than six or eight,
tail, slender lieutenant leading them
and signaling his instructions.
ith carbines advanced, with eyes /.
ering out from under the Jagged hat
inns, the veteran troopers came Looping
to- the light of tho flames, expectant
cry instant of hearing the crack of
flaws rifle or perhaps the hiss of
Ithered arrow of unseen foe. Though
no of tho ofooIa looIro1 Int oxl -.