The Russellville Democrat., 1893-07-13

Jake, was the order to the driver, and nothing 10th, the mnles stopped short in their tracks. Pasquol $ ambulanee was & few rods behind, and, to save time, Domingo dis mounted, and, placing the canteen under the spigot, drew 1t full of water, rewarded himself with a long pull, han led 1t up 10 tho waiting hand above, and swung again in the saddle, just as the second ambu- lance, closing in on the first, also came to willing halt, and the Ieai mules of the blackboard, whereon lay two wounded bandits, attended by Mort no's womenfolk, bumped their noses against the projecting boot.
 Some cool water, for heaven s sake !" gaspsd one of the prostrate men, and comrade rode to the leading wagon 10 beg a little from Harvey's well-illed barrel. One or two men threw themselves from the saddle 10 the sands for brief rest. The dust cloud slowly settled eartnward in their wake. Mules, horses and men blinked s.eepily, wearily. There hung in tbe heavy air dull, low rumble as of thun- der in the far off mountains. There seemed faint quiver and tremor of the sol. Was there dis tau earthquake3
 Suddenly a wild yell, a scream from Moreno's buck board, a half stifed shriek from the white-cov. cred wagon. The man in blue leaped forth and made a mad dash for the nearest riderless horse. Whips cracked and bit and stung. The maddened mules flew at their collars and tore away, the wagons bounding after them, and Pasqual Morales, thrusting forth his head to learn the cause of all the panic, grabbed the revolver at his belt with one fierce curse.
 "C@ajoi"
 CHAPTER VIII.
 Whatever might have been his other moral attributes, Pasqual Morales had borne name for des perate courage that seemed justified in this supreme moment of surprise and stampede, What he saw as he leaned out of the bounding vehicle was certainly enough to disgust g bandit and demoralize many leader. Scattering like cbaff before the gale his followers were scudding out across the desert, every man for him self, as though the very devil wete in pursuit of each individual mem Der of the gang. Eight or ten at least, spurling, flashing their horses to the top of their speed, were al ready far beyond reach of his voice. Close at hand, however, six or seven of the fellows, desperddoes of the first water, had unslung their Henry rifles, and, blazing away for all they were worth, showed evidence of a determination to die game. Behind them, screaming at the tops of their shrill, strident voices, Sonora Moreno and her daughter were cling ing stoutly to the iron rail of their seats as the blackboard was whirled and dashed across the plain Already both the wounded men had been flung helplessly o.t upon the sand, aud even as he looked the of fore wheel struck a stout cactus stump; flew into fragments; the tire rolled of in one direction, and Mo reno's luckless family shot, comet like, into space and fetched up sbrieking in the midst o a plentiful crop of thorns and spiLes The husband and father, gazing upon the incident from over his shoulder and afsr, blessed the saints for their benifcence in having landed his loved ones on soft soil instead of among the ragged rocks across the plain. But for himself the sooner he reached the rocks the better. A tall Gringo, who cast aside a dark blue blouse as he rode, stepping low over his horse's neck, seemed bent on racing the late ranch-owner to the goal where both would be, and there was none to dispute with them the doubtful hon or. Even those who had stampeded at the first yell of alarm were now reining back in broad, sweeping cir cle, unslinging the ready rife and pouring in a long.range fire or the distant rank of the cavalry, just bursting into the triumph of the charge. Here, there, and every whe across the plain little puffs of blne- white smoke were shooting up, telling of the leaden missiles hurled at the charging line. But on like the wind came the troopers in blue, never pansing to fire shot, their leader at racing speed.
 Wounded though he was, Pasqual Morales was not the man to fail in the fight. Yelling orders and curses at his driver, he succeeded in getting him to control his frantic team just long eaongh to enable ths outlaw captain to tumble out Then away they dashed again, the stiffeuine body of Ramon and the weighty little safe being now sole occupants of the interior. In the mad excitement of the first rush two or three horses had broken loose, leaving their owners afoot, and, believing that no quarter would be the rule, these