The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-09


the bindweed was but guessed nothing.
1t WINS not difficult 10 understand
what had taken place. The lieutenant
governor OF Salem was wrong In think
ing that Bacas was beyond reach Of cap
ture, and that he might safely have Of
fered reward of 100, 900 douros. When
he named 30 douros, the eyes of the half
caste assomed look Of cruel greed, and
he said TO himself, They shall be mine
tomorrow No doubt he felt that he
was acting part, for he only asked, for
Tour men to accompany him, averring
that he would not return without the
prisoner.
Don Luis Vagaert was on the point
OF refusing his request, but he did not
wish to appear to hinder the due action
OF justice, and, moreover, he still had
the hope that Bacas would DO beyond
the reach OF capture. So he granted the
four men to his sergeant and went off
himself with the rest of the troop in
another direction. The half caste, for
his part, set out to explore the paths
which led TO the east Of the forest.
knowing well by experience that an in
telligent man must think of flying to-
ward the river
After an hours research he found
traces freshly made, the grass trodden
down, small branches broken and here
and there bush the foliage of which
had been displaced. This was enough
for him. Indeed IL was more than
enough for this man, who had the in
stlnct OF bloodhound He led his four
soldiers along the road that Alfonso had
taken, but fortunately night set in, and
they were obliged to make their camp.
Before sunrise the half caste set off
alone in the direction indicated by the
traces, which became more and more
visible, seeing that as the forest became
more dense Alfonso, in order TO make a
passage for himself, had been obliged TO
break more shrubs end to beat down
more of the high grass Carried away
by his ardor, the sergeant was far in
advance Of his men and reached the
spot where Alfonso had stopped. All, if
he had only known that the prey he was
seeking was lying asleep 90 feet over
his headl But the fugitive, in order to
reach his hammock, had made circuit
OF 80 to leo yards over the trunks of
fallen trees. on the bark Of which he
naturally left no traces, so that the half
caste was stopped like dog who has
lost the scent, smelling listening, look
ing, feeling sure that he whom he was
seeking must be crouched somewhere
near. Too well used to the virgin forest
and to the strategems of the hunters to
give himself the trouble to look for AL
fonso's retreat, which might be any
where, the sergeant thoaght his best
plan would be to fire in the air, saying
to himself that Bacas, even IL ne were
a couple OF hundred PAGES away, would
fancy the gun was fired close to him
on account Of the extraordinary echo
which exists in the woods.
His reasoning was perfectly good, es.
pecially as the fugitive, still asleep,
woke up with start and might, in
the first moment Of fright, have COM
mitted the imprudence Of showing him
self. But Bacas had understood the
artful scheme Of his willy pursuer and
remained motionless. Still he must do |
something. The half caste could hardly
be alone. and if his troop were to follow
him 1T would not be two. but 10, per-
haps 20, enemies that he would have to
fight, for Alfonso did not know but
that the whole garrison of Salem were
upon his track.
he turned all this over in his mind
while he was watching the Argentine,
who seemed 10 have given up all hope
OF finding him. for he was leaning
against the trunk of tree and SCENE,
on the point of loading his gun again.
This was like ray of light TO the fugi-
live. He, too, had a charge in the gun
with which be had mounted guard a
minute before his escape, and the half
'aste, If he lost any time, would never
be able to hit him. Taking, then, every
orecaution, placing his gun in his shoul-
Ter belt Alfonso hung on to a strong
'ranch, the leaves of which overshad-
WED his bed, and then, with the agili-
y of monkey, he swung himself from
'ough to bough till he reached the pas
age which he had explored the evening
,efore.
We may be sure that all this was not :
ccomplished without the silence Of the
voods being broken, even though it was
YER so little The ear of the half caste
elected slight sound among the TO- =
age. so he looked up before loading his
un and glanced eagerly at the side
thence the sound had come. He there n
istinctly saw Alfonso pass from one
zee to tho other and then disappear be-
ind sort of palisade formed by enor-
lous bushes with gigantic thorns. Q