The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-03-21


point out that the faintest indignity Of
fered to the sisters would array not only
all Arizona. but all Mexico against
them. Like dogs they would be hunt
ed to their holes and no quarter be CIV
IN Returning hitherto with their
spoils, Chihuahua OF Sonora had well
coined them with open arms. but what
outlaw could find refuge on Mexican
soil who had dared to wrong the chill
dren of George Harvey and Inez Rom
ero? It was even as they were point
ing this out to Pasqual and urging that
he consent to be lifted into the ambu-
lance and driven away southwark be-
fore the return of the cavalry that Mo
reno himself appeared. Slipping out
Of his western window. dropping to the
ground and making a complete circuit
of the corral, he suddenly joined in the
excited conference. What he said wa
in Spanish, or that pan-Arizona patois
that there passes current for such, and
was a wild, fervid appeal
They had ruined him-him and his.
He was unmasked, betrayed, for now
his connection with the band was estab-
ished beyond all question Now he
was known and would soon be branded
az an outlaw. His home was being de-
stroyed before his eyes-not that that
amounted to much now that he could no
longer occupy this wife and child
must flee at once for Sonora, and he go
with them, but recompense for his loss
he must have. Never again could he
venture into Arizona. he would be
known far and wide as the betrayer of
his b~enefactor's children, though he
called God and all the saints in the
Spanish calendar to witness he never
dreamed Of their being involved in this
plot. The paymaster's funds, not the
lives of any of the paymaster's men, were
what he had sought to take, and now
there lay the dollars almost within their
grasp, but unless captured. at once
would be gone forever.
Il know that pig Of a sergeant! May
the flames of hell envelop him for all
eternity he cried. HE will not scru-
pie to do as he says. He will cast ev-
cry package into the seething furnace.
Mira! Look! The shed is now all
ablaze! In one minute the roof Of the
rancho viii burst into fame! There is
not an instant to lose! adjure you. let
the daughters Of Harvey, the son. the
men. come out at once. Swear to them
safety, honor, protection. Let them 80
their way now, now! Then you will
have to deal with only two OF three,
and the treasure is ours. Look you,
Sanchez. Pedro, Jose, down with that
shed next the rancho! Hurl it. drag it
down so that its fire cannot reach the
brush beyond: then we can parley; we
can win their ear. They will be but
too glad to be spared t go on their way
unharmed. Yonder are their mules
across the corral. Hitch them in at
once. Save the others for the ambu-
lance and the blackboard here and for
our noble chief. Is it not so, captain?
Am I not right"
Approving murmurs followed his fiery
words So long as the Yankees held to-
gether there was little likelihood of the
outlaws gaining the ground except by
burning out, and that now meant the
destruction of the very money they were
after, the utter loss of the fortune that,
divided even among so many, would
enable them to live like princes in Her
mosillo or beyond. They would be he
roes, conquerors. But if that were lost
after all their plotting, planning, labor
and crime, there was absolutely nc rec
ompense. Even through the brain cloud
ing fury of his revenge Pasqual Morales
saw the sound sense of Moreno's plea.
He made no effort to check the men
who ran to do his bidding and were even
now with lariats and stalwart arms
dragging the props from under the shed
and letting its western end come pat
tering down. Within the eastern room
the dense smoke was already finding its
way. The sound of falling beams and
timber only conveyed to the occupants
the idea that already the shed was in
embers and that any instant the roof
over their heads would burst into a tor
rent of fire. Ned Harvey's brave spirit
was taxed to the utmost. Unless relief
could come, and come at once, nothing
remained for him but death, nothing
for those fair sisters but a fate far
worse.
At one instant he was on the point
Of urging the paymaster to comply
with the outlaws demand, p,edging
himself and his father g fortune to make
good TO the government every cent so
sacrificed. His father could pay it four
times over and would rather sink his
last cent than that the faintest harm
should come to those beloved children,
but the next moment Feeny's splendid
defiance had SC thrilled him that he
could not frame the words he thought
to speak, and yet here was awful peril
close at hand. What right had he to
further j~eopardize the life, the honor
Of these, his fathers fondest treasures7
If it were only himself, he would
rfav and foht It ont tn the hitter end.