The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-01-21

1 III.
the daughters Of Harvey, the son, tho
men, come out at once. Swear to them
safety, honor, protection. Let them go
their way now, nowl Then Won viii
have to deal with only two or three.
aud tho treasure is ours. Look Won
sanchez, Pedro, Jose, down with that
sheo next the rancho! Hurl it, drag it
down so that its fire cannot reach the
Drush beyond; then we can parley; we
can win their ear. They will be but
TOO glad to be spared to go on their way
unharmed. 1onder are their mules
across the corral. Hitch them in mt
once. Save tho others for the ambu-
lance and the blackboard here and for
our noble chief. Is it not so, captain?
Am not right2'
| approving murmurs followed his fiery
words. SO long as tho Yankees held to-
gether there was little likelihood of tho
outlaws gaining tho ground except by
burning out, and that now meant tho
destruction of tho 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 bo he
roeS, conquerors. But if that were lost
after all their plotting, planning, labor
and crime, there was absolutely no rec
ompense. Even through the brain cloud
ing fury of his revenge Pasqual Morales
| saw the sound sense of Morenos 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
ana letting its western end como pat
terlng 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 n 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 fate far
worse.
AT one instant he was OH the point
OF urging the paynaster to comply
with the outlaws demand. pledging
himself and his father S 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 Fecnys splendid
defiance had SO thrilled him that ho
could not frame the words he thought
to speak, and yet here was awful peril
close at hand. What right had he to
further jeopardizc the life, the honor
of these, his fathers fondest treasuresa
If it We're only himself, he would
stay and fight it out to the bitter end.
But if the robbers could now be content
with the money alone and pledge safe
/ guard for the property, was it not his
duty, would il not be his fathers man.
date were he there, to buy the safe and
contents from the agent of the general
government and pay the ransom levied?
But he little dreamed of the fury OF
revenge and hatred burning in the
sonl oi Pasqnal Morales. He little faith
0mcd the tlcachery and cunning OF the
outlawed scpundrel. Even H. he WAS
revolving these thoughts in his nina,
ever and again listening with new hone
for the sound OF rallyin!s trumpet. the
beat of roScuing hoots. there rcsounti-
ed through the night the sonorous and
ringing voice that SO short IA time be-
fore had called for the surrender OF the
safe. Edward Harvey. we pledge safe
conduct for you. Your sister; and vour
party. Here is YOU. wagon ready. vour
team hitchcd ill., Threw your arms ont
OF the door. Come forth us you please.
Put the scnoritaa III the wagon. Look
neither 10 the right nor left, but drive
away, and God he with YOU We have
no quarrel with you and yours. We
war only with these soldiers who have
killed our chief
Put yourself i'll his place. Death for
him, perhaps for them tlishonor any
way-was all they could look for ii no
rcsctc came. Was it not his duty to
his parents. TO his sisters. even to Cod
to accept these terms to Withdraw his
little force? Why should he be peril
ing such precious lives and names in
the defense OF IL government official who
had been so wyecklc:s ~ to part with
his guard and put himself and his funds
i'll such Il predicamcnt? From the 9th
CT room, in which the major now Law.
fcebly moaning. no word of rcmon-
STRANGE came. Even i'll their extremity.
then, the soldiers of The government
would not urge that he stay and en-
counter further peril in their defense
One of the druggcd troopers was begin
ming to regain some atom of sense, and
sitting up was miserably asking what
had happened what was the matter
now.
"Go and dousc water over Your ID
worthless head, NIullan," he heard the
sergeant say. So Fecny was evidently
alert as ever and must have heard the