The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-04-11

Cnor0 were TWO le0106 ana tnreo Wen.
''There was but one lady and her
maid. When we arrived here, Jose Val
les and the maid went into the other
cabin with the animals. Some time in
the night they ran away, and we saw
them pursued into the forest by los bar.
baros.
''They were mounted, Of course?'
Isl, senior, they took the best horses. I"
"Was the mans horse pinto brand
cd IT. v.p'"
''The same, senior"
"Horse and rider lie dead in the
wood"
''Valgame Diosi Where is Juana?"
"Quien sabe? We saw nothing Of
her. She must be q captive of the In
dians.'
"Pobrecita Juanital She has paid
dearly for going with that rascal Jose
An examination of the packs showed
that the runaways had robbed their
mistress Of her jewelry and other prop
erty. During the examination Raymer
learned all the particulars concerning
the events Of the day.
The Mexican party originally consist
ed of two old ladies, maidservant and
an escort of three men and q boy. They
were journeying from Abiqui to Jemez
by way Of Los Wales Grandes All were
mounted on horses, and their luggage
was borne on three pack mules. When
the party reached q small hamlet
league north of Los Ojos Frios, one Of
the ladies fell sick and was left there
The journey being resumed, the trav-
elers were approaching the cabins at the
springs when band of Navajoes at
tempted to cut them off. BY vigorous
use of spur and whip the Mexicans sue
ceeded in reaching the cabins without
receiving shot. They then sent Ramon
vaca to the camp in the valleys for aid
They saw him disappear in the forest
beyond the opening, followed by two
Indians. AS the two pursuers soon re-
turned trophyless the Mexicans sup
posed the boy had accomplished his er-
rand. Not long afterward Jose and
Juana made dash for the great val
ley's trail and appeared to have escaped
without injury.
Then the siege began. Bullets were
fred through doors and window shut
ters, but without effect The house, be-
ing built OF adobe, with earthen roof and
chimneyless, was literally fireproof. Its
only vulnerable points were at the door
and windows, and those could not be
| approached without exposing the be-
] siegers to the fire Of the besieged. After
| a long lull in the firing the occupants of
| the main cabin were startled by hearing
a tramping Upon the roof, followed by
digging.
Had these hunting lodges possessed
chimneys the savages could have
| thrown their brands and leaves down
them and by covering the tops with
blankets smoked out the occupants.
But to accomplish this they were
obliged to dig hole in the roof The
smoke had become sufficiently suffocat-
| ing to greatly distress the Mexicans
when the soldiers fired. The sudden ces-
sation of the warwhoop, the thud Of a
falling body and the descent from the
roof proved that friends were near.
The moon was now we'll up i'll the sky,
and surrounding objects were plainly
visible Raymer told the Mexicans to
get ready to accompany him to camp,
and in short time they appeared with
their pack and saddle animals ready for
the road. A woman, clad in black, her
face concealed in hood, mantle and
veil, walked feebly out of the cabin,
leaning upon the arm of an attendant
and apparently bowed by the weight Of
years. She was speaking to him in a
low voice, and at the conclusion Of her
remarks he turned to the lieutenant and
said, "La Sonora Vieja wants to know
if you found any of her property on the
body Of the rascal JoseH'
Eyes, sonora; found this casket,
replied Raymer, Offering her the box
which he had taken from his saddlebag.
The old woman made gesture to the
man beside her to receive it, at the
same time murmuring something too
low for any one else to hear. When she
had finished, the man said. ''La Sonora
| Vieja returns her thanks
The frequent repetition of La Sonora
Vieja-the Spanish for old lady-struck
the lieutenant as odd, but rejecting
that it might be a custom Of the class to
which the lady 3 attendants belonged he
dismissed the matter from his mind
and gave his attention to preparations
for the return march. The column then
left the cold springs and entered the
wood.
Tho moonlight enabled the party to
keep the road without difficulty and
make good progress. At the place where
Raymer had caused the body of the
''rascal Jose" to be suspended in tree
a halt was made long enough to lower
and bind it to the back of mule, that
it might be taken to camp for burial.
Arrived in camp, the lieutenant first
proceeded to make the lady comfortable
for the remaining hours of the night.
He offered her the use of his own cabin,
intending to move into the unused
kitchen before referred to, but la Sc
nora positively refused to accept the
courtesy and asked through her spokes-
| man If there was not q more retired