Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-03-12

was IuIuSu lnto u WuEksHupt alu tHSIe, under the interested supervision of the lieutenant, the carpenter shaped the parts
 The snow continued to fall almost constantly until tha<morning of the third day, when it suddenly ceased. Tho clouds rolled away, and the sun burst forth in full glory, showing the valley to be covered with nearly two feet of snow. The treeless summits of the east ern and western ranges stood white and bleak against the cold blue sky. The horizontal ribbons of pine, hemlock and spruce that clothed the slopes weEe plainly defined against their snowy background. Over the whole valley was spread q robe of white. The crystal brook of a temperature too high to freeze even in the coldest weather look ed like black cord looped and curved throughout its length.
 Raymer was standing in the parade just after breakfast, admiring the win try scene, when Antonio approached him and said:
 La Sonora Vieja asks el comandante to have her animals got ready as soon as possible She intends to resume her journey"
 'very we'll, Antonio, D replied the lieutenant Tell your mistress that everything shall be ready at her door in half an hour.
 "She also says, Senor Don Teniente, that she shall be obliged to leave the boy Ramon behind.
 Does she know his condition?"
 N-s- have reported to her. ,"
 Tell her we expect him to stay here, for it is impossible to move him. It is bare chance that he recovers. To at tempt to move would result in his death. "
 La Sonora Vieja says she will send a priest from Jemez to administer the sacrament and absolve el pobrecito.
 ''El Padre Gutierrez will be q vel come guest He is an old friend of mine
 At 9 o'clock the Mexican travellers rode out of tho camp, waded the brook and began their journey down the east ern side of the valley. True to the man. ner she had adopted from the first, Ia sonora made no personal acknowledg- ment of favOrs received Her spokes- man, Antonio, had come to the lieuten- ant after she was well on her way out of the parade and offered her thanks in elaborate and graceful Spanish phrase. Well, thought RaymOr as the last pack mule shook the water of the brook from his heels, ''thcre goes a woman who can take no offense if 1 fail to rec ognize her when we meet again. I've not caught glimpse of her face since met her at Los Ojos FrioS do not | even know her name''
 He turned back to his quarters and soon afterward went to the company kitchen to superintend the sledmaking. The work had been going on rapidly, with some volunteer assistance from in terested men, and few rivets and bolts alone were needed to complete it.
 With the approach of noon the wind arose, and soon the snowclad branches of the evcrgrcens on the mountain sides were flinging off their lowny coats and tossing and Croaking in fierce north western gale. The air was filled with flying snow, frequently so dense as to nearly hide the sun, and the tempera- l | to his cabin, holding his cape closely about his face and quickening his pace to a run. He had barely entered his door when the sergeant of the guard | appeared.
 II think, sir," said the sergeant, that the Mexicans are i'll trouble. From the ridge I can see them, near the south end of the valley. They have not moved for long time"
 The lieutenant took his fieldglass and ascended the southern arm of the ridge. l Arrived there, he saw, when the whiFl ing wreaths of snow permitted him tc catch a glimpse, that the travellers wert grouped at n point about six miles from the camp and that all had dismounted. When the animals moved about, he saw that the men were trying to lift the ap parently helpless woman into her sad de. It was not difficult to comprehend that La Sonora Vieja had fallen a vic tim to the cold, searching gale. Ray mer at once determined to go to her as sistance. Walking down to Sergean Cunningham s cabin, he ordered a de tail made to go to the rescue,
 II think, sergeant, we have use fo OUT ncw sled which we did not antici pate Senl word to the teamster t. hitch the mules to it and place tn, wagon body on the runners. Tell Cor poral Sullivan to throw in a lot O straw and at least a dozen blankets and have Clary pry out some hot stone from the back of the kitchen fireplace
 Wrap them well and take them along Havo everything move lively"
 These directions were carried ou while the lieutenant was dressing fo the trip When ready to start, he tol, Cain to havo Ia senora's quarters warn and ill order against her return.
 The wind had already swept a grea
 part of the snow from the more leve
 portion of the valley, leaving but fey
 inches in the matted grass, and wher
 it had not drifted and packed the tear
 moved at brisk trot or gallop. Bu
 now and then the men had to leave tn sled to tramp path through a ridge c
 snow before it could go on. The lieu
 tenant rode in advance, and when a
 the end of an hour he reached the tray
 elers found them stalled in a big drift La sonora, dressed in long ridin habit and swathed in extra wraps, ha
 found it impossible to maintain her sea
 as her pony plunged and struggled i the drift She had repeatedly fallen an had remounted with great difficulty, It , quiring the aid of both her attendants , | After her last fall she had attempted t ] wade through on foot, but the snow an P fierce, searching wind had chilled he
 struggling limbs. and she had becom l quite helpless
 When the officer reached her, she gath cred the cape of her cloak about he
 face to shield herself from observation
 as she had always done since he fir. met her at Los Ojos Frios. With th F assistance of the soldiers he bore her {
 the sled and placed her in the blanket and straw, with the warm stones dii