Rocky Ford enterprise., 1895-10-31

after coming so far. and. resolved to
horse under cover of the growth and
approached the place on foot.
There was no moon. but In the clear
starlight he could see no signs Of life
about the solitary hut, which looked
as II It had been deserted for years.
One spark of hope still burned In his
heart. He had not got in a position
yet to see the west end Of the hut. and
it was there he fancied he had seen the
helpless child.
With high-beating heart he ad-
yanced. obliged to pass around huge
powders that ever and anon disputed
his way. What barren place for
home. though fertile valley lay no
more than half n mile distant on the
other side.
AS Harry came around on the upper
side of a pile of rocks. he abruptly
found himself in plain sight of the hut,
and-a wild cry left his lips as he saw
the object he had come so far to see!
It did not need second look for him
to discover that 1t was human being
"a little girl not over four years OK
age. hanging there in mid-air like
lifeless thing! A rope was fastened
around her slight waist, the other end
secured at the top of the roof.
''She is deadr' he exclaimed. but he
had scarcely uttered the exclamation
when a low. piteous wall was borne to
his ears on the still night air.
"She lives!" he cried. and regardless
Of the danger he might be running
into. he dashed swiftly up the ascent,
not to stop until he was under and
within reach of the swaying figure
Another moan of distress came from
the helpless little one, as with one
stroke Of his knife he severed the rope
suspending her in the air. The next
moment she lay perfectly motionless
upon the ground. with him bending
over her.
Poor thing. she is nearly dead from
fright and hunger wonder who
Oh, father. 1t is Alice-our Alice!
About that time the large blue eyes
slowly opened. to look straight into
those of her brother. who had thus
strangely found her whom he and his
father had supposed dead.
II wish father"
Harry stopped in the midst Of his
speech, for upon looking up at the
sounds of the hoofstrokes of horse he
saw his father riding toward the place.
II missed you, and mistrusting you
had come here followed at once. So
you were right-my God! 1t Is Alice!'
It Is hardly necessary to depict the
Joy of the reunited ones, and when the
first transport of their rejoicing had
passed, father and son learned that
Alice and her mother had not been
killed as reported. but had been carried
OF toward the Spanish range by their
captors. Upon coming to this lonely
hut of the Mexican, in a fit of cold
blooded ferocity they had shot the
owner of the building and suspended
their young captive in the position in
which she had been found.
This could not have been accom-
plished very long before Harry had
seen her though the glass, for she de-
clared that 1t was most night at the
time. Her mother, with two or three
others, were still with the party, cap
tives.
"They would be likely to camp in
the valley below here" said Mr.. May
burn, whose excitement hardly knew
bounds. I'VE must push on and res
cue them. I am going to turn Alice
over to your care. Harry"
Though she had suffered untold
agony in that trying position SO many
hours. Alice was only too glad to get
away from the place. and in less than
Ave minutes they were moving as ST.
lently as possible down the range.
Mr.. Mayburn proved correct In his
predictions, and before sunrise they had
not only overtaken the desperadoes, but
surprised and routed them. Mrs. May
burn and two captives were rescued
unharmed. and a more thankful party
it would be difficult to find. Knowing
the dangers that still environed them,
they pushed on as rapidly as possible
to the nearest town, which they safely
reached. Eventually Mr.. Mayburn and
his family reached Los Angeles. where