The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-01-27
THE QUICKSAND
GAVE UP ITS PREY
rrom Bslford.s Afaeazlne.

rough frontier country. He had carried on
a pretty Spanish wife from the Chihua-
hua region years before and brought her
10 the rocky Californian coast and had
purchased a settlers claim and an old
abode house built half century ago.
Here he farmed. raised cattle on the un-
used government lands. and kept sort Of
rude hotel. for several mountain trails
Joined at that point the broad highway
which led from the county seat. twenty
miles south, to the northern settlements
in the pineries. He had 1--WE daughters,
too. the youngest, Theresa, known as
Tessa. a girl Of II. That added 10 the at
traction. and almost every night the dark
eyed half-Spanish girl sang and danced.
and old Stoaer managed to hear all the
news that was adoat- and somehow most
Of the loose coin Of the region found its
way into his pockets. He was deep one,
that same EDhraim stoner, quiet, siy.and
patient. secret in his methods and deadly
in his blow.
Stoner's wife and his four elder daugh-
tiers were uneducated and in complete
subsection to his viii but Tessa had more
brains and energy than all the others
put together, and quite as much beauty,
so that the old Texan ranger took GER.
tain pride in her. and had even allowed
her to attend a district school for two
years.
This midnight, when. as 7 have said, the
story begins, a person of a prying DISPOSE
ton might have discovered several inter-
esting- performances in progress around
the Stoner abode. on the north side Of
the house quite In the shadow Tessa, was
leaning from her window conversing with
a blonde. fair-haired, and sturdy young
man on horseback.
Tom. you don't know my father. He
is not the careless, warm hearted man
you suppose. l must admire his ability.
but that is all. ! warn you, Tom, there
never was a more dangerous man. He
may be where he hears every word you
say but il be is he will not speak 10 you
or to me about it. but if he knew that
you cared. for me he would be your enc
my. He has other plans for me. He wants
me TO marry for money"
Tom Warren had once been the school
teacher In the mountain district miles
away, whera Tessa had been one of his
pupils. Thrown upon his own resources
from his chi ldhood he had developed Il
strong. earnest character. and was al
ready so popular in the county that he
had lust been elected sheriff, although the
youngest man on the ticket.
While Tessa alnd her lover were talking,
a scene of a fas~ different nature was be-
ing enacted on the south side of the old
adobe. which overlooked a deep ravine and
a camp Of five or six men in the field be-
low. For several years these men had
spent their summe rs there, Ostenslbly fish
ing. hunting and exploring the country
with their dogs and guns. Everyone knew
them and most pers ons liked them. Tessa
did not
stoner, though it was midnight, sat in
the moonlight on an old rawhide chair.
outside the door. smoking his pipe and
mediSating-a tough, s.newy. grizzled
night owl OF a man.
A man came out of the brush ana spoke
deferenually:
"captn, good evenin'r' 4t.
You're late.v ~ ~ s9tt
Dick was shot" ~
"Well2"
"Just, as the driver throwed Off the box
Shot by passenger in the neck and
shoulder
He mustn't stay here to get us into
trouble. Take a boat and carry him to
the point and leave him in the cave there
Eyes. capt'n.
'tHow much was aboard2"
About. s., 900 for the Josephine miners"
Send It over the cliff before morning
and I'll divide 1t up soon. but you must
be extra careful. The new sheriff is
smart one"
IAN righ' capt'n," and the man went
back to camp.
A moment later, Just as Stoner was
going back to the house there was a slow
thud ola horses hoofs, and Tom Warren.
the young sheriff, rode down the trail,
around the corner of the old adobe build-
f,,or f,&a ha ma lnN
to the west He had at last yielded to
'Tessa's entreaties to go, go, this min
ute. Tom"
"where in the devil did you come from,
sheriff? Anything up in this part of the
country
ooh, no, not a. particle. I've been visit
ing my old school in the mountains and
took the short trail home, down Cayu-
cos"
won't you put up and stay with us all
nigiht?'
mo. Mr. stoner. must go down to
Kestral to see friends there. It's only
an hours ride
THAT settles it," thought stoner.
Plenty of stout fellows to use as sher-
IFS deputies there. He has probably
stumbled on traces and is going for
hklp's He sat and smoked and slipped
his head back under his coat. Easy to
shoot the fellow" he said to himself.
W ell. SQOQ-DNs 0LoAlcAs soAA " a AtAA
suddenly. 81 suppose the beach road is
as good as ever?''
Perfectly safe. only when you cross
Toro creek keep on the sandbar. It's
as hard as iron. crossed there to-day
Thank YOU Adios"
The cliffs were from fifty to 800 feet
high. and full of waveworn caves War
rer drew rein on the beach, and for fully
ten minutes watched the ocean sway
and rise. His thoughts thrilled with
dreams Of Tessa. He would take her
away from her narrow and hUrtful sur
roundings. He would lift her into hap
pier and better circumstances. He
would force Stoner's consent, marry her,
and make her happy.
He rode rapidly south, and in hair
an hour the mouth Of the Toro appeared,
in the midst CT sand dunes, breakers
rolling in, and the river flowing out
Here was the long sandbar, ten feet
wide. ana stretching across, hardly an
inch higher than the watery surface.
Warren was beginning to Rave some
suspicious OF Stoner. but not such as
to lead him TO doubt the simple direc-
lions he had received. The sandbar
looked safe. bat Within a few days the
sea. as Stoner knew, had swept it might
aaf y