The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-10-23

she would require for her wedding.
Then he kissed her and babe her fare
well, and he thought that perhaps it was
for the last time.
1t was late when Chuchita retired in
her little home that night, and for how
long she had been asleep she knew not,
when she was awakened by talking in
the next room adjoining her own,
AT first she thought that. her father,
who had been discharged from the mine
some weeks before for appropriating to
his own use some valuable ore, had i'm
bibed too much mescal and was little
nllarlous with some companions, but
suddenly she caught some words that
caused her to start and listen. Then
softly rising from her bed, she crept to
the door, and through a crack she saw
four men beside her father, all heavily
armed, and from their conversation she
learned that they were going to rob tn @
bullion train at place she knew well.
A great fear that caused her to
tremble came to her. ooh! Blessed
Mother" she murmured to herself.
he will be with the train, and if any
thing should happen to himl 1t must
mott must save himl"
She knew that the train would leave
the mine al four o'clock in the morn
ing, and she also knew that it would
take a trail that forked off the one
from the village to the mine, half way
up the canon. If she could only reach
there before the train she could save
him, for the spot where the robbery
was to take place was two miles further
down the other canon. Hastily throw
ing on her clothes, she entered room
that served as kitchen, and taking
from the table knife, she passed out
into the night.
After pausing at one or two of the
corrals near by, in vain search for
horse, she turned and started at a
rapid pace across the valley and on up
the trail, and just as the eastern sky
was family lighting up with the break
of day, she reached the fork, and,
dropping on her knees, examined the
trail.
Dios MIC" she Cried" they have
passed." and she bounded to her feet
and was off in pursuit. And at the in
slant from far down the canon came the
cry Of the muleteer urging on his
train.
Suddenly a shot rang out, followed
by another and another. She was
nearly there now, and she sprang aside
as two of the bullion-laden mules
rushed wildly up the trail and passed
her. The canon echoed with the crack
of carbines, and as she darted around a
boulder, her long hair streaming out
into the morning breeze that swept
with weird strains up the gloomy gorge,
she came upon two men.
One was being forced slowly back
over fallen tree-Blessed Motherl it
was Eduardo. The other, tall and
swarthy, with his face concealed by
mask, had his knife uplifted to strike,
but it never fell, for, with a bound,
Chuchita was at his side, her arm
around his neck; like lightning her
knife flashed twice, and with a NUT
tered curse the man sank dying at her
feet.
And as she looked down at him, the
knife fell from her hand, and cry of
horror broke from her lips. " Eduardo"
she moaned, my husband, to save you
l have killed-my father" and her head
fell forward on her bosom.
Marsden stood for an instant gazing
at her; then great, fierce love caught
at his heart with fingers of steel and
wrung it until his whole body trembled,
and he gathered her to his bosom.
Down in the little church, in the VAL
ley of the Sad Little Birds, there was
quiet wedding, and Eduardo and Chu-
chita, with the blessing of Padre Fran
els, passed out to dwell in the Arcadia
of which he had reamed.-Exchange