Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-10-31

'cruel manner?' he finally mutters.
Then in paroNysm of rage, with
his hunting-knife between his teeth
and his Winchester cooked, he dashes
to towards the rocky detile.
CHAPTER IL.
'Ah, ha! brorco tracks. and fresh
ones, too, at thatr' exclaims Oscar
Cunningham, at the same time leaping
from his horse and examining the
footprints with a reading-glass
Yes, yes; they are fresh. and by
Jove, with Heavens assistance III
soon overtake them. And then-and
( then''-But the words stick fast in
his throat.
Springing to his saddle once more.
he Iunges further and deeper into the
mountain faStneSS. Now he scales a
barrier of jagged rocks shiverei
asunder by some ancient terrenean
CONFUSION, perhaps. and now he
clears chasm with a bound. Such
obstacles would seem impossible to
a heart less determined on revenge.
! And now. at last he draws his
CHAPTER III.
| relnS beneath an 0verhanging cliff,
! and raising his left hand above his
brow he looks forward intently.
! Lying before him in grove of live
oaks interspersed with plantains and
wild grapevines. he sees the hacienda
/ Of Don Cardiac. \ scene to compare
with fairy tales it is Here an abode
! with broad cool veranjas, and there
a ripping brookIet noiSeleSsly wind.
! ing its way out of sight beneath Won
! der mountain.
But why does Oscar Cunningham
tremble so? He sees a figure of a
young girl sitting in a hammock,
| bending over a guitar. AS she runs
her fingers lightly over the frets she
now and again raises her luSuous,
soulful eyes 10 the dark face of the
young Spaniard who stands beside
! her.
1t is Don Cardiac, the notorious
young Chihuahua bandit, and the girl
is none less than Lettuce Outlying.
I1ut see! The handsome Spaniard
embraces her and their lips are mov-
| ing towards each other.
CHAPTER ".
! With an oath Oscar Cunningham
raises his rifle to his shoulder
You poltroOn!'' he eXclaims, and
then he runs His eye along the bur
niShed barrel until the glimmering
sight glOws full against the Span
| iard'S profile. There is a sharp report
and the deadly bah speeds on it's way
towards the grove. The smoke clears
away and the young American looks
down the vale with ghouliSh glee to
see what work of death he had
wrought
CHAPTER V.
Still do the lips of Don Cardiac and
the beautiful girl fly together ait in
tervalS. But there is no report from
their contact which is strange and
taunting to Oscar Cunyngbam, who
now raises his weapon again and
takes more careful aim. The range is
simple and his heart beats with hope
and determination. But the result of
the shot is no different, and they kiss
| again.
CHAPTER ".
And now Oscar Cunningham is de
termined to lombard the hacienda in
earnest An hour of incesSant shoot
ing is carried on and then his ammu-
milton gives out. Still the Spaniard
and maiden continue to kiss each
other, seemingly obliviOus of the pro
lOnged firing.
But pause. See! A sudden cnange
comes over the scene. The hacienda
and all it's environments, including
the Spaniard and maiden, are gently
rising and floating away owe" the
| mountains out of sight.
"Ah!" exclaims Oscar Cunningham;
'and is it possible that after all I've
wasted my powder on a mirage?'
SO with a heavy heart he TecrOsses
the Rio Grande to TeXas.-New York
| World.