The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-04-04

pEOp0EVy OI t00 1uuldnS.
mo; Ishould prefer to shoot my horse
rather than have him change to such
ownership" said Raymer. II think.
however," he added. 'it will not come
TO that MY men at Jemez will reach
camp day after tomorrow and find that (,
the sergeant and have not arrived.
Search for us will at once begin, and as
we were known to take the out of they
will come this way. We are sure Of be-
ing rescued within four days"
1--WE have food enough to last that
time, and our animals can manage on
the straw, but these copper skinned fell
lows are going to attack as in the dark
ness, 1 fear, /" said the padre.
"We might keep fire before each
door, sir, suggested the sergeant
''These old hunks could be broken up
for fuel"
II am afraid they would prove of as
much advantage to the enemy as to us
sergeant" replied the lieutenant. II
wonder If this fiat roof Is covered with
earthp'
The sergeant went to the wide mouth
ed chimney, and easily ascending the
flues by stepping on the projecting ends
of the rough stones of which it was
built looked out of the top and reported
that the roof was covered with two feet
of earth.
GAN right, then. We can keep q
small blaze going there, which will H.
Illuminate the space about us and not
confuse our sight. but will confuse that
of the enemy"
The men set to work and pulled down
all the hunks. breaking the puncheons
and posts of which they were made into
fragments with large stones taken from
the hearth. Then the sergeant once
more ascended the chimney, and by di-
rection Of the lieutenant pulled down
one side of the part projecting above
the roof, the side looking in the direc-
tion opposite the precipice. This would
enable man standing in the top Of the
chimney to feed the fire upon the roof
without being exposed to the shots Of a
foe on his right and left, the only points
of attack.
These preparations went slowly along,
and the October afternoon was entering
its last half when Vic arose from her
bed by the veiled lady, and approaching
the sergeant's canteen shifted at 1t.
"Poor little Vickyp' said Cunning
ham. "Does she want drink? Well,
she shall have one, and borrowing the
Mexican's sombrero he placed it on the
floor, dented the top into the semblance
of saucer and filled it with water. As
the setter Tapped it up the lieutenant
stood watching her, and making sud-
den start he exclaimed:
"Why, sergeant, we need not stay
here "a hours"
The sergeant, standing erect, looked
with smiling intelligence into the face
of his officer and replied "That is SO,
sir. wonder we did not think of it be-
fore. +"
II cannot account for ii. Perhaps be-
cause she has been asleep with her new
friends in the corner, and we were 30
busy about other matters. .
Here Rayiner became aware that
sweetly modhlated voice was addressing
the priest in Spanish, and, listening,
heard the young lady interpreting what
he and the sergeant had just said in
English. So the mysterious maiden be-
meath the veil must be accomplished
| Va uuob pldlA w Uuc IcSO VI uo,
said Padre Gutierrez, "what you have
just discovered. We can see no improve
ment in our prospects. What has hap
pened?"
"Simply that we have an intelligent
messenger to send to camp" replied the
lieutenant in Castellano "Victoriana
is very accomplished doggy'-stoop-
ing and fondling her head and ears.
"She has had great pains taken with her
education and can do many things.
Among others she can carry messages.
How far is it to the camp, father?"
mine miles,
'Then Vic can do it. Sergeant, whit
tie out stick which she can carry in
her mouth, and I will write a letter
Father Gutierrez, please stand guard at
the window. +"
"Could we not send her back to
Jemez, sir?" asked the sergeant. "The
distance is much less"
''No; hardly think could make her
understand our wishes in that direction.
There is little doubt but she will go to
camp"
Vic, released during the preparation
of the message, went back to her couch
in the corner, where the two beautiful
hands received her into gentle en-
brace, and face bent down and nestled
in her silky ears with no intervening
veil. One nun demonstrated in an un-
dertone, but the other turned and added
other caresses to those of the girl.
1T will not do to send her until after
dark" said Raymer, "for the Navajoes
might see her and kill her, but we will
make our preparations by daylight.
A letter was written upon leaves torn
from a notebook and addressed to Ser
geant Mulligan at the camp, telling the
story of the party s predicament and or
dering him to send detachment to raise
the siege. Upon the fiat stick prepared
by Sergeant Cunningham was written
in plain characters, Examine her COL
lar" 1t was intended that she should