The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1896-04-04

the lonely scene made his dream stand
out more real and terrifying. Unable
to sleep, he walked down to the side OF
his horse, and almost before he knew it
ne was putting the saddle on its back.
1T won't take long to ride over
there, he thought, land I will be back
before father wakes. If I keep a sharp
lookout no harm can arise from my
trip. It would be so satisfying to know
the truth .7- ,
Being careful to fix the direction in
his mind, Harry rode silently on his
lonely journey, which, had he dreamed
was going to prove so long, he would
never have ventured to undertake.
The day was breaking as at last he
ascended the range where he felt con-
fident he should find the Mexican's hut.
He was not disappointed, for at the
edge of the forest he was gladdened by
the sight of the homely building. From
| his position he could not see the OBJ
| ject which had caused him to under
take what he was ready now to be-
l1eVe was foolhardy journey. No
doubt 1t had been some illusion of the
gaze, and he was tempted to start back
to lind his father without climbing to
the top of the ridge, which was sleeper
than he had thought from the dis
tance.
No! He would know the whole truth
after coming so far, and, resolved to
move with extreme caution, he left his
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 position
yet to see the west end of the hut, and
1t was there he fancied he had seen the
helpless child.
With high-beating heart he ad-
vanced, obliged to pass around huge
powders that ever and anon disputed
his way. What barren place for a
nome, though fertile valley lay no
more than half mile distant on the
other side.
AS Harry came around on the upper
side OF 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!
1t did not need a second look for him
to discover that it was a human being
"a little girl not over four years of
age, hanging there in mid-air like a
lifeless thing! "A rope was fastened
ar around her slight waist, the other end
esecured at the top Of the roof.
She is dead!' he exclaimed, but he
mad 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
suspendlng 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, it 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
Il wish father
Harry stopped in the midst of his
speech, for upon looking up at the
sounds of the hoofstrokes of a horse he
saw his father riding toward the place.
Il missed you, and mistrusting you
had come here I followed at once, So
you were right-my God! it is Alicew
1t 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
off 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. 81,
| This could not have been accom-
| plished very long before Harry had
seen her though the glass, for she de-
| clared' that it was most night at the
time. Her mother, with two or three
others, we're 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: eve 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
five minutes they were moving as 81
| lently as possible down the range.
Mr.. Mayburn proved correct in his
J 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 more thankful party
! 1n - 4o a ~