Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1896-09-19

every yanquero frightened the cinch
of his saddle girth, and with lis
knees took little more frmer hold
of the beast he bestrode. Torrez
looked ahead and set bis face stolid-
~ as he struck spurs into his
horse. And Sancha, riding to the
left Of the herd, and well IN advance
of the others, felt light as he saw
the living mass break into a wild
stampede-and knew Macheco was
alone in their front.
.Macheco's cry had been one of
warning and of summons to his COM
panions. At the instant his own
danger had not been uppermost in
his mind. But now, half turning IN
| his saddle, he could see the hot, an
| cry, maddened eyes of the cattle so
near he fancied they we're gloating
upon him. In a breath, it seemed
as if the whole herd had been turned
into a rushing, turbulent whirlwind
of brute force. ungovernable, filled
with single impulse-to charge
forward with relentless force and un-
matehable fury.
Sancha was more near to the head
OF the herd than any of the others.
He should have ridden against the
leaders, and by every art of which
he was master have striyen to turn
them. At the beginning they might
have yielded. But soon they knew
the uneonquerable joy of freedom
and Of mastery an effort, had it
been then employed, would have
been in vain. But Sancha only look
ed backward to make certain he was
alone, and none others so near they
| could know what he did.
And what he did was this. Straight
forward he rode, keeping his horse
level with the head of the herd, so
that he might not lose sight of the
man in front. It required his best
| skill to do this. The cattle rushed
forward like the wind. They were
more feet than the horses. Sancha
| gagged his own pace in comparison
with theirs, and thought, with sinis-
ter joy, that Macheco's mount was
less feet than his own. 1t would be
impossible for him to keep long
ahead Of them. And they were so
near that to turn and try to cross
their patch was certain death. And
now Maoheco looked backward again,
turning his head to the left. Aud in
the instant, amid the rush and tur-
MOL of the race, he caught a glimpse
of Sancha riding there and knew
that his rival was trying to compass
his death. Before he had ridden on
ly for life, now he rode for life and
revenge.
But as he rode new horror rose
up and confronted him. In the dis
tance something glittered. He look
ed again and saw q stream of water
lying like silver band across the
landscape. Upon either side it was
edged with green. 1t was the val
ley toward which they had been
vending. It was this the cattle had
scented, chat had filled them with
madness.
Macheco had never seen the place.
But he remembered the other van
queros had told him of it, and how
it was skirted by an abrupt cliff and
that only narrow trail led down to
it. And now the herd was driving
straight for the cliff, and carrying
him before it. Certain death lay be-
yond.
They were upon the brink. Ma.
checo could feel the hot breath Of
the cattle. He shut his eyes and
made one short. prayer and his horse
| plunged into the abyss. And after
him went the herd, beasts by the
hundreds and thousands piling up
their carcssses on the green sod they
had come such weary way to find,
and hiding poor Macheco forever
from the eyes of men.
| Sancha watched, and drew rein
and waited. When The patron and
the vanqueros came up ne told them
the story in his own way.
Il did all that man could do. He
was ahead of them. | saw the dan
| ger and warned him. And in trying
to turn them | was almost carried
under their hoofs.'
He ran on Volubly protesting this
again, until the patron stopped him
with word
at would have saved US trouble
if you had been," he said and San
cha quaiIed before him ard was ST.
lent.
They did not search for tie body
of Macheco. Piled deep above him
were the carcasses Of the beasts he
had so long herded.
They turned homeward. All day
the patron rode silently at the head
of the caYalcade, but they who knew
| him best knew be was not silent be-
cause of the loss Of his herds. That
night they made camp beside pool
surrounded by dwarf, stnnted trees,
They were the best the desert afford
ed. The patron examined them care
fallys laid his hand upon one, and
calling to his men said:
| "This win do