Evening star., 1896-01-04

hamlet, where they put up at a small inn.
The saddles are brought in and both lie
down to sleep. They are awakened by the
music of a dance in the adjoining room,
and Richardson overhears two Mexicans
quarreling as to his robbery and possible
murder. One of them-a fat, round-faced
fellow-enters the room with torch. fol-
lowed by several companions. Finding
Richardson on the alert, revolver in hand,
they beat his servant, hoping to provoke
him to an attack. He remains calm. Just
then the voices of the girls are heard call
ing the men to the dance, and the Mexicans
gradually withdraw.
PART H.
AS grim white sheets, the black and silver
| Of collins all the panoply of death. affect us
because Of that which they hide, So this
blanket, dangling before hole in an adobe
wall, was to Richardson horrible emblem,
and horrible thing in Itself. In his pres
ent mood Richardson could not have been
brought to touch it with mis- finger.
the celebrating Mexicans occasionally
how.e1 In solg. The guitarist Played with
sp ed aud enthusiasm.
Richardson longe1 to run. But in this
mystic an1 threatening gloom. his terror
convinced him that 4 move on his rart
would be signal for the pounce Of death.
Jose, crouch!ng abjactly, occasionally num-
bed Slowly and ponderous as stars the
minutes went.
Suddenly Richardson thrilled and started.
In s.eep his nerveless fingers had allowed
Is re. DIVER to fall and clang upon the
hard floor. He grabbed it up hastily and
MS glance swept approximately over the
room.
A chill blue light of dawn was in the
place Every outline was slowly growing;
uela.l was following detail. The dread
blanket did not move. The -iotous COM
pany had gone or become silent.
Richardson felt in his blood the effect Of
tbs cold dawn. The canlor of breaking
day brought his nerve. He touched Jose.
Come" he said. His servant lifted his
tned yellow face, and comprehended. Rich
ardson buckled on his spurs and strode up;
Jose obedIentiy lifted the two great saddles.
r .chardson he'd two brides and a blanket
on his left arm; la his right hand he held
his revolver. They sneaked toward the
door.
Insane. Spurs shave mellow ciash--c;ash--
clash. Walking in spurs-notably Mexican
spurs-you remind yourself vague.y of
teiegrap ph.c l-neman. Richardson was inex-
preSsiDly shocked when he came to walk
He sounded to himself like a pair of GYM
bais. He would have known of This il he
RAJ reflected; but then he was escaping not
rejecting. He made a gesture of despair
and from under the two saddles Jose tried
to make one Of hopeless horror. Richard
son stopped. and with shaking fingers un-
fastened the spurs. Taking them in his
left hand, he picked up his revolver and
they SUNK on toward the door.
On the threshold. Richard son looked back
IN corner he saw, watching him with
had be=n his hosts. Throughout the hight
they had made no sign, and now they ne, TIL
er spoke nor novel. Yet r ciiardson thought
iie detected meek satisfaction at his dvDar-
tire.
The street was still and deserted, In the
eastern sky there was a lemon -colored
patch
Jose had picketed the horses at the side
OF the mouse. AS the two men came around
the corner. Richardson's animal set up a
Whtnny Of welcome. The little horse had
evidently heard them coming. He stood
1acins them his ears cooked forward, his
eyes bright with welcome.
Richardson made frantic gesture, but
the horse. in his happiness at the appear
ance Of his friends, whinnied with enthu-
Siasm.
The American felt ut this TINA that he
could have stransie1 ais we:l-beloved steed.
Upon the threshold OF safely he was bair :
betrayed bJ his horse, his frienl. He felt
the same hate for the horse that he would
nave felt for dragon. AMI vet as he
gitnced wildly about him. ne could see
nothing stirring in the street. nor at the
coorS OF the tonb-iiNe houses.
Jose had his own saddle girth and both
brldieS buckiei in moment. He curled the
PICKET ropes with a few sweeps of his arm.
Ihe fingers Of Richardson. however, were
shaking so that he could hardly buckle the
g.rth His hands We're in invisible miitens
He was wondering, calculating hap;ng
about his horse. He knew the little ami.
mars Willingness and courage under all cir
1t Was different. Who could tell il some
wretched instance of equine perversity was
not about to develop. Maybe the little fel-
low would not feel like smoking over the
PAIN at express speed this morning, and So
ne wou.d rebel AMI kick and be wicked
Maybe he would be without feeling of in
terest, and run is.lessly. All men who
have had to hurry in the saddle know what
1t is to be on a horse who does not under
stand the dramatic situation. Riding n
lame sheep is bliss 10 ii. Richardson. fum
! IL .uflously at the sirth thought of these
things.
Presently he had it fastened He SWING
into the saddle. and as he did so his horse
made mad jump forward The spurs of
jose scratched and tore the flanks of his
great black animal, and side by side the
two horses raced down the village street
The American heard his horse breathe a
quivering sigh of excitement.
;, Ihose four feet SKINNED. They were as
light as fairy puff balls. The houses of
the village glided past in a moment and
the great. clear. silent plain appeared like
pale blue sea of mist and wet bushes.
Above the mountains the colors of the sun
light were like the first tones the opening
chords of the mighty hymn of the morning,
Ine American looked down at his horse
He felt In his heart the first thrill of con-
ndence The little animal, unurged and
quite tranquil, moving his ears this way
and that way with an air of interest in the
scenery, was nevertheless bounding into
the eye OF the breaking day with the speed
looking down, saw the long, fine reach of
forelimb as steady as steel machinery. AS
the ground reeled past, the long dried
grasses Missed, and cactus plants were duh
elurs. A wind whirled the horses name
over his riders bride hand.
Jose S profile was lined against the pale
sky. 1t was as that of man who swims
alone in an ocean. His eyes glinted like
metal. fastened on some unknown pont
ahead OF him, some mystic place of safety
Occasionally his mouth puckered in a little
rnheard cry; and his legs, bended back.
worked spasmodically as his spurred heels
sliced the fanks of his charger
Richardson consulted the gloom in the
vest for signs of hard-riding. yelling
cavalcade. He knew that whereas his
friends the enemy had not attacked him
| when he hal sat stll and with apparent
calmness confronted them, they would GER
tainly take furiousy after him now that he
had run from thenl-now that he had con-
fessed to them that he was the weaker
Their valor would grow like weeds in the
spring, and upon discovering his escape
they would ride forth dauntless warriors
Sometimes he was sure he saw them
Sometimes he was sure he heard them
Continually looking backward over his
shoulder. he studied the purple expanses
where the night was marching away. lose
rolled and shuddered in his saddle, per
sistently disturbing the stride of the black
horse, fretting and worrying him until the