The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-06-06

Il So, said on por6rio, growing angry
In turn. I have offered you all i hays
to give.
oantarito gave ? swift glance round
toward his band and lifted his lance.
But he remained where he was, end
did not give the signal to his men 70
attack. He was not the head chief Of
his tribe, and il was a serious thing
for him to break a treaty on his own
responsibility. besides, he knew that
# it came to battle some Of his men
would be killed, however the affair
turned in the end.
eve may settle the matter another
way If you choose, lie said. Come
ont and fight me singie-handed before
all our men. Face to face we will de-
eide whether / or your people shall
have tho girl. or. II you are too old,
send one Of your younger men.
tile looked as he spoke at Francisco
Segura, standing at Mannelita's side.
At his word Francisco took d step for
ward.
81 win fight you, he called out.
Don Parfiric, give me leave to fight
the Comanche chief
"Santarito looked at him, and his lip
curIed. I nm a chief he said, and
he is only a cowherd. But let him come
out and be killed. Twill carry his scalp
on my lance when / ride with Man
uelita back to Il -ancheria.'
".Go, since you ask it. and God be
with you,' said the don to Francisco.
Tut ride my black horse. You know
him, for you broke him as a colt. He
win not finch or fail YOU
's0n the don's black horse, the swift
est in the Rio Grande valley, Francisco
rode out to meet the chief. He car
ried in his hand a gun, and upon his
saddle horn his braided lasso WINS loose
ly coiled. The women lamented and
the men looked very grave at his pros
poets, for he could. give but a single
shot with his gun, while the Indiana
CULVER was full of arrows. every one of
which he could send in surely in tho
time 1t would take Francisco to reload
lis piece. And then there was the
lance, and Francisco had none.
"Santarito rode back, keeping to the
left until he had reached a point equal
~ distant from his band and the cara.
Francisco took up a similar posi-
ton on the right, and the two faced
each other 100 hundred PAGES apart.
The Indian laid his lance in the loops
Of his saddle and took his bow and half
a dozen arrows in his hand. Then with
a shout to his pony he dashed upon
Francisco, waiting to receive him with
fusil raised. Half way to him tho
Gomanche swung down sidewise from.
his saddle, so that his pony's body
should completely protect him from al
shot, and sweryed the animal to pass
francisco in a circle. At the same time,
from under tsneck, he sent arrow after
arrow at him as fastas one could cornt.
THE second arrow sent struck Franz
cisco's saddle, and the next passed
through his sleeve, grazing bis shouI-
der. At the am moment he fred aim.
ing to hit the Comanche's head be-
meath the pony's neck. The bullet
missed S~antarito, but it was d lucky
shot, for all that, for it struck his bow.
breaking it. Instantly the Indian
swung up in his saddle, grasped his
and charged straight at his enes
my.
Francisco set spurs to his horse IL
met the charge, at the same moment
from his saddle horn the coils az
his lasso. With the gun held in his
left hand, he parried the lance thrust
wheeled his horse behind the Indians
pony as it went by like a fash, and flung
his lasso over Santarito. His aim was
true. The moose fell over the Com
anche's head and shoulders, and. before
he could throw it Oft, Francisco had
caught a turn Of the braided rope about
ms saddle horn, wheeled his horse, an
'et the spurs hard into his Aanka
With q bound the fiery animal was OH
away, jerking the Indian from his
saddle, over his pony's back, and drag
ying him helpless over the prairie. AZ
fell to the ground the lasso slipped
above his shoulders. but frightened
again about his neck, and held.
AT sight of this, the Indians pave
heir wa cry and started for Francis
o. He did not pull rein until they were
lalf way to him. Then he checked his
'orse, leaped to the ground, threw the
asso from the Indians neck-the neck
vas broken-plunged his knife twice
nto the Comanche's heart to make his
york sure, took the gold star from the |
;hief's breast, and springing to the
iaddle, dashed back to the a with
OF arrows whistling after him
This is the story of the duel 1T T,as
Francisco, Of course. WINS I
rreat hero after the affair. He married
that fall, as he had wanted t.
10 for years past, and he became head
'aquero on my g~randfather's ranches.
2 they were both prosperous and ham
". When, after many years, his work.
ng days were over, his son took his
lace on my father'e estate.
just as Don Mariana finished III,
tory the sound Of hoofbeats near a.
and caused the two to look round
he approaching wagons were still j
ale away, but the foreman had ridden
head to select the spot where thev
hould haul up. He was 4 staIvyart.
andsome Mexican, about 40 wears III
&c, and the American noted his per-
sct seat in the saddle. He rode m ~
1850