The Opelousas courier., 1896-05-23
from over the hill in the milpa, I think

from over the hill in the milpa, I thinl
we a catch him by morning. H
cannot travel very swiftly with hi:
n'ozo and pack animal; besides, he viii
go by the coast, which makes O lont
curve to the west. We will follow {
wood trail that I know and save al
hours time between here and Panuco.
Can we handle him alone, or ahal
l borrow some soldiers of the jefe, The
odoro2"
"Senor," he answered, edo you re
member the night you saved my life
from the woodchoppers; how w,
fought back to back and whipped
those nine macheteros? and then yot
ask me if we can whip one man.
will go alone and bring him back"
mo, Theo," 1 replied, 1--WE will go to
gether. Let us eat, then you can get
your little mule, and 1 will ask Dor
Vicente for his horse"
Supper over, we soon procured oul
horses, and, with many blessings and
good wishes from Dona Carolina, we
started out.
Our way led along the main road, OF
Canine real, until we reached Tzatlan
a small village, where we struck the
wood trail. There we learned that
about 4 p. M. Moses and his servant
had passed. Theodore had carefully
studied the ground from La Chola ia
Tzatlan, and though the light was now
failing rapidly, he had no difficulty
in recognizing the tracks of Dona Car
olina's mare.
We rode hard; at times the road was
bad, and we had TO slacken our pace.
Occasionally we were forced to duck
u heads to preserve our eyes from
some thorny bush, and once we rode
for two miles through a swampy coun-
try, where the gigantic trees, arching
overhead, completely shut out all light.
Once. when riding over a bushy me "a,
my horse stopped and snorted, aud
there ahead in the moonlight on the
trail, stood a large jaguar; but only for
an instant, then he turned and crashed
through the bushes.
At midnight we stopped beside Il
small creek, and watched the horees
and stretched u legs. Oh, how sore
I was! I had never ridden so hard be-
fore. How / wished for a telegraph
line, and l wondered if Herodias sui.
fered as much when she chased her
wandering Jew.
About five o'clock in the mornin.
Theodore, who was ahead, stopped, and
| rode up to him. "What is it {" l asked.
1--WE are now,' answered Theo, "abous
half q mile from Panuco. I think we
lad better try and stop them he1N We
have Travelled fast and l don't43eliey.
they have passed this point"
l agreeing, we turned down an ar.
and reached the canine real.
Theodore made a close scrutiny
of the ground by the aid of a couple
OF lighted matches and assured me that
Moses had not yet passed.
We aed our horses a few yards back
the wood and, selecting q large
NJ finesquite to hide behind,
waited with anxious hearts the coming
the doctor.
1t seemed that we had waited an age,
ind | was beginning to despair. The
lay commenced to dawn and the moon
% pale when we heard u rattle of hoofs
md stones, and Theodore said to me:
Here he comes; he is about 300 yards
l hastily looked al the cart
and cooked the shotgun that i
lad brought along in preference to a
-evolver. N was loaded heavily in
ZACH barrel with buckshot.
Nearer and nearer came the sounds,
md, looking through the foliage, /
'ould see in the aim light Moses and
lis servant. They were asleep. The
mare, tired from her all-night trip,
vas walking slowly.
I stepped out from tie bush. The
mare gave a snort and stopped. The
nozo awoke with a jerk, and seeing
wo men with 81 ms leveled On his mas
er, %valorously taurned tail and went
lattering down THE road, leaving the
Jack mule and Moses to our tender
Get off your horse, DOCTOR" I cried.
He made an involuntary move to-
Yard his revolver, then looked down
he barrels of u guns and concluded
hat it was best to do as 1 wished.
"That'c right" said. "Now, throw
p your hands. don't wish to detain
ou unnecessarily, doctor, but I would
Ike the money you SO kindly changed
or me-"
Theodore now stepped up, and while
covered Moses, he disarmed him and
-ent through his pockets, grip, blank
IS, and saddle bags, but all he could
in money was $246.
Where is the rest of my money, doc
I asked.
II lost it cock-fighting at Don Igna.
he replied.
"A1 right, then; your jewelry will
good for 5000, and when you get set
ed in some other country I shall draw
/ you at sight for the balance
How his black eyes CLEANED with an
# 1T me! Theodore relieved him of
s statchaand attempted to take the
ng from his hand, but, as he did SO,
oses jerked his hand away and started
run. y,
STOP" I cried, Tor I'll shoot you!
oliver that ring, or I'll blow your head
e."
He stopped and, with a voice full Of
rrow, said: "It's no use. l knew it
ould come to this. Fool that l was
believe that I could in some manner
the predictions Of this ring,
lere, take it," and, with a gesture full .
bitterness, he hurled it at my feet,
lay it trouble You as it has me. It
$ five times unerring.y predicted dis
Ter to me, and, do my best. 7 cannot !.