Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-06-18
From the moment that I saw them

From the moment that / saw them
fronting each other, nv fears for the
issue vanished. Victory was written on
the calm features of the senior, while
the face OF Jose told only of baf1ed fury
struggling with bottomless despair.
Still 1t was he who struck first. for.
stepping forward, he aimed desperate
blow at the Senor's head. who. spring
ing aside. avoided it, and in return ran
him through the left arm. with a cry
of pain, the Mexican sprang back, fol-
lowed by the senior. at whom he cut
from time to time, but without result
for every blow was parried.
Now they were within the altar rails,
and now his back was against one of the
carved pillars of sapote wood. that to
which the girl was tied.
Then the end came, for the senior.
who was watching his chance. drew
suddenly within reach, only to step
back so that the furious blow aimed at
his head struck with a ringing sound
upon the marble floor. Before Don
Jose could lift the sword again. the
senior thrust with all his strength and
his machete pierced the Mexican
through the heart.
And now L must tell of my own folly
that went near to bringing us all to
death. You will remember that was
holding Don Pedro, and in my ioy and
agitation 1 Stacked my grip, so that
with a sudden twist he was able to tear
himself from my hands. and in the
twinkling of an eye was gone.
/ bounded after him, but too late, for
as / reached the door it slammed in NV
face, nor could ! open it, for on the
chapel side was neither key nor handle
Fly cried. rushing back to the
altar; The has escaped, and will pres
emily be here with the rest
N1a hod IL
engaged in severing with his sword the
rope that bound the girl, while Molas
cut loose her father. Now I leaped
upon the altar, and springing at the
StonewOrk Of the broken window, madS
shift to pull myself up with the help of
Molas pushing from below. Seated
upon the window ledge leaned down,
the wrists, with great efforts dragged
him to me and babe him drop without
fear to the ground, which was not more
than ten feet below US. Next came his
daughter, then the senior, and last of ali
MOlaS, SO that within three minutes
from the escape of Don Pedro we stood
unhurt on the outside the chapel among
the bushes of a garden.
Where to now?" / said, for The place
was strange to me.
The girl Maya looked round her, then
she glanced up at the heavens.
Follow me-" she said, Il know a
way" and started down the garden at
a run.
Presently we came to a wall the
height of a man, beyond which was a
thick hedge of aloes which we forced
our way through and found ourselves
in a milpa, or cOrnfeld. Here the girl
stopped. and again searched the stars,
and at that moment we heard sounds of
shouting, and, locking back, saw lights
moving to and fro in the hacienda.
eve must go forward or perish" I
said: don Pedro has aroused his men"
Then she dashed into the milpa, and
we followed her. till at length we were
clear of the cultivated land and stand
ing on the borders of the forest.
''Halt!' I said; where do we run to?
The road runs to the right, and by fol-
lowing it we may reach a town"
ITO be arrested as murderers,' broke
in the senior. You forget that Jose
Moreno is dead at my hands, and his
father will swear our lives away, or
that at the best we shall be thrown into
prison. No, no, we must hide in the
buSh.''
''Sirs,'' said the old Indian, speaking
for the first time, Il know a secret
place in the forest, an ancient and ru-
ined building, where we may take ref
uge for while if we can reach it. But
first ask, who are you?'
You should know me, Ziba1bay,"
said Molas, seeing that 1 am the mes
senger whom you sent to search for him
that you desired to find, the lord and
keeper of the heart and he pointed to
me.
Are you that man?" asked the In
dian.
81 am 1 answered, land I have suf-
fered much to find you, but now is no
time to talk; guide US to this hiding
place of yours, for our danger is great"
Then once more the girl took the
lead, and We plunged forward into the
forest, often stumbling and falling in
east and the shoutings of our pursuers
died away.
ITO BE CONTINUED