Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-05-14

deaths" and he nodded at the girl who
was wrapping the body in a blanket.
With sigh I was turning to go, for
| it saddened me to think that when
drink got hold of them woman should
have power to change these men. who
were my brethren. into savage beasts
thirsting for each others blood.
"Ah!" I unused, had it not been for
that other woman who destroyed me
| and my hope, by now had begun to
teach them better"
AT this moment I CHANGED to glance
up to see q man such as had never be-
fore beheld, standing at my side and
gazing at me.
James Strickland, the Englishman,
was a fine man, over thirty years in
age, short in proportion to his width.
though somewhat spare in frame and
delicate in limb. His features were as.
clearly cut as those of an ancient god
upon marble wall, and his eyes were
as blue as the sea and his curly hair
yellow as Mimosa bloom.
Your pardon, senor," said the man
in good Spanish, bowling to me as he
spoke, "but unwittingiy I have over
heard some of your talk, and cannot
understand how it comes about that
you. q stranger, have so much author
ity. wish that you would explain it
to me in order that might learn how
to put stop to such murders. These
dead men were two of my best work
men, and 1 do not know where shall
look to replace Them
Il cannot explain it, senor," an
swered, returning his bow, further
than to say that / have certain rank
among the Indians, on account of
which they reverence me. Still, though
/ have no right to ask it of a stranger,
pray that you will forget any words
which may chance to have reached
your ears. since of such authority the
government is jealous"
ready forgotten. Well, adios, this sight
is not so pleasant that I wish to study
it," and replacing his hat upon his
head he passed on.
Although my journey proved to be
vain. as the scroll L came to read had
vanished, fingered in the village, al
leglng as the reason OF my stay a hope
that it might be discovered, but. really,
because I desired to become friendly
with this white man.
AS it CHANGED, an opportunity was
soon given me to do him signal Serv-
ice. l have stated that there dwelt
men of position in this place, Mex
ishman, and these people stirred up
some disconnected miners in his en-
ploy to make a plot to murder him.
The plot came to my ears through
one of the brotherhood, and deter
mined to Illustrate it, to which end l
collected together twenty good men
and true, arming them with guns,
and on a given night. after pitched
battle, we frustrated the plan of the
murderers, which was at the hour of
dawn to attack the house where Senior
Strickland slept with four or five serv-
ants only, and to put all within its
walls to death.
Next day. when all the trouble was
over, and the place had been made tidy,
Senior Strickland sent man to ask if I
would do him the pleasure to dine with
him I accepted, and as we sat smolz-
ing after dinner, after having talked of
the fight, he spoke thus to me:
don Ignatio, owe you my life, and,
believe me. 1 am grateful, for I do not
see why you should have risked so much
for a foreign stranger"
Il did it because l like you, senor,"
answered. ''also because it is very pleas
mt to catch the wicked IN their OVID
tolls"
ITO BE CONTINCED.f