The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1896-04-09

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ID ride and. get . little mule 81 mine
from over the hill in the milpa, think
we can catch him by morning. He
cannot travel very swiftly: with his
n,ozo and pack animal; besides, he will
go by the coast, which makes q long
curve to- the west. We will follow q
wood trail that I know and save ON
hours time between here and Panuco."
''Can we handle him alone, or shall
I borrow some soldiers of the jefe, The
odoro?"
'tSenor," he answered, "do you re-
member the night you saved my life
from the voodchoppe1s; how we
fought back to back and whipped
those nine machctcros? and then you
ask me if we can whip one man. l
will go alone and bring him back"
":.No, Theo," replied, 1--WE will go to-
gether. Let US eat, then you can get
your little mule, and I will ask Don
Vicente for his horse" rt zEa
Supper over, we soon procured our
horses, aud, with many blessings and
good wishes from 'Dona Carolina, we
started out. <H
Our way led along the main road, or
Canine real, until we reached Tzatlan,
q 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 to
Tzatlan, and though the light was now
failing rapidly, he had no difficulty
in. recognizing the tracks of Dona Car
olina's mare. 81.
We rode hard; at times the road was
bad, and we had to slaclzen our pace.
Occasionally we were forced. to duck
our 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 busly mesa,
my horse stopped and snorted, and
there ahead in the moonlight on the
trail, stood large jaguar; but only for
an instant, then he turned and crashed
through the bushes.
At midnight we stopped beside
small creek, and watched the horses
and stretched our legs. Oh, how sore
I was! I had never ridden so hard be-
fore. How wished for a telegraph
line, and wondered if Herodias,suf
fered as much when she chased her
wandering Jew. ~
About five o'clock in the morning
Theodore, who was ahead, stopped, and
T rode up to him. "What is it?" asked.
eve are now, answered Theo, about
half mile from Panuco. I think we
had better try and stop them here. We
have travelled fast and don't believe
they have passed this point" -
I agreeing, we turned down an ar
royo and reached the canine real.
Here Theodore made a close scrutiny
of the ground by the aid of couple
of lighted matches and assured me that
Moses had not yet passed.
We tied our horses o, few yards back
in the wood and, selecting a large
clump of mesquite to hide behind,
waited with anxious hearts the coming
of the doctor. NJ,
It seemed that we had waited an age,
and I was beginning to despair. The
day commenced to dawn and the moon
to pale when we heard a rattle otlhoofs
and stones, and Theodore said to me-:
Here he comes; he is about 800 yards
away" I hastily looked at the cart
ridges and cooked the shotgun that I
had brought along in preference to q
revolver. It was loaded heavily in
each barrel with buckslot.
Nearer and nearer came the sounds, 1
and, looking through the foliage, 7
could see in the dim light Moses and
his servant. They were asleep. The
mare, tired from her all-night trip
was walking slowly. = =.
=: I stepped out from the bush. The
mare gave snort and stopped. The
mozo awoke with a jerk, and seeing
two men with guns leveled on his mas:
ter, vigorously turned tail and went
Gathering down the road, leaving the
pack mule and Moses to our tender
1nercies. a.: 20
Get off your horse, doctor" cried.
He made an involuntary move to-
ward his revolver, then looked down
the barrels of our guns and concluded
that it was best to do as wished.
THAT: right" said. snow, throw
up your hands. don't wish to detaip 4
you unnecessarily, doctor, but would l
like the money you SO kindly changed
for me.'' 80
Theodore now stepped up, and while
I covered Moses, he disarmed him and
went through his pockets, grip, blank
cts, and saddle bags, but all he could.
find in money was $246.
"Where is the rest ofmy money, doc,
tor?'' I asked.
II lost it cock-fghting at Den Igna-
clos" he replied. 81
Call right, then; your jewelry will
be good for 5000, and when you get set
tied in some other country I shall draw.
OH you at sight for the balance
How his black eyes cleaned with an
ger at me! Theodore relieved him of
his watch and attempted to take the
ring from his hand, but, as he did SO,
Moses jcrl<ed his hand away and started
to run.
ssC4o,1O o~;or1 sso,, Ts1l Shoot ,-.,,t