Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-10-12

bank was rent almost continuously by
xigzag streaks Of lightning, while the
sullen rumblipgs Of distant thunder
came to our ears in an unbroken sound.
All the time the sky was clear overhead,
and the sun shone brightly, except when
twice tho heavens were dimmed for
few minutes. and light sprinkling
| fiecked the dust on the trail and tapped
against the carriage top.
Thicker and blacker the sky became
ahead until the rain and clouds, like
leaden rall, shut the mountains from
our view. We had crossed the broad ar
royo that wound along the lowest de-
preston Of the valleylike plain, and the
trail ahead rose in a gentle upward slope
to the mountains. II was now past 4
O'Clock in the afternoon. The carriage
stopped, and Don Ramon turned to
speak to Felix and me.
There are water pools in the ar
royo," he said. I've shall have to halt
soon in any case to give our stock a
chance to rest and eat It would be
well. think, TO stop here where the
grazing is good rather than push for
ward into tie storm. The rain will
most likely he over by sunset
turned toward Felix, who nodded
his assent to the proposition. Very
good" said to Don Ramon 1--WE will
stop at whatever place it pleases you to
select
With no more ado, the carriage and
team turned sharply of the trail to the
: right and stepped ut a long, smooth
slope where the buffalo grass was tall
and thick. The mules were embarrassed
from the carriage, our horses were un'
saddled, and. with our stock picketed
put and feeding, Felix and / took the
shovel, which is an indispensable part OF
every wagon outfit in Arizona, and went
down into the arroyo to see If we could
find water pool.
1t was pleasing picture that our out
fit and its surroundings presented as,
before descending into the arroyo, /
paused moment at its verge TO view 1t.
At the carriage Don Ramon was seated
OIL the water keg comfortably rolling his
: cigarette, Manuel was adjusting piece
Of the harness, and Dolores, kneeling by
the little fire we had kindled from brush
wood picked up in the arroyo as we
crossed. was kneading dough for tortil-
las.
Half way between the carriage and
f, the arroyo Carmen, the central figure In
, the scene. stood here she had paused
, TO pick some wild flowers which now
she was fastening mt her throat. With
white blossom shining in h'r heavy
: hair. she had turned toward the carriage
10 call to her father and show him the
posy she had gathered. Beyond her was
life or death and Carmen Is the stakes
! for which we rode.
Five hundred yards below the camp
the bandits turned down into the arroyo
at point where an Indian trail crossed
IL. Felix and turnod at the stage trail
and dashed down into the channel. A
sheet OF water two feet deep nnw COW
cred the river bed. aud as ouI horses
splashed through il / looked np the
stream to see, below TIE bend, wall Of
| water six feet high and extending from
bank to hank cCnle rolling down upon
! us. Swift AZ mill race it came, with a
swelling food behind it pushing II on.
Felix did net seem to see the coming
torrent. He WAS looking ahead as he
rode, his body bending forward above
the saddle hon, his ho re lcapirg madly
onward under the sharp goading OF the
spur. shouted to my horse and piled
the spur as he struggled through tie
shifting sands and water belly deep AT
the foot Of the opposite bank, with the
wall Of water coming down upon US not
five yards away, Felix's horse, i'll the
lead, leaped from the stream and went
| MP the bank Ike cat. Mine followed,
but SO closely were we pursued by the
food that il rolled past behind me be-
| fore gained the opposite bank. The
eddying surge Of the water up the de-
preston made by the trail rose to my
horses back and nearly swept US both
away. But, helped by the headway he
was under, my horse, with great ef-
| fort, scrambled and clawed his way up
| the bank and carried Us out Of the dan
ger.
Once upon the prairie, / reined my
horse sharply to the right, then, without
checking his speed. turned for All instant
and looked across the foaming. muddy
| food, which filled the arroyo almost
bank high, to sec what was going Oh ut
| the camp. Don Ramon had just mounted
his riding mule and had started toward
| the arroyo as if with the intention OF
attempting to cross it. motioned him
back and then turned to the scene before
| me.
A quarter Of a mile below us San
| grado, followed by his band, had just
emerged from the arroyo Carmen SEEM
| ed to have tainted. Her head, hanging
upon her shoulder, swaycd with the
motion Of the swift, powerful horse
which carried its double burden with nc
apparent effort and easily kept in the
lead of the Others. At sight Of Us San
| grado waved his hand in defiance and
pointed ahead as if inviting us to the
race az he darhcd fc-wcrd along the
brink of the arroyo.
With SO great start, the bandits had
long odds in their favor. TEey had fresh
horses, they were two to one against us,
and, whenever they should decide to
turn and fight, which they certainly
would do il we pressed them closely,
could select their Own ground on which
to wait for r.. Orr horses already had
had seven or eight hocIs OF travel that
day, going at lar ioading gait, and it
was certain they could not long endure
the pace to which we were putting them.
But there were not things to think of,
with Carmen in view ahead Of rs, borne
onward in the power Of the hated San
grado. / Lad but to look at Felix's de-
termined face and vengeful eye, to zee
his flashing spur Erd hear him call his
horse, TO feel that in rome way we should
oycrtake the tanlits and rescue hen
/ from their bauGs, or at least avenge hen
captivity. Orr two horses were about
| email in sreed. and we kert well to-