Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-09-28

such o little coward In my household. !"
Dolores hung her head and said moth
ing. As IL in pity Carmen stepped aside
and inotioned her that she should enter
the house. Dolores crcpt inside - II
glad to escape and disappeared from
sight and sound in the darkness. Car
tainly good fortune was with her that
night-she had come unscathed from
greater perils than she knew Of, and
now the unpleasant reckoning which
she might reasonably have expected
with her master had been easily settled.
Carmen had thrown her light man.
tilla about her head and shoulders when
she came to the door to meet her father.
Al Don Ramon talked with Felix and
me, standing before the door, she stood
within, q little to one side, in the shad-
ow, 20 that only her hair above her
brow, her forehead and her eyes show
ed distinctly in the shaft Of moonlight
that streamed through the doorway.
She seemed to be in no haste to retire
and stood listening interestedly as we
talked. The eyes Of woman Of the Span
ish race have All eloquent language Of
their own. Carmen's. modest a. pan
sies, were a. free from coquetry as femi-
nine Spanish eyes can be, but noted
that her gaze rested on Felix, and II
ever eyes sent message her glance car.
ricd this one to his-that she had some
thing to say to him and wished to speak
with him alone.
But IL read her message to my COM
rade rightly and her wish was TO be
realized il must be an affair Of some
other time than tonight. The herdes
were waiting to close the gate, and. the
other men that had gathered had now
dispersed. Don Ramon kissed his
daughter, said buenos Doches, listened
until he heard the bolt shut within,
shook the hands Of Felix and me ~ he
bade us good night and went to his own
alumbers The heriers, after passing
remark or two with us, retired to their
rest in the she'd Felix and I. following
their example, spread our blankets up.
on the earthern ficor Of tho shed, turned
In with weapons in easy reach Of our
hands, and almost at once were fast
asleep.
For the few hours that remained Of
the night our slumbeB were undisturb-
ed. We were awakened In the bright
dawn by the voice Of the station keeper
calling his men, and il announced that
the blackboard was coming. The herd
ers reused themselves from their blan-
kets and set ut once to feeding and
grooming the mules that We're to serve
a. the r4ay. Felix and ! arose and
went from the corral round to the front
Of the house, where Don Ramon and
the station keeper were standing. The
red light Of dawn streamed over the
eastern mountains. Illuminating the
fresh tints Of the plain in Its joyous
glow. Seen far away, came ON through
the brightness an elongated speck, with
o whitish blur rising behind IT, which
the practiced eye Of the station keeper.
when first it came into view, had iden-
titled us the mail blackboard and the
dust raised by its wheels and the hoofs
Of the mules that drew it. Rapidly ID
advanced, and soon we saw that there
were horsemen accompanying It, In o
time surprisingly short it drew mp to
the station, blackboard with four cav
alrymen as escort
With the driver. upon the front seat,
sat an orderly in undress uniform. On
tho second seat was military looking
gentlemen in the uniform Of a general
Of the United States army, and beside
him sat a lady, younger than he, his
wife. Every one Of the men, the gen
eral, the orderly, and the driver. had .
revolver strapped to him or resting by
his side, aud each held repeating rife
| between his knees
The station keeper. who nc sight OF
the blackboard had set about preparing
breakfast, came to the door to greet
the arrival, and he and the driver ex-
changed friendly mods. The herders
came running out from the corral to
take the mules from the vehicle and
care for them.
Glad to see you once again and all
right" said the keeper. I'VE didn't
know when TO expect you, but knew
you'd break hole through II one could
be made.
"Yes," replied the driver as he
jauntily stepped to the ground and be-
gan to pull of his gloves. but you
can bet your boots it wasn't dead sure
thing we'd get anywhere when we
started out"
"Apachcs raisin the devil the coun-
try over. I suppose, turnin mp every
where that they're least expected"
you're talking sense, every word
you say. The whole country's stirred
MP irom the Rio Grande to here, Indian
scares everywhere, and good deal Of
real killing in the bargain" He paused
and waited until the generals wife,
whom her husband had assisted to
alight, had passed from hearing into
the house, then added:
"They jumped Mexican freighting
outfit ut Burro Springs yesterday after
noon. Killed nine people. A woman
with her child was along, and she es'
caped into the bushes. The Apaches
couldn't find her. and they tortured the
child 30 that it's cries might draw the
mother out Of her hiding place to come
to 1t. A party was to go out for the
bodies this morning from Silver City.
This il specimen Of the sort OF news
that's coming in from every quarter. II
seems an II all the Apaches from the
reservations are out ON the warpath Thu
time.
Looks like It for fact, and they re
workin cunning too. The catchin OF
the two buckboards between here and
Bowie night before last was specimen
Of their work, and they seem to be keep.
In their gait up right along since,
said the keeper. but come in to break
fast, Tom. Everything's ready"
"I'm ready for 1t, (" said the driver,
laying his gloves upon tho wagon seat
"Id ike some coffee about now. Idon'i
mind saying I've had q hard and anx
ious night handling the reins"
At the breakfast table in the station
the general and his wife, seated oppo
dte DON Ramon and his daughter, talk
i y)