The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-16

surrounding plain and overshadowed
the little village. The pass was invisible
from the cloud of dust raised by many
wheels and plunging hoops but the hid
den space was resonant with the sound
of cries and oaths and blows. Into the
cloud the carriage drove; the driver
straiehtway vanished, and was only
known by the addition he made to the
din as he prodded and beat the patient
little oxen, making their tortuOus way
through the blind maze. Then the car
rlage emerged from the cloud as one
passes from behind a curtain and was
creaking across the green plaza of the
oasis on which the town was built.
Aqua Caliente was not a large place
| just a store and some saloons and two
or three houses, one of them much
larger than the others. In front of this
| house the carriage stopped Tie hos
: tess, accompanied by a score of guests,
| welcomed the Sonora and her charge
| with shrill cries of greeting ana brought
| them within the cool dusk Of the glea,
| liVing-roon; then began taking. all at
once, Chiquita was dazed by the sound
! and confusion; she wanted to be alone
| just then. Even the unaccustomed
ddinties which We're set before her
! much attention to her With her eyes
| the Sonora had signalcd that the sirl
| wished to be left alone, out Chiquila aid
not know that. She slipped away as
| soon as SHE could and climbed the lad
| der that led to the fiat parapeted roof.
! There We're other girls there-girls
! of Chiquita's own age; many of them
We're old friends of hers, but she stood
apart, and, leaning against the adobe
| parapet gazed over the plain that lay
| stretched at her feet. The scene was
| fun of movement and confusion; con-
| fusion made by galloping horsemen,
of cattle rushing about in mad attempts
| to escape from their herders, or stand
| ing in punches fringed by the tossing
| horns. Here and there the little
! branding-tire cleaned on the plain.
| Calves We're struggling against the
| burning irons and believing to their
| mothers, who answered them and made
| desperate but vain attempts to reach
! and protect them.
Chiquita was but vaguely conscious
! of the noise and movement She was
gazing far beyond it ALL searching the
desert with her eyes in the hope Of
seeing n gray horse and a bright Sc
rape. All through the afternoon she
watched until the shadows grew long
and the evening breeze sent little whirl-
! winds dancing over the desert. Fin
ally, with one of the last rays of the
setting sun, she saw the serape of Man
| uel. He was much closer to her than
! she expected to see him, but that was
| because he was on foot and walking
between two horsemen. once he
stumbled. and recovering himself he
turned. Then she saw that his hands
We're tied behind his back. Some one
beside Chiquita saw the tethered figure
and raised a cry that was answered
by Manuers captors. The cry was re-
peated and carried from one to another;
there We're hOarse shouts in English as
We'll, and from everywhere men ran
and rode toward the two men and their
prisoner surrounding them and con-
cealing them from Chiqutas view.
Then the sun shot below the horizon,
and in moment the body of men was
but a confused, black mass slowly COM
ing toward her across the plain
In scrambling down the ladder Chi
quita missed round and fell heavily
to the ground, For a time-how long
she did not know--she lay stunned,
then her senses returned with rush.
|
She rose and ran around the house.
In the shadow of the wall there We're
two figures, one on horseback, which
even i'm that darkness she recognized
as Ramon de Quesada. The other was
the Sonora, who was talking with him
earnestly. AS she passed them Chi
quita could see that, and she felt a lit
tie thrill of gratitude toward her
friend.
Near the crowd that surrounded the
prisoner huge fire had been kindled
the flames were just catching the brush
wood of which it was made, lighting
the plain with its ruddy glare. A lit
tie out of the light stood another knot
of men made up of Manuel's friends
Among them Chiquita saw her father
and two brothers. She saw, also the
gleam of knife here and there. But
! they could effect no rescue-even Chi