The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-02-09

lIt cApiociNeS uSeU III OidStiuB HCic
kept. 1t was stone house, or dugout,
built in the side of hill, and was
reached from the foot of the slope by a
steep path. / started there to find
him, and had climbed the hi,l TO the
very step of the house when in taking
my handkerchief from my pocket 1
pulled the silver bullet out and it fell
and rolled down the slope. / turned
and ran back after it, keeping my eye
on it as it rolled, for / knew that if 1
once lost sight of my bullet my chances
of finding it were small.
81 followed it to the foot of the hill
and saw it roll into ditch that once
had been used in draining a mine
working. The ditch was about four
feet deep, and just as l jumped into it
and stopped to pick up the bullet there
came roar like the bursting of a
hundred cannon and shock that sent
me fiat on. my face, stunned, in the
bottom of the ditch. When | came to
my senses l found myself half buried
in dirt 1 got clear of that and upon
my feet, so that could look around to
see what had happened. Where the
magazine had been there was a great
hole in the hillside, with smoke float
ing about it, and not so much as one
stone of the building to be seen.
'FThe wreck was caused by the ex-
plosion of half ton of giant powder
that had been stored there. What had
set it off could not be known for not a
trace of the superintendent, the fore
man and two Mexicans who had been
with them was ever found. rhe shock
and flying rock wrecked half the build
ings at the mine camp and several per-
sons there were hurt. You can judge
for yourself what my chances would
have been Of ever telling this story to
you if / had gone on into the maga-
zine-if the bullet, falling from my
pocket, had not been the cause of my
turning back down the hill and going
into the shelter of the ditch just as the
explosion came.
''This silver bullet is the bullet that
killed the bandit Tomas Vieiada, who,
for several years following the fall and
Punishment of President Lerdo, ter
rorized the Sinaloa and several of the
adjoining States Of the Mexican re-
public. He had been one of Lerdo's
partisans and was very bitter toward
whoever was prominent as a supporter
of the Diaz Government. The best
that one who was so unfortunate as to
fall into his power could hope was to
be held for ransom. was on my way
to my ranch, a journey oftwo full days
on horseback, carrying money with
which to pay my men. Being delayed
ty the difficulty in crossing a flooded
stream, was not able to get on to the
estaneia-the home ranch, Americans
would say-by daylight on the second
day, but stopped in the early evening
at the hut of one of my shepherds for
supper and to rest my horse. The man,
Antonio Bajada, an old and faith
ful employee had something important
to tell me.
''Tomas Viejada has planned to way
lay you in the Puerte del Leon the
shepherd said, ito rob and kill you,
or hold you captive for ransom. L
learned of it only tonight. How [
found out? Well, senior, my daughter
at San Elizario has a sweetheart in
Viejada's band, and my little son over
heard him telling her yesterday what
the chief meant TO do, and came to-
night to tell me. He started back for
home only few minutes before you
came
'sThe Puerte del Leon was gap in
the foothills four miles beyond through
which the road to the estancia lay. L
felt that my course was to try to get to
the estaneia that night.
'Antonio,' said TO the shepherd,
give me to eat what you can get most
quickly, and then 1 will go on to the
estancia by the path round the Venada-
peak. The bandits will have no idea
of my coming by that route. You shall
guide me-
"While the shepherd set out his
earthen platter of frijoles and a couple
Of tortillas, the remains Of his supper,
my eye fell upon his gun hanging upou-
two pegs against the side of the hut
1t was an old-fashioned, smooth-bore'
affair, but l knew that Antonio coul0
do some wonderful shooting with it.
"'You'I want to take your gun along
Antonio,' l said to him. We may
run in with the bandits on the way
we're going.'
"'Alas, senior, but it can not serve us
tonight, said the shepherd, shaking
his head. Il have no bullets. Powder
and caps have, but my last bullet |
fired at a coyote yesterday
81 thought of my silver bullet. The
case was urgent. Try this said,
and handed it to him. will it fit the
barrel of your gun? Just bit too
large, is it? A little hammering out
will make it the right shape
"while bolted the tortillas and fri
joles as fast / could, knowing that the
quicker we got away from the place the
better, Antonio with the back of his
axe, pounded the bullet out so that il
would go easily into the gun. You
can see the marks of his hamrrering
now, and how the ball is heightened
out and not quite round. He had the
gun loaded, with the silver bullet upon
the powder, by the time / had finished.
my supper. He blew out the candle
before he opened the door for US to star
forth, for there was no telling who
might be watching the house Carry
ing my saddle, heavy with the silver
dollars packed in the cantinas, on his
shoulder, and with his gun in hand
Antonio led the way to where my horse
was picketed. He had put the saddle
on the horses back and was just
drawing the cineA tight when | heard
the shepherds warning 'Sh-h" and
looking in the direction in which hss
was gazing saw a man on horseback
about fifty yards away. He had stop
- -. - orH eat fouoEfnr af NO