The herald., 1898-04-17

For half a mile Smith was not at much
pains to move silently, but by and by as
they began to catch an occasional view Q.
the Mexican campfires through the under
brush the old scout became more cautious.
| Crouching until Lanes back ached, they
glided as silently as possible nearer and
nearer to the fires. 1t seemed to Lane as
If the Mexican sentinels must surely hear
| them, but there were no sounds about
them except what they themselves made.
They edged so near to the Mexican sem
| tinels that Lane could see dim outlines of
ther tents by the smouldering campfires
and hear the snores of the sleeping army
Several times they had to halt and crouch
low in the bushes until a sentinel passed.
The moon was high in the heavens before
they rose TO their feet and resumed their
crouching walk. They had gone only few
steps when Lanes foot caught in a creeper,
which threw him to the ground with a
crash.
A Mexican sentinel stepped from behind
a tree. Smith Instantly threw his arms
about the Mexican. Down the two men
| went, struggling furiously.
For a. few moments they threshed noisily
| about the underbrush, but the muscular
Smith got grip on the Mexcan's throat
Gasping and struggling, the Mexican went
to his knees. Smiths grip frightened and
he fell over insensibe Smith quickly cut
one of the sleeves out of his shirt, gagged
the insensible man, bound his hands and
| feet with the leather strap from his mus
ket and dragged him into thicket.
| They staggered on for two miles, crash
ing through the bushes, falling over logs
and splashing pools, until they came to the
bank of the creek. At low water Crows
| Nest creek was a tiny rivulet, trickling
over rocks at the bottom of tifty-foot bar
ranca. Before them rolled a muddy tor
rent, which filled the gorge to the top of it's
banks in the highest places, brimming
over the places not so high and backing
| up over acres of low ground.
The bridge was very simple affair. Two
long pipe logs had been thrown across the
barranca 70 feet apart at a place where
its banks were highest and only about 50
feet wide.
| These were covered with roughly heWn
| boards of green pine, held in place by
wooden wedges. Either end of the lVldse
| rested on a big rock which was a foot out
of water, but over the middle of the stream
the logs sagged beneath the weight of the
| cross pieces ana the water just touched
| them.
A sentinel stood for ten mirYtes gazing
into the turbid stream, while the Texans
watched him from the bushes. Then he
turned and came toward them. He sat
down on a tree stump within two feet
of the crouching Texans. So close was
he to them that above the roar OF the
water Lane could hear him humming a
catchy ditty. The Mexican laid his musket
across his knees aud sat with his chin in
his hands.
Suddenly Smiths hand shot out and he
musket was whisked from his lap. The
| Mexican sprang to his feet and faced
about. Before he could cry out Smith s
hand had closed over the nape of his neck
and he was pulled face downward into the
thtcket. There was gasp ard gurgle and
the man rolled over quite still.
Iris sobacl tg. ?ardMCfee sonfdjst
Now, boy, quck!" muttered Smith,
sheathing his bloody knife. He seized the
ak and darted out on the bridge Lane
swiftly followed.
Smith began chopping away viciously at
one OF the logs as near the middle of the
bridge as the water permitted Lane
crouched near him with the Mexican mus
ket, watching the trail.
Smith had cut halfway through the sec
ond log and the bridge was beginning TO
creak and groan. Suddenly horseman
dashed into view around bend of the
trail. Raising himself on his knee and
quickly leveling the musket, Lane fired The
horseman fell from the saddle. but his right