The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-12-29
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE: WASHINGTON c. THURSDAY

we are here together four strong men,
armed, and well mounted, who, fight
ing our way to freedom, would doubtless
be an overmatch for twice the number
of enemies
.'The youth must learn the science OF
soldier" said Botello, .and suffering is
the first letter of its alphabet. Happy will
he be if, in the life he covets, he en-
counter no more agony than he shall en-
dure to day. When we have time to rest,
will anoint his arm with a salve more
powerful than the unguents of physi-
cIan. What | do, senior, and whittier i
guide are best; as you viii acknowledge,
when the journey is over"
As the morning dawned, and objects
were seen more distinctly, he began to
bend an eye of observation on the horse
which Botello rode,-a spirited beast, as
he had already determined by many evil
dcnceS OF fieetneSS and mettle. When he
came to regard it more closely he per
celved, by signs not to be mistaken, that
1T was no other than the animal which
n4d the day before, cardcoled under the
wei ut Of SalVatierra. Botello crinned,
when an exclama ton made him &C
quaintcd with the thoughts OF the cava-
iier. To the demand where and how he
had obtained possession of the CHI rger
the answer was brief and significant
the Captain Salvatierra, like many other
OIL erS OF Narvaez, pr ferred rather to
waste the moonli Int nj hts with the olive
checked DeIilahs of the suburbs than
with enemies and prisoners, even though
they might be men of SUCH merit and
Dist 1ction as Don Amador This was a
pecui rity with which he did not say
whether by the i1strumentaity of his art,
or the intervention OF human agents. BO-
tello had contrived to become acquainted
and being also apprised OF Salvatierra s
favorite retreat, which was at no great
Il lat. 4fnn frnY no \, in
Amador had found his followers, he did
not hesitate to deprive him of so super
fuous an appendage as his charIer.
by st. john" cried the neophyte, in a
heat, 81 would have bestowed upon thee
| more cruzadOes than thou canst gain by
a months exercise of thine art, hadst
thou but made me acquainted with his
hi ing place. | now know, the man who
could strike a boy, and attack one he
hated from behind, is most execrable
caitiif, more worthy of misprison than re-
venge; but despite all this ] should have
begun this days labors with more tran
quillity and self-apprOval, had | but en-
JOyed two moments of conference with
him previously"
"Your wor hip may have a day for ac-
quitting scores with him more convent
emily than you could have done this
| morning." said Botello.
! To the surprise, and much also to the
| dissatis faction of Don Amador the noon
day sun still found him struggling with
his companions among the rocks and
| forests. It seemed to him, from review
of his journey, that he had been doubling
and tur. ing for the whole morning like
Il boy at blindman S-buff, within circle
! OF few leagues; and though he could
not, upon the closest inspection, detect a
| single tree or brook which he remembered
| 10 have passed fore, he Shrewdly sus-
| pected ii was Boteilo's intention to make
! him well acquai ted with the forest be-
fore di missing him from it's depths. 1t
was, however, vain to wonder, and equally
| fruitiess to complain. For the whole morn
| ing, at different intervals, he was assured,
/ some times from hearing their shouts in
| the thicket, sometimes from beholdi1g
| them from a hilltop crossing an opposing
emnence, tn; his purSuerS were close at
his heels: Of which fact, and the necessi-
ty it pre- ented to move with becoming
caution, the enchanter took advantage
in the construction OF his answers to
ever remonstr nee. At length, perhaps
preached hill, whence, as Botello as
sured them, they might look down upon
the River OF Canoes.
They reached the hill, and from its
bushy and stony side, looked down upon
the valley, where the river, or, more prop
erly speaking, the riVulet, went foaming
and fretting over its rugged channe
At short distance, and almost at the
bottom the hill, he WIS struck with
the unexpected apparition of the army Of
Narvaez. drawn out in order of battle, as
if awaiting the approach OF foe, and
commanding the passage Of the river.
He rubbed his eyes with establishment;
but there was no delusion in the view.
"Senor," said Botello, in low voice, as