Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-07-26

or heavy revolver came down on the
sha2gy mite head. and then 10 one side
was brutaily tOss,d the senseless beaD.
1htre were three Of them crouched up-
def an overhar2ing ledge three sinis-
ter looking bandits. wearing heavy felt
hats and with red blankets drawn
across their months They sat still nm
ul about the time all travel had ceased
on the highway above They were plan
nng ia low voice the division of the
spoils when Juanito's hard little Indian
head began &c throb consciously. The
hrst thing he heard to understand was
that Miguel was To turn the coach over
exactly at that spot and that Don Hypo-
lite had the money for the years puIqre
from his San Martin hacienda. and
that Dona Nnes had been 10 bale in
Puebla. and had ON her mothers dia-
mOnds.
IF the fall does not kill. growled
one. "a tap of the good friend here
And Juanito heard him slap his pistoi
JuanitO heard, and, though sick and
dazed. cOmprehended. He could not
see how he cOuld prevent it. He knew
that when the coachIuan timed the chr
ria.e down the balranca Dona Ynos
would be- hurt. and. if she were rot
hurt enough. they would Kill her. All
lie would not get his centavo if Dona
Anes was kiii,d. The thought moved
him-pocr. little. dying bdbyl
He tr.ei TO raise himself. but tho
effort Increased the deadly nausea. 4
night wind was blowing and rustled
the leaves. Under cover of that noise
he could move freely if he could keen
from crying. And keep from CRYING he
would. for even his short life had given
him self control and courage. BE was
not an American child who screams
when 1t Is explained kindly that be
cannot have the moon. He begap to
move, pulling himself mp by inches.
forced cften 10 rest from sheer anguish.
but never moan was wrung from his
hips 10y the torture.
Several hours must have passed be-
fore he reached the highway. When
there. he could not tell which way 10
90. He had lost his sense Of direction.
always extraordinary in Indians. He
thought he heard shout from below.
as though the men had missed him so.
without further cogitation. be dragged
himself along the road. He was cold
with an awful chill that struck out
from the bones. The blood steadily ran
down his face from the crack in his
skull He was afraid he was going in
the wrong direction. Before this he
should have heard the clip. clip of the
high stepping black mares His tongue
was getting too big for his mouth, and
his heart roared like wild thing.
suddenly he heard the rumbling of
the carriage. and ne fancied he could
see the shining flanks of Don Hypolite's
beautiful thoroughbreds. He gave
cry. another and another. They were
driving rapidly-and driving byl
As they swept past for the first time
he burst ont crying and sank in the
dust. Dona Ynes, inside the carriage.
was jerking violently at the cord.
why does he not stopy oh. papa.
call Miguel TO stop Some one called
met Some one is hurt by the road "
Don Hypoiite put his head ont and
ordered Miguel 10 drive slowly back.
The guilty scamp did 30 reluctantly.
The carriage halted by the side of little
sobbing Juan, and Dona Ynes jumped
out. She had dropped her fur coat, for
tAN III WIS NUlllls anu ntI UtIG arms
shOne milky white through the meshes
of a lace mantilla. The mantilla was
fastened by a gold and turquoise comb
to the high knot of dusky hair, and the
curved edges Tapped coquettishly about
her rOguish face.
Regardless Of her satin BAH gown.
she knelt in the dust 10y Juanito. After
he had told her and Don Hypolite of
the plan 10 rob and murder them, she
carried him herself in her round arms
to the carriage, while Don Hypolite.
portly and courtly. in evening dress,
with half dozen decorations glittering
on his breast. went back calmly and
pulled Miguel by the coat collar off his
seat. Relieving the rascal of his pistol
and kicking him soundly, Don Hypo-
lite took the reins and drove back to
Puebla. leaving Miguel rubbing his
aches and wondering how it happened.
The motion of the carriage so Jared
the little pain racked frame that Dona
Nnes thinking that il must be mat
ter of but a few moments. asked her fa-
ther To stop. Juanito whispered TO her
that he could not breathe, that he wished
TO be outdoors, where he could see the
stars; so Dcna Ynes. tenderly holding
the child, sat in the grass by the road
Alas. he could breathe no better un-
. der the quiet stars. There was the
croaking of frogs and the song of night
birds. and the soft wind rustling
through the low shrubs He lifted a
wistful face and with long, laboring
breaths he managed to say:
Il want my centavo.
Dona Ynes, keeping back her sobs
with difficulty. for she did not wish to
distress the patient child. slipped cent
into his little hand. a smile of great
sweetne.s and content stole over his
wide mouth. and the tiny. brown fin
gers closed upon the cherished cent.
never TO open again. -Argonaut.
Curious Fact.