Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1899-07-14


his throat and savage eyes met hie. A
few muttered words and the butt end
Of a heavy revolver came down on the
shaggy little head, and then 20 one side
was brutally tossed the ~senseless heap.
There were three Of them crouched I'M
der an ov%erhanRing ~ledge-three sinis-
ter looking bandits, wearing heavy felt
hats and with red blankets drawn
across their months. They sat still un-
til about the time all travel had ceased
on the highway above. They were plan
ming in low voices the division of the
spoils when Juanito's hard little Indian
head began to throb consciously. The
FIRST 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 yeur's pulque
from his San Martin hacienda, and
that Dona Ypes had been 10 a bale in
Puebla, and had on her mothers dia-
monds.
"lf The fall does not kill, growled
one. "a tap Of the good friend here
And Juan:to heard him slap his pistol.
Juanito heard, ard. though sick and
daged, comprehendod. lie could not
see how he could prevent It. He knew
that when the coachman tipped the car
rage down the b~arranca Dona Ynes
would be hurt, and. if she were not
hurt enough. they would kill her. ALL
He would not set his centavo if Dona
Ynes was killed. The thought moved
him-poor, little. dying babyl
He tried TO raise himself, but the
effort increased the deadly nouFea. A
night wind was blowing and rustled
the leaves. Under cover Of that noise
be could move freely If he could keep
from crying And keep from crying he
would. for ever his short life had given
him self control and courage. He was
not an American child, who screams
when is is explained kindly hat be
cannot have the noon. Ee began TO
move, pulling himself mp by inches,
forced often TO rect from cheer anguish,
but never n moan was wrung from his
lips by the torture.
Several hours must have passed be-
fore he reached the highway. When
there, he could not tell which way to
go He had lost his sense Of direction,
always extraordinary in Indians. He
thought he heard a shout from below,
as though the men had missed him so,
without further co9itation, he dragged
himself along the road. He was cold
with an ewful chill that struck out
from tie bones The blood steadily ran
down his face from the crack in Lis
skull. He was afraid be was going in
the wrong direction. Before this he
SHOULD have heard the clip, clip of the
high sterping black mares. His tongue
was getting too big for his mouth. and
his heart roared like a wild thing.
Suddenly he heard the rumbling of
the carriage. and be fancied he could
zee the shining tanks Of Don Hypolite's
beautiful thoropghbreds. He gave a
cry, another ana another. They were
driving rapidly-and driving byl
As they swept past for the first time
he burst out crying and sank in The
dust. Dona Ynes, inside the carriage.
was jerking violently at the cord.
Why does he not stop? oh. papa,
call Miguel to stopl Some one called
mel Some one is hurt by the road
Don Hypolite put his head out and
ordered Miguel 10 drive slowly back.
The guilty scamp did so reluctantly.
The carriage halted by the eide of little
sobbinR Juan, and Dona Ynes jumped
out. She had dropped her fur coat, for
the night was warm, and her bare arms
shone milky white through the meshes
of a lace mantilla. Tho mantilla was
fastened by a gold and turquoise comb
to the high knot of dusky hair, and the
curved edges tapped coquetsishly about
her roguish face.
Regardless Of her satin ball gown,
she knelt in the dust by Juanito. After
he had told her and Don Hypolite of
the plan to 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 a half dozen decorations glittering
on his breast, went back calmly and
pulled Miguel by the coat collar off his
Reat. 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 1t happened.
The motion of the carriage so Jared
the little pain racked frame that Dona
Ynes, thinking that 1t must be a mat
ter of but a few moments, asked her ia
Their to stop. Juanito whispered to her
that he could not breathe, that he wished
to be outdoors, where he could see the
stars so Dona Ynes, tenderly holding
the child. sat in the grass by the road.
Alas, he could breathe no better I'M
der the quiet stars. There was the
croaking of frogs ard the song of night
birdie, and the soft wind rustling
through the low shrubs. He lifted q
wistful face and with long, laboring
breaths he managed to say:
81 want my %centavo.
Dona Ynes, keeping back her sobs
with difficulty, for she did not wish to
distress the patient child, slipped a cent
into his little hand. A smile of great
sweetness and content stole over his