The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1899-01-05
That night it seemed as though

That night it seemed as though
| nearly every man, woman and child in
Durango were on the hunt for alacrans,
so completely did their twinkling
lights cover the old fields and other
open places. For some time the ala
cram, the great scorpion pest Of Dur
ango, had increased to such al alarm
ing extent, even gliding along the
streets and into the houses, that the
government had offered a reward for
their extermination-a centavo (cent)a q
head for every lifeless alacran. Despite
that, the undertaking was to a con-
siderable degree dangerous one, the
bite of the alacran producing death
when not receiving prompt attention,
many poor people earning their living
in this way. The hunting was done
at night and. with lanterns. The
scorpions were lured from their hiding
! places in st lmps, rocks and old walls.
then blinued with the light and slain.
! Hunt was surprised to see Chapala
among group of the hunters. After
ward he learned that he had lost his
place with the owner OF the burros,
and, rather than see his old mother
aad young sisters come to want, had
undertaken the dangerous occupation
of alacran hunting. Hunt felt relieved
when Chapala passed on without OBJ
serving him.
AS Hunt passed around an angle of
q wall he suddenly came face to face
with Chapala! The latter had been
STOPPING over, his lantern directly in
trout Of him and close against the
wall. Thus the light had been so
concealed, Hunt had not even caught
glimmer of it. So sudden was
the encounter that Hunt was almost
overcome by it. He reached forth his
hand to steady himself against the
wall, and then it was that q sharp cry
escaped him. Some hing had struck
him with stinging force directly in
the palm. At the same instant there
was rustling movement and small
slender shape glided with rapidity
down the wal; and disappeared.
1.-The alacran!" cried Hunt, trem-
bling with terror. can alacran has
stung me. Oh, how the pain in
creasesl'
Chapala approached. He held his
lantern in Hunt; face. The glow fell
upon his own. For q second it was
almost fendish in its expression of
gloating satisfaction.
"At last you have what you deserved"
he said. "Now you can stay here and
die; yes, die! for in little while the
poison will have such q hold on you
YOU cannot move!'
He was turning away. A cry broke
from Hunt. Was he really going away,
going to leave him to die? It was only
too true what Chapala had said. Even
then the numbness was creeping over
him and how terrible the pain!
Chapala had moved some PAGES from
the wall. There he had stopped,
stanlius iGresQiuta- tloass3a.s a.sahsgsu
vas a force at worK tUaf wot;sU lto5.
permit him to go forward. A week
before he would have gone away, but
not now, for newer, better thoughts
had come to Chapala. Directly he
came back. He bent above Hunt, for
the boy had sunk to kneellng posi-
ton against the wall and was moaning
in lis torture. Chapala ben; above
him, bat his face did not now have
that gloating look. Indeed, the whole
expression had changed. Dlsmay,
torture, regret were all plainly written
there.
:'senor (sir)," he cried sharply,
':arouse yourself! Stand up! Let
me help you! 1t is not yet too late!
There is an old boticario (apothecary)
near by, l will assist You there"
But Hunt was beyond responding
to the ROW beseeching tones, espe-
cially beyond any movement to raise
himself. Fright as we'll as pau nad
rendered him almost lifeless. Chapala
began to cry out in his remorse. II
his despair. Why had he done tlis
thing? Why had he waited until 1t
was now perhaps too late? And ne
had promised the missionary that he
would forget, that be would forgive.
ssHe shall not die'' he cried fercely.
"No; will save him!"
cit may be too late," he said,
despair still in his voice. 1.-The bot1-
carlo must save himr'
He had to carry Hunt almost bodily
across the field, for it was but little
the boy could help himself.
"de will live!" declared the boti-
carlo after he had promptly admins
tered remedies. "But he will owe
his life chiefly to you, my brave fel-
! low"
Chapala bowed his head; the tears
trickled through his fingers, hnt they
were tears Of Joy. Now, indeed, he
knew what it was to overcome evil
with good. There is no sweeter VIC
! tory -Thinooo Record