Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-08-24


"The man who was hurt may hav'
been q robber-captain--I have heard o.
such fellows up among the mountain
land may have sent his men as {
guard. I do not believe Dick 10 In an,
danger, and we shall see him, bacI
before midnight" sst n
And then, when i saw she was still
nervous, ] began to tell her Of my
home and sisters, whom she had nevel
seen. and so the hours slipped away
until midnight.
At that moment Lucia held up heI
finger to enjoin silence. and heard thu
sound of horses hoofs coming near
er and nearer. She ran to open the
door, and Dick sprang to the ground
safe and sound as when he went away
After our tumultuous greeting, Lucia
brought low chair to be near Dick
and throwing himself back, with a sigh
of satisfaction, In the easy chair, he
began his story.
He had ridden some distance up the
side Of the Cumbre, when he and his
guide were suddenly surrounded by q
band Of armed men. He began to be
sorry he had not taken his wife's ad
vice, and the more so when they in
sisted on bandaging his eyes.
After an hours ride, they stopped
the handkerchief was taken from his
eyes, and he was led into an old hut
standing among thick trees, where he
found a man suffering from a wound
made by dagger thrust.
The man gave no account of the
wound, but wanted to know If his life
could be saved.
II made an examination, bound up
the wound, left him some medicine to
allay the fever, and was again escorted
to the foot of the mountain; and here
/ am, little wife," Dick said, softly,
with good gold in my pocket"
II don't care for the gold, Dick; but
you shall never run such risk again.
He laughed at her fears, but under
all his merriment 1 saw his cheeks
grow pale.
When we were alone, the next day,
he told me what he had concealed
from his wife.
"While was in the hut" he said, his
lips trembling, "the door opened softly,
and tiny note was dropped inside. I
had only a glimpse of dark face,
when ii was gone; but l dropped my
handkerchief over the note, and Sc
cured it without being seen. Now
what do you think Of it, KarlY'
l&rI H. - l..
and opened and read it, 1t ran some
thing like this:
SURGEON DUNMORE, married to
my pretty Lucia: Tell her that her
Cousin Marguerite is in the hands Of
the robber-captain. l would appeal to
you for help tonight, but that 1t would
surely involve us both in destruction.
Come again, week from tonight, and
will be alone with the solitary guard,
left always with me-a man equal in
strength to two men. A straight jour
ney through the Lions Pass will bring
you to three paths. will tie my hand
kerchief to a tree in the right path.
Come armed, and do not come alone.
MARC. PIRATA DE GOMEZ"
/ advised him not to tell Lucia, and
agreed to go with him on the designat-
ed day.
The week crept by, and at last the
day came. We were both armed, and
started away at daybreak, leaving
Lucia with a neighbours family, think
ing we were going on business to a
near city.
do you know this Lions Pass? 1t
has rather venturesome sound" l
said.
81 know 1t WELL" he replied.
And then we rode cautiously up the
mountain, until we came to the spot
where the path divided and there we
found red-bordered handkerchief.
tied in knot to tall palm tree.
This is the path! More slowly"
Dick whispered.
And, side by side, we crept along I'M
der the shadow of The trees, having
first tied our horses at the entrance to
the path.
A little further on, we came to the
hut, and heard mans voice inside.
Nearer, nearer we crept to the door,
and listened.
You would have betrayed me, Don
ma Marguerette! You have knotted
your handkerchief to the palm to point
the way to our retreat. Is it not true?
But there was not q word in reply
only sob.
Il loved you, and would have made
you queen of my robbers" he cried,
in a passionate voice. II loved you.
yet you are traitor! Die like a trail
tori!
We both leaped to our feet, forced
open the door, and entered; but It was
too late.
Dick sank down beside the dying
girl, and sprang forward in time to
secure her murderer. AS her last
breath fed, Dick came to my side.
Bring him outr' he said.
And, between us. we tied his hands
and feet, and carried him out doors.
The hut was on the brow Of a preci-
pice, at the foot of which rushed
rapid river. Near by, tall, 1.-THE tree
had been bent over for some purpose,
and its top fastened to the ground.
With lips as pale as death, Dick
bound the robber-captain to the tree,
and cut the fastenings. One mighty
swish through the air, and the tree
stood upright; but the cord snapped,
and Marguerette's murderer was
hurled over the brink of the precipice
to certain death.
Between us we carried the body Of