Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-07-19
"Eraclto Soils, tn the name Of the nation

"ETGcLt0 Sous, III tfte nGHle OF Cfte HUttOb
you are ny prisoner"
endas and wrecked his mines, until on
the verge of ruin he was obliged to
come here himself and attempt the res
cue of bis property. Then 1 tracked him
from place to place. Finally 1 captured
him at the Descanso For years, Don
Juan, had exercised all my ingenuity
in planning new, unheard of, monstrous
tortures for this man, but when we
were alone face to face in the hig hall
Of the rancho house, when after all
these years | saw him in my power
this man whom l hated with every fiber
of my being-when it flashed over me
what 1 might have been but for him,
what was because Of him. by heaven,
senior, / burst into tearsF'
Soils paused moment. He drew bis
hand over his forehead-he had been
talking vehemently-his face was quiv-
ering, but almost Immediately be stood
up and said, 81 shot him down like a
curp'
He walked away to the end of the
porch. He stood there SO long that
turned to see whether he had gone. No,
he was apparently watching the men
who were harnessing the mules. When
he came back, all traces of emotion had
disappeared, but be looked at me as ii
expecting me to say something. did
not know what to say, and he sat down
again opposite me.
"Ah, Don Juap," he began again,
that 8 what brigand is made of-just
man, wrongly developed. Some day
who knows-you may hold me up
Come now. tell me honestly what dc
you think of me? A miserable rascal,
eh? An EN- EMBARRASSING question:" His
margin was so narrow between good
humor and the most violent passion that
hesitated ut passing Judgment upon the
fine animal before me- l could only ad.
mire.
"You have been very unfortunate,
Don Eraclio," said fiually. II believe
you might have been great man in
your country" And put out my hand.
Soils grasped it eagerly. and he still
held it as he said:
II thank you, Don Juan; shall not
forget you. Will you take little thing
to remember me? My end is not far off,
senior believe that am on the down
grade. So far revenge was my right, but
that is past now, and for the future
what can | do? am not brigand by
nature. If had something to live upon,
l should probably turn to my books
again, for of course can never be q
public man now. But as it is l don I
own 10 pesos in the world; besides
have duty toward my men. I must
stand by them, as they have stood by
me-"
II suppose you must, Don Eraclio,
unless you were to leave the country.
Wouldn't you do that?" suggested.
"Impossiblel" be said. "No, no,
CAM do that but he did not explain.
We sat awkwardly for a few moments
after our conversation. Any other topic
seemed out Of place-yet silence was
embarrassing, go it was relief to see
the horses coming ready to start. 1 rose,
frightened my straps, and Eraclio asked,
"You are going home, Don Juan?"
"Yes, by roundabout route, but
shall come back here.
81 wish were going, too, he said,
but where? If you come back, we
must meet again. You may find me q
better man-or, if not, far worse.
Vayap' be cried. pulling himself to-
gether suddenly. To-day / am at the
zenith of my power. Come, drink an
other glass with me-a big glass this
time-here's to luckl'
At the stage we shook hands again,
and the mules started on gallop.
The rememb brapce Eraclio gave me
was the little gold bell-thus it came
into my possession. Subsequent events
proved that Eraclio's presentiments
were we'll founded. His day wac over,
and from that day forward his existence
became more and more precarious. His
men felt he had lost his grip, and they
in turn lost their unbounded confidence
in him.
One day the troops surrounded their
camp, and though the majority Of the
bandits cut their way through the cao-
tus thicket Eraclio remained behind.
When the soldiers came upon him, he
was seated on O bowlder beside the
bodies of two of his men. Cautiously
the soldiers closed around the famous
outlaw, but he neither moved nor no.
ticed them. Now that escape was i'm
possible, many man among his captors
wished it were otherwise, for Eraolic
was a popular hero. an ideal to many &
Mexican heart. He had often defended
them against the law, when it was un
Justly applied, he had been kind to the
poor, and they loved him. Not few
| in tho line of troopers owed him thank:
for some good deed or timely help. Bu
it was too late.
A young officer stepped forward and
covering him with his revolver, oallet
out:
"Eraclio Soils, in the name of the
nation, you are my prisonerp'
The highwayman raised his head
eauged his captor, and smiled. Then hf
looked around at the circle of soldiers
drew himself up and without paying