Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-09-06

n
gaunt but fleet and gaudily equipped
animal.
My calculations as 10 the distance OF
the mark had proved accurate. but SO
had tile aim OF the sheriff OF Yuma.
FOR hardly had my moose settled about
the shoulders OF the horse when anoth-
er loop hurried from the opposite di-
rection, fell directly over IL. and DovIe
and myself had together captured the
bandit chicftain's stecd. The rest Of
our posse having corralled the balance
OF the stampeding animals. Doyle and
myself fell TO work TO dividing our
spoils between us. lie gracefully nc
knowledged my precedence. momen-
tary though IL had been. i'm the capture
and Insisted that the horse should be
mine. while. by way Of evening up the
division as nearly rs possible. | volun-
tariiy surrendered 10 him the beautiful
silver mounted saddle. the intrinsic
value Of which far exceeded that of
the horse The Mexican bride. how
ever. | retained, for engraved upon 4
silver plate attached To ITS headsfalI
was the legend. "Mcscal-Proprieda
dc Joaquin Garcia" together with
some additional data. briefly expressed
in Spanish. relative to the horses an
tccedents The general appearance OF
the animal indicated the :sroSSest i'll
treatment I'm ;hc past The small OF
his i"cH Was literally covered with
saddle gals. while his thin sides were
furrowcd with deep. calloused ridges.
where the cruel rowelS of mcrcileSs
rider had plowed their war But. true
10 The nature OF the western broncho.
abuse had not i'm the least diminished
either his fiery spirit or his sterling
hardihood. and that he had been high
ly priced rs "a mount 10y his late owner.
Notwithstanding the marks OF the lat
tcr'S brutality. was evident from the
pedigree engraved ON the silver mount
cd hcadStall
Six months of rest and good pastur
age had worked a miraculous change
i'm McScal' $ appearance. From his pre-
viouS gaunt condition ne had developed
a splendid proportion and grace Of fig
ure. while the former disGgurements
Ia his cuticlc were entirely eradicated
by the filling ont OF his glossy black
coat.
on the morning following my col
ioquy with the peon remarked his
absence from his accustomed rendez-
vOuS in the pass but upon arriving at
my office i'm the city found among my
mail n letter which Immediately recall
ed him TO my mind. 1t was 4 PROPOSE
uon. written in Spanish. and purport-
ing 10 come from a Mexican stockman
Offering To purchase my saddle horse if
| chose TO sell him 1T a reasonable fig
ure. The connection between the COM
munication and the peon palmist was
too palpahle 10 escape detection. and
the only cognizancc | accorded it was
in the purchase of an extra lock for
my stable door before setting out for
home that evening. Nothing further
developed of the circumstance. how
ever. nor did the palmist ever again
put in an appearance IT the stone wa
tering trough on the San Fernando
road. In fact. the entire matter had
quite passed from my mind, when one
day about month later | was directed
To report at once To the managing ed
itOr Of the paper As | entered the
Sanctum OF the dignitary In question he
WAS nduStriously occupied with the
preparation of his editorials Being
naturally OF taciturn disposition, he
was not accustomed TO waste any SUI
pcrfluous utteranccS on the subordinate
members Of his STAFF. and, upon noting
my presence. without pauSing in or
glancing up from his work. delivered
the following laconical order:
"Doyle leaves Yuma with posse
early tomorrow morning after Garcia.
You VIII 20 with him."
paused with my hand on the door
knob
May take my own saddle horse?"
ventured.
Take Il whole cabalgada If you
choose-only, get out of town on that
2:3O special" and, having thus dis
posed of the matter the editor in chief
proceeded with his paragraphs as
though had never existed.
1t was ten miles out to Cahuenga
station. where MeScal was stabbed and
- o'clock when l received the assign
ment. but two and n half hours later
found me pulling out of Los Angeles
aboard the Southern Pacific special,
with my horse trying his uttermoSt to
kick Soth ends out OF n palace stock
car that had been coupled on in the
rear for his exclusive accommodation
II was late that night when | arrived
NJ Yuma and. having released Mescal
from his uncongenial quarters. / sad
died him and rode away in quest of
Doyle. After brief search l located
that individual up in the federal court
room playing poker with his chief and
sole deputy. the district attorney and
Kick-aPoo scout, with as much uncon-
Germ as though Garcia and his band
were already safely within the walls
of the territorial bastile on the hill
where's the rest Of your posse?" l
asked the sheriff after the customary
exchange of courtesies had taken
place.
why" he explained, "the coroner
was called out a few minutes ago 10
hold an inquest on the leavings Of
half breed desperate who got wind
that the boys was getting together. and
fearing, l reckon, that some of his own
personal interests might be at stake