El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-10


neighbour He scarcely halted as he ex-
citedly cried:
s.Silury, the raiders got yer pa; took
him over in JimsOn's brake, along
with Pelee White an one O the Davis
boys. They'll pass Buckhorn springs
tonight"
And then he went on his way, to
carry the sad news to more remote
habitations, and great silence seems to
fall up on the mountain side. Sllury
and her mother looked speechlessly at
one another; then Mrs. Cole passed
trembling hand confusedly over her
face.
"What all did he say, Silury? 1t
pears to me my understandin ain t
quite clear tonight.
ssHe said''- She caught her breath
in a sob. ''Oh, mai The raiders have
took pa. What shall we do? What
shall we do2 Poor pal 1t will kill him
to be put in prison" in burst of de-
spairing anguish.
Mrs Cole crouched lower in her
chair.
81 knew it would come. I've been
a-feelin it here for long time-a long
time" one thin hand grasping for her
heart. eyes; he'll pine for his freedom
an the mountings when he's shut up
in Jail Oh, I've begged him not to be
a moonshiner, not to make whisky on
the sly. They all have to suffer for 1t
sooner or later" Her wandering, tear
full eyes fell on the waiting supper
GLOW hungry he must bel"
There were no noisy demons tratlons,
but a grief, pathetic as it was deep.
They We're mountaineers, patient by
nature and schooled by all the clrcGm-
stances of life to endure and be strong.
The law does not punish the moon
sinner alone, but it falls heavily on his
wife and children. Silury dried her
eyes and touched her mother on the
shoulder, speaking in a firmer tone
Il must go down to Buckhorn
springs tonight, ma
''Eh?'' said the dazed woman.
81 must see pa. l must help him to
get away from the raiders"
''You, Siluryl How'll you do it p
81 don't know" her lips trembling
again, "but l must do it. l mustl"
Mrs. Cole stared at her. She had
faith in Silury's courage and ability,
but now she caught the girls hand.
fresh terror Selling her.
Don't you get into trouble, honey.
Me an the children would perish if
your pa an you were both took off. -
Don't you fret, ma. I'll come back
to you an bring pa too
How'll you get to Buckhorn
springer
Ride Kit
She was already down en- her knees
before the fire kindling a torch to take
out TO the lot with her. She looked up
at her mother with brave, tender eyes.
''Now, don't poster yourself any
more than you can help. ma.
Mrs Cole shook her head, with deep
sigh, and instinctively reached for her
pipe, but she could only sit and hold it
in her hand, untitled, unlighted, while
Silr-y went away to the lot with the
haring torch and an old saddle thrown
on her arm.
Kit was a shabby beast, thin, why
and with only one good eye, but he
had served the Coles faithfully. He
greeted the young girl with a gentle
whinny, and she leaned her head
against him with another burst of
tears. But she quietly wiped them
away and led Kit out to the road. 1t
did not take her long to put bride and
saddle on him; then she ran in, took
down her fathers rifle from the rack
over the front door, and in few minutes
had started on her solitary ride down
the mountains. The hound would have
followed her, but she ordered him back.
"Go back, Bolivar, an take care of
them that's left behind,' and he skunk
to the doorstep again.
1t was a night to live in the child's
oil hn, 90, oil |,
fearlessness and hard training she had
never before been called upon to
traverse the mountain passes alone
after darkness had fallen upon them
Solitude and gloom surrounded her
The valley seemed but a formless gulf
of darkness, the multitudinous noun
tains black sentinels, towering to the
stars. Far away in some remote fast
ness OF the mountain dog barked, and
she could hear the prolonged blast of a
horn. a star shot downward
from the zenith, bearing a trail of fire
across the sky, and was lost behind the
farreaching western ranges a sense of
oppressed her. She seemed the
only living human creature in all the
vast, silent world. On the saddle in
front of her she felt the trustv rifle,
anu tidL gave ueT sense OF security
from beasts of prey. Her father had
taught her how to use the gun. and
practice had given her an almost uner-
ring aim. But 1t was a trying situa
ton for even a mountain girl to ride
alone through ravines and over declivi-
ties, often only bride path to guide
her, 1t required a brave heart and a
steady nerve to do it.
Buckhorn springs are on the public