The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1901-03-13
Cortinas himself, the leader Of the

Poyerema by the arm and led him
aside. They were not long away, and
when they returned Romualdo bent
over me and whispered: DO not fear.
Not the least harm will come to you.
Summon all your fortitude, and let
hope occupy your mind until | return.
A few hours will soon pass In few
moments ! saw Romualdo and one Of
the bandits ride away at full gallop."
Miss Jarrett did not comprehend
what was passing at the time. Captain
Cortinas had simply said to ROmualdo:
Il happen to know that your father
has a large sum in gold at the hacien-
da. | desire, senior, to retire from TINS
dangerous business, but | need quite Il
fortune to enable me to live like a
gentleman | sent my men to capture
you alone. but since they have brought
the beautiful Americana | will either
have to change my plan or shed her
blood l am not cruel. The affair can
be arranged another way. l know
your father. We worked together
when he was muleteer, though he
was older than l. He has heart. He
also knows Lugo Cortinas. Go to your
father and tell him if he would save
this girls life he must send me gold
a mule load of gold. There is no time
to be lost The rurales are watching
the mountain passes. Tomorrow at
noon will meet you on the top of
Mount Blanco, and if you are not there
[ shall wait one hour. and then l will
hang this little Americana, whom it Is
of the lone oak. If the terms suit you,
mount a horse, take one of my men
and ride. Treachery will be punished
by death. l will STAY every creature
that has a drop of your blood in its
veins. Every animal shall be killed
and the hacienda left a smoking ruin.
Now you may go. Remember that the
terms of the ransom are the girls
weight in gold. Not an ounce less"
Young Poyerema was well informed
as to the desperate character of the
man he was dealing with, and he knew
that it would be useless to exchange
words with him. He reached the ha-
cienda before morning. where he found
everything in confusion and the whole
family in the greatest distress.
Quickly explaining the situation to
his father. the young man fell upon his
knees and confessed his love for the
American girl.
mo matter as to that" said the gen.
erous old man. I'VE must save her.
Truly, l know this Cortinas, and a
more heartless. merciless wretch never
lived. Take faithful old Balmaceda
with you. Bring a pack mule to the
door, and / will have the gold ready"
Both parties reached the summit of
Mount Blanco at nearly the same in
slant.
The Texas girl was not yet aware of
the fact that she was being ransomed,
and she said: when | saw the pack
mule unloaded and the sacks contain
ing great gold bars and coined gold
emptied in a great heap, l stood like
one in a dream, wondering what it all
lllG6lul. ~ IJOtC DIS dCCui dtGlg DItGlS-
ured in order to find the exact center.
and then it was balanced across anoth-
er pole, one end Of which rested upon
a limb of the lone oak, while the other
was sustained by a gentle horse. A
strong sack was attached to one end
of the balance pole, and, a loop made
of lariat was thrown over the other
end.
The now thoroughly amazed young
woman was requested to seat herself
in that loop.
Gold was poured into the sack until
an exact equipoise had been established
between the gold and the body of the
girl.
Not another grain" exclaimed the
bandit with grandiloquent air. Il
said she was worth her weight in gold,
and the amount has been attained. Not
another cent. The word of Cortinas is
his bond. Let us separate. With all
my heart | wish you well. Remember
me kindly to your father, young man."
While the bandit was forming and
uttering these words his confederates
were packing the gold and mounting
their horses. Only few moments
passed before they were galloping
away, leaving their released captives
so utterly bewildered with joy that
they could hardly find language to ex-
press their feelings.
1.-The enormous sum of gold rested
upon my mind like some hideous night
mare" she says. "They would not tell
me how much it had cost to save my
life, but / estimated that had caused
the kind old gentleman to lose some
thing like $4,000. | did not dare to
dream that | would ever be able to re-
pay such a sum. and | felt that my
whole life would be passed under a
cloud of regret.
Something better happened. Cupid
had been skirmishing, and the work
that the little god had commenced per-
haps the first day the Texas girl spent
at the hacienda was soon an affair OF
such Importance that 1t could not be
kept a secret. The marriage resulted.