The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1902-05-24

ing alarm; and worse-he knew that
the Mexican knew it. In spite. of the
terrific heat his face and hands were
clammy cold, and he shivered fitfully.
They rode on through the long
was unbroken save for the muf-
fed shutting of the mustangs
feet on the pillowy sand. The
American had fallen into dull APP
athy, and rode like sick man, his
head dropping IoIIingIy upon his
breast. The Mexican did not change
his attitude by SO much as hair:
riding erect and elastic, his face-a
stone, and his eyes-ice.
Presently the sun dropped abrupt
~ over the far edge of the sand
bank, and there succeeded brief
twilight of the blanched grayness of
death. The Mexican swung himself
lightly from the saddle and with
gesture to his companion to do like
wise began to loosen the "bellyband'
from his sweating mustang. This
new move was viewed by the Ameri-
can with suspicion and alarm; but.
seeing that no immediate danger was
imminent he alighted slowly on the
further side of his fellow traveller,
and cautiously unsaddled the animal.
The Mexican, in the meantime had
staked out his horse with his RATA.
and was now busying himself with
the preparation of some coffee over
small spirit-lamp. When this was
done he spread blanket upon the
sand, and, motioning the other to be
seated opposite, they ate slender
meal of crackers and canned corned
beef, washed down with the steam
ing coffee, and topped off with spar.
ing drink from the water-bottles.
Dinner over, the Mexican stretched
himself at ease upon the blanket, with
brown paper cigarette between his
slender fingers; fixing the American,
between the smoke wreaths, with a
sustained, impersonal regard under
which the latter soon found his eyelids
dropping with irritating. persistency.
The significance of this over-mastering
drowsiness did not dawn upon him UNI
til, in moment when he had wrenched
his gaze from that impenetrable, idol
mask of face opposite, with the cig5
arctic smoke curling above it ike
streamers of incense, his eyesfell upon
the others tin coffee cup. 1t was full.
In the act of rising to shake OF the
deadly lethargy which was overcoming
him, he swayed unsteadily for mo-
ment, and then fell heavily back upon
the blanket.
When the American next opened his
eyes. his gaze rested on strange
sight. Far down near the horizons
rim, cold, glittering moon was fash
ing pale radiance over frozen white
sea. At least this was the first inn
preston on his confused senses, from
which the numbing effects of the drug
he had swallowed had not yet disap-
peared. The weird appearance Of the
desert was further heightened to him
by the fact that his eyes were nearly
on level with the sandy surface; and
he had much the feeling that swim
mer in heavy sea, and out of sight
of land, might experience.
His gaze roamed DULY over the
bleak expanse, and finally rested on a
dark blotch a few yards in front of
him.
He watched it in a puzzled way, his
logged mind struggling vaguely to
shake itself clear of the mist-weight
that lay upon it. Suddenly the blotch
stirred, and the marble face of the
Mexican cleaned like white cameo
in the moonlight. Recollection and
physical sensation returned to the
American in bound. His muscles
tautened in their preliminary to at
tempt movement, but his frame re.
fused to respond. His glance dart
ed downward and encountered-sand.
He was buried to his neck.
In an ecstacy of madness and fren-
zied terror he strained every muscle,
nerve and fiber of his imprisoned body
until the blood literally burst from
his nose and mouth. 1t was useless.
He was as immovably fixed as if he had
been in a bed of cement. Then he
raised his bloodshot eyes in mute ques-
tioning to the silent figure seated in
the moonlight. The response came
quickly.
The Mexican rose deliberately, and
releasing the re-saddled horses from
their tether, he led them in front of
the helpless captive and stood for
moment looking coldly and specula-
lively down upon him. Then his face
seemed to break up as a mirror is
starred in breaking, and he smiled
frosty, devilishly malignant smile.
Still smiling, he drew from his saddle
bag a paper-wrapped parcel. Care
fully unrolling this, he disclosed an open
book which he deposited face down.
ward upon the sand Immediately be-
meath the Americans eyes. The print
ed space was heavily blackened over
with ink, all but one line, and this
stood out, easily readable in the daz-
cling light from the desert moon.
The line ran: "Ocho por ocho, O'Denfe
por dente." Gan eye for an eye, and a.
tooth for tooth)
The unhappy American was quick to
grasp it all.
He ran his glance to the top of the
page: del Neuva Testamento."
The Mexican mounted his horse and
grasped the reins of the companion
animal. His smile had broadened and
there was cool amusement in his eye.