Sunday Washington globe., 1902-04-27

Malone's pistols were in another part of
the house and 4 was useless for him to
offer any resistance. Senor Norma hur-
riedly came to the assistance Of his guest
and after some conversation with the Of
fcer he offered to become a bondsman for
the Texan. But in reality, the officers were
smugglers wearing stolen uniforms The
leader simply stated that he had been sent
by his captain to bring Senor Malone before
the Alcade of Alteta The Texan, suppos-
ing some of his friends had got into a row
over brands, made no demur, aud his horse
was brought around to the gate He
mounted and rode off with the apparent
officers
After travelling a short distance Malone's
captors left the main road. They told him
they were taking a shorter route to town,
but the act aroused his suspicion They
did not go far before they halted in little
grove and the prisoner was told to dis
mount One of the men lit lantern, while
others stalked the horses. There was no
longer any disposition on the part of the
bandits to conceal their disguise.
so, young man, you have been trying to
steal Captain Bellario's sweetheart" said
the man with the sword Six Mexicans
suddenly rushed on him from behind, threw
him down and bound him.
That was Malone's closest call.
When / was lying securely bound
among those merciless wretches," says Bat,
l thought my last hour had come.
About midnight Bellario came and,
noticing the Captain, he bowed with mock
politeness, saying: Il owe you an apology
for not hanging you on time; but / found
tbs Sonora Nadina so interesting that il was
difficult to leave her presence. Amuse
yourself as best you can, Senor will hang
you at sunrise" All save the chief laid
down under the trees
He sat in silence by his prisoner until the
dawn of day. When the FIRST orioles sang
he rose and deliberately cut the ropes that
bound his captive. Here is your pistol"
he said. Now mount your horse and ride.
Don't go near the hacienda; if you do you
will be killed. Go at once. "
The utterly astounded cowboy sprang into
his saddle and, waving a farewell salute to
the man whom he could not understand, he
galloped away.
While riding at full speed over the plains,
casting many tender glances toward the
roof that sheltered the pretty girl he was
leaving, as he feared, forever, he was sud
denly accosted by a man on horseback.
When the horseman came nearer Malone
recognized peon called Pedro. whom he
had often seen at the hacienda II am
looking for you," said Pedro. "Senorita
Nadina sent me to tell you not to stop. You
must ride away as fast as you can. Here is
gold locket with her picture. Senior, she
cried"
All of Maloue's courage returned. 1t in
stantly flashed across his mind that the girl
Il. = IL,
life, and while he was loading his pistol he
got enough out of the trembling peon to
confirm his suspicious. Pedro" said he,
How comes your master in the power of
Bellario2"
1T all comes Of the talk about revolution.
They plotted at the hacienda, and Bellario
stole all the papers. SenoT Norma fears
him as he does the devil"
Diving his spurs into his horse the in
fudated lover set of at a galop toward the
hacienda AT the gate he encountered
Bellario. Both drew their pistols and fred
at the same instant AT the crack Of the
guns the bandit swayed and tumbled into the
road. with blood squirting from his side.
Malone rode over him straight to the
house. SenOr Norma and Nadina, tremb-
ling with terror, ran to meet him. They
had Witnessed the battle
Both shouted at the same time Go
away, Senori 60 away" Nadina grasped
his hand. GO on, " she cried You have
killed him. The others will come. Col
Come back some day"
Malone knew that he had no time to lose,
and, happy in the belief that Nadina loved
him. lie kissed her cheek and fed across
the fields. He went straight to Castle Rock,
where he rested hidden for a few days
Malone planned to return quietly to
Texas, and return thence with few Of his
tall, blue-eyed friends, ready to defy 100
''Rreasers" and steal their prettiest girl from
under their noses
He made his journey to the border in
company with some American cowboys he
Glanced in with, and rode carelessly to the
border, fearful of nothing
When he was within three days travel of
the Rio Grande Pedro suddenly made his
appearance one night at the campfire.
Senior" he exclaimed "Bellario is NOT
dead. Your bullet hardly scratched him.
Tomorrow he expects to marry my pretty
mistress in the church at Alteta. If you
could but see her she weeps all the time. D"
Without a moments reflection Bat re-
piled; II will see her, 4" aud in less than ten
minutes he had saddled his fastest pony
st. FloriaD, and was gallopiug over the mesa
toward the Hacienda de Flores, alone
through hostile country.
They rode all night, and at daylight when
near the end of their journey the desperate
lover sent Pedro to the hacienda to scout
while he and St. Florian rested for few
moments behind.
In the course Of an hour the loyal peon
came back. "Oh, senior, we are too late. !"
he walled. Even now they are going to.
ward the church."
Malone exclaimed, II will save her from
that villain or die trying" The next mo
ment he was laundering along the highway
to Aiteta.
There, cried Pedro, as they swept into
the village, don't you see the wedding pro-
cessionf They are entering the church"
Malone saw more than the peon- He
recognized his sweetheart, aud, realizing
the value Of the flying moments, he guided
his horse to the great open doors Of the
church. Bending over he saw Nadina with
her head bowed by Bellario's side, slowly
walking toward a robed priest. The scene
made his blood boil, and, drawing a pistol,
he touched St. Florianis flank The trained