The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1902-11-14
By II. S. cANFIELD

a.
OF the woman whom he believed to
be the rancho mistress convinced him,
yet he was jealous of Weston and was
moreover as obstinate as a pig, so he
said:
THE Sonora may trust me to know
a traitor when see one. The man
has been tried and legally convicted
and must die in little while. In
deed, it is now time that he were put
out of the way. wish to spare the
Senora's nerves and she will oblige
me by going inside and shutting the
door. No? Then must call my men
and use some slight force"
He had turned to beckon his fol-
lowers when Lois, seing that further
argument was useless, closed the door
and bolted it, standing in the dim
light, secluded and trembling. With
hands clasped and head bent, upon
the verge of swooning yet kept up by
her supreme courage, she listened for
the charge Of the calvarymen. or the
single shot which should tell her that
Weston was no more. She did not
then believe that Jocosa had reached
the rancho and the very air seemed
tingd with blood.
Weston was brought from the hut,
his arms bound behind him and walk
Ing in the midst of his guards. He
was grave, and unconcerned. Save
for one long look, behind which, he
seemed to know instinctively, his
sweetheart stood, he apparently took
no note of anything. A more equable-
man never went to death. The party
marched to point on the far side
of the little prairie and halted. One
of the Mexican, at sign from Va
vara, produced scarf and began to
bind the condemned mans eyes, but
Weston shook his head impaticntly
and the chief remarked shrilly, "Let
it be! Let it be! I prefer that he
should see me-" The prisoner con-
temptuously stepped aside also when
one of the men stopped to bind his
ankles.
What are you afraid OFF," he asked.
Il shall not attempt to escape. would
not give you the pleasure of thinking
that you frightened me-
The guard fell away from him at
these words, leaving his arms still
bound. Vavara advanced and took a
position six feet in his front, holding
a revolver loosely in his right hand
The little mans face was set in an
expression of tigerish cruelty. He
seemed literally to gloat over his vic
time. Indeed, as with bent knees he
appeared to crouch, his resemblance
to predatory animal was so marked
that it evoked wondering comment
from some of the heavily breathing
men. Like a tiger, too, he seemed
disposed to play with his quarry.
"Are you ready, Senior Weston he
asked, cooking the weapon and pre-
senting it full at the broad chest.
quite ready" The dark gray eyes
did not close nor was there any blanch
of cheek. Vavara smiled and lowered
the weapon.
Il have to tell you first" he said
that you are traitor
"You lie, you dog!" The retort was
prompt and caearly delivered, but with
no emotion. Vavara flushed and again
raised che pistol.
81 kill. you now for that" he said
furiously, held the weapon level for a
moment and lowered it. He let down
the hammer, whirled the cylinder
around and said:
II like not the look of that cartridge
It would have missed fire anI then the
Senior Weston would have tainted"
No response. Indeed, the prisoner
was looking steadily over his head
giving him no sort of attention what
ever. This time, in raising the weap-
on, Varara damned it against Weston's
breast with such force that he stag.
gered slightly and once more the ban
dit permitted it to fall by his side. A
mild glance of inquiry greeted him
from the man he intended to murder
and there were murmurs of protest
from the men behind him.
"You-you," he said, the avowal
wrung from him in spite Of himself
"you are brave man."
BY God! am brave man."
The words were simply and quietly
spoken without trace of boasting
They were merely a statement OF a
fact. The leader Of the contrabandis-
tas stood stock still. Plainly he was
baIled by his inability to inspire fear
AS he stood irresolutely swinging his
pistol to and fro and endeavoring to
conjure up something sufficiently bru-
tai and biting to cause emotion in the
bound man before him, there was a
crash in the underbrush not twenty
feet away and slightly to his left. AS
ne glanced up, startled but with no
thought more definite than that some
one OF the loose horses had become
frightened, Captain Harding and Allyn
sprang out Of the wall Of mesquite and
dashed between him and his prey.
Next instant the barrel Of a pistol,
strongly and scientifically swung,
crashed down upon his heavy som
brero and he fell as II stricken with
an axe. In another second, before one
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