Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-09-13
DOWN BLYTHE
- re GRANDE
CANFFELN.

besFeve shat JesceSa had reached the
rSnahe and the very air seemed itinged
Uath blood.
iANeston was. brought from atseahut. his
-'sTms' bound ibehmd him and walking in
Hhe midst OF his guards. HE was grave.
but uncOneeT1sd. Save for. eRe long look
fixed upon the hut with the closed door.
behind which. he seemed toiknows inStinc-
''tively, his sweetheart stored, ahe appar-
emily took me note of anything. A more
equable HGacl ineyer went to death The
party marched to a pointon the far side
OF the lit1he 'praiTie and halted. One of
the MexSeans, at a sign from Vavara,
produced a scarf and began to bind the
condemned mssns eyes, but Weston shook
his head impatiently and the chief re-
marked shrilly, let it be. Let it be!
prefer that he should see me-" The pris-
| oner centemptuously stepped aside also
when enc of the men stopped to bind his
ankles.
What are you afraid OFF, he asked. II
shallhnot attempt to escape. | would
not give yon the pleasure Of thinking that
You frightened me-"
The guard fell away from him at these
words, leaving his arms still bound. Va
! Nara advanced and took position six
! feet in his front, holding a revolver loose
| ly in his right hand. The little mans
race was set in an expression Of tigerish
cruelty. He seemed literally to gloat over
his victim. Indeed, as with bent knees
he appeared to crouch, his resemblance 10
predatory animal was so marked that
1t evoked wondering comment from some
! of the heavily breathing men. Like
| tiger, too, he seemed disposed to play
with his quarry.
Are you ready, Senior Westony'' he
! asked, cooking the weapon and presenting
| it fun at the broad chest.
| Quite ready" The dark gray eyes did
not close, nor was there any blanch of
cheek. Navara smiled and lowered the
weapon.
Il have to tell you first" he said, that
| you are a traitor"
You lie, you dog'' The retort was
! prompt and clearly delivered, but with
no emotion. Vavara flushed and again
! raised the pistol.
II kill you now for that" he said furi
ously held the weapon level for a mo-
ment and lowered it. He let down the
| hammer, whirled the cylinder around and
said:
Il like not the look Of that cartridge.
1t would have missed fire and then the
Senior Weston would have tainted"
No response. Indeed, the prisoner was
| looking steadily over his head, giving him
no sort of attention whatever. This
time, in raising the weapon, Navara jam
med it against Westons breast with such
force that he staggered slightly and on ie
: more the bandit permitted it to fall BY
his side. A mild glance of inquiry greet
| ed him from the man he intended to muir
| der. and there were murmurs of protest
| from the men behind him.
"Iou-you," he said, the avowal wrung
| from him in spite of himself. you are a
brave man"
by God. | am a brave man."
The words were simply and quietly
spoken without a trace of Boosting. They
were merely a statement of fact. The
leader of the contrabandists stood stock
still. Plainly he was baffled by his an
ability to inspire fear. AS he stood ir-
resolutely swinging his pistol to and fro
! and endeavoring to conjure up something
sufficiently brutal 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 he glanced up, startled but with no
thought more definite than that some one
| of the loose horses had become frighten-
ed, 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 scien-
| tifically swung, crashed down upon his
heavy sombrero and he fell as if stricken
with an AK. In another second before
one of the startled Mexicans had moved
a foot toward the aid of their leader, the
space was filled by the horses and men
of the Seminole troop. The smuggIers.
unarmed, were surrounded and stood
quietly looking at their captors. Not an
exclamation came from any one of them.
! Harding leaped to the ground and un-
| tied Weston's hands, saying with laugh:
I'VE were in plenty of time. my bold
! friend. For FIVE minutes We have been
sitting on our horses looking at the com
| edy through the leaves. If these rascals
/ had been less intent they mus. have
| heard US, though the horses of my men
! do not neigh or stamp. Permit me to
! echo the words of the large gentleman. ly-
! ing there: You are brave man. sir"
| Weston bowed in Acknowledgements too
| dazed and weakened by the long strain
| to reply audibly. Allyn. led by Jocosa.
! who had sprung from her seat behind one
OF the troopers. dashed across the space
and threw himself against the door Of the
! large jacal, calling excitedly. 1t WAS open
/ in an instant. He had only time to say:
| It's all right. Lois" when her arms
were abont his neck and she was gobbing
excitedly.
| At a word from the officer. the Semi
noles invaded each of the huts and Sc
| cured every weapon in sight Vavara was
| picked mp and taken to the creek, where
one of the men threw water over him. lie
revived in Il minute or two and sat up.
| feeling his head and looking about him
with black eyes dulled by pain.
"Cristo" he groaned. Have been
thrown AGAIN.
NO" one Of the Seminoles grinned,
you JUS fell down an hut yo'se f.
Harding, talking busily to Weston, was
surprised and amazed by a flying figure
which rushed past him and clung to the
tall form of the man he had rescued. lie