Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-11-20

had intended sending this money in
cash, but changed his mind at the
last moment.
"Rats!" snarled the other. That
amt worth a cent; don't yuh see
t; I'm onto yuh game with both
feet? Now dig up, or Ill have to kill
yuh."
But 1 can't" L protested. "All
the money / have is a few dollars of
my own; take that if you want it,"
"Al right" he calculated, angrily,
IF yuh won't open up now, yuh will
after a while; We'll jest see what
hunger an thirst IL do for yuh.
Lets tie him up, jose"
Turning me W. on my face, they
bound my ankles tight and fast, and
then tied my hands at my back,
drawing the thongs SO tight that L
squirmed with pain. Then they
picked me up and carried me about
200 yards to a shallow ave in the
side of the mountain, where they
threw me down.
Jest holler whenever you get
ready tub talk" the American said,
confidently. "We'n git out, so yuh
can think it over quiet like. Come
on, jose" And the Mexican fol-
lowed him out.
They stopped near the caves
mouth, talking, and presently l was
startled at hearing the Mexican ad-
dress the other as "Senor Smecth."
Smith was the name of the mines
superintendent. l knew now into
whose hands l had fallen, and that
| need expect no mercy. In the hope
that | would finally tell them where
to find the money they thought had
brought, they would keep me without
food or water until | became deliri-
Gus, and then perhaps end my suf-
ferings with a knife-tbrust. And
ever if l had had the money to give
them, they would have murdered
me the moment they got it in their
hands. And / could expect nc help,
there was not another human being
nearer than the mine, 20 miles away
I had been in tight places before,
but none of them near SO tight as
this one, and my heart sank like a
chunk of lead.
Presently the s%coundrels moved
away, going back to make another
hunt through my things, and / be-
gan Juggling with all my might to
get loose: but l was tied too Sc
curely, the leather only cut deeper
into my flesh, hurting me terribly.
Then a fit of despair seized me and
| lay back, quiet and still. 1t must
have been only a few minutes after
ward, though it seemed hours, l
heard a noise outside, a light blow
on the ground it seemed, and a faint
clink. | held my breath to listen,
and soon it came again, when | rec
ognized it to be the sound made by
Ell Sabio in hobbling about. The
faithful little fellow had seen the
robbers carrying me away, and had
followed fast as he could. trailing me
by scent. [ was feeling too miser-
able to give him much thought, but
did notice that he kept getting
nearer, and at last stopped at the
cave. Then he came inside, shifting,
and presently found me. lay still,
face downward, as / had been left,
and he began nosing at my head to
awake me. | called his name to make
him stop, and his nose went wander
ing down my back and stopped at
my hands. l felt him lick my palms
once or twice, and then came a tug
at my wrists; then another, and my
heart jumped into my throat, beat
ing wildly with hope. He had found
the thong and was chewing it.
"Would he chew it in two?" | won
dered, fearfully. But he had not had
a morsel so deliciously salty since
my hat, and there was no danger
of him relinquishing it willingly,
Crunch, crunch, his sharp teeth went
cutting into it, drawing my wrists
tighter and tighter, until I could
scarcely keep from screaming with
the pain. but in a few moments the
leather parted, when a pull and a
shake set my hands free. Then !
sat up and rubbed my wrists to re.
store circulation. Smith, in his
search, had overlooked a small pen.
knife in my vest pocket, and so | had
no trouble getting my feet loose.
but found that l could scarcely walk
l could ride Ell Sabio, however, and
cutting his hobbies, I took him by
the ear and led him outside, where
I was in the act of getting on his
back, when the CLINT of starlight on
steel attracted my attention to the
ground near the caves entrance
1t was my belt and revolvers; Smith
was so sure of me that he had
dropped them there.
Before, my whole thought had been
to get away as quickly as possible, but
now other things came into my mind
and I stopped. I vas in a savage, re
vengeful humor; and, realizing that
not only my employers property
but my life as well, was at stake, ]
promptly decided to take advantage
Of the opportunity so unexpectedly
come to me, to bring the matter to a
conclusion. Giving Ell Sabio a prod
to make him go away, I crept back
into the cave and sat down, cock.
ing my revolvers. I waited perhaps
half an hour, when I heard footsteps
and voices approaching, and a mo-
ment later Smith and the Mexican
came in. They were outlined plainly
against the starry sky, and were not
more than three feet away when
fred. Then 1 went back outside,
and, loading Ell Sabio, started for the
mine, where l arrived the following
afternoon I found plenty of rich
ore in sight, but Smith and his con
federates had been pocketing the
| ,-,,.na1, fro-o @1a+ md o~aIs4snn. A.