The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1902-05-30

{ twilight OF the blanched grayness Of
5eath- The Mexican swung himself
Z 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-
an 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
I The Mexican, in the meantime had
staked out his horse with his RATA.
I and was now busying himself with
I the preparation OF some coffee over
! a small spirit-lamp. When this was
lone he spread a blanket upon the
sand. and, motioning the other to be
I seated opposite, they ate a slender
meal of crackers and canned cOrned
/ beef, washed down with the steam
ling coffee. and topped OF with a spar
/ ing drink from the water-bOttles-
/ Dinner over, the Mexican stretched
I himself at ease upon the blanket, with
a brown paper cigarette between his
slender fingers; fixing the American,
I between the smoke wreaths, with a
sustained, impersOnal regard under
/ which the latter soon found his eyelids
dropping with irritating Persistency.
I The significance Of this over-mastering
drowsiness did not dawn upon him IN
I til, in a moment when he had wrenched
I his gaze from that impenetrable, idol
mask Of a face opposite, with the Gig
arctic smoke curling above it like
| streamers Of incense, his eyes fell 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 a strange
sight. Far down near the horizons
rim, cold, glittering moon was fash
ing pale radiance over a frozen white
sea. At least this was the first i'm
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 a level with the sandy surface; and
he had much the feeling that a swim
mer in a heavy sea, and out of sight
Of land, might experience.
His gaze rOamed duly over the
| bleak exPanse, and finally rested on
dark bIotch a few yards in front Of
him.
He watched il in a puzzled way, his
logged mind struggling vaguely to
] H. IL Il .e--H-~
that Law upon It. Suddenly the blotch
stirred, and the marble face Of the
Mexican cleaned like a white cameo
in the moonlight. Recollection and
| physical sensation returned TO the
American In a 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
I 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 a
moment looking cOldly and specula-
/ lively down upon him. Then his face
| seemed 10 break up as a mirror is
| starred IN breaking. and he smiled
| frosty, devilishly malignant smile.
Still smiling. he drew from his saddle
I bag a paPer-wraPped parcel Care
| fully unrolling this he disclosed an open
book which he deposited face down
l ward upon the sand Immediately be
I 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-
/ zling light from the desert moon.
The lineran: "Ocho pOr Ocho, O'Dente
I Por dente-'T Can eye for an eve, and a
/ tooth for a toOth-)
The unhappy American was quick to
grasp it all
He ran his glance to the top Of the
/ page: del Neuva Testamento.7
/ The Mexican mounted his horse and
/ grasPed the reins Of the companion
/ animal. His smile had broadened and.
/ there was cool amusement in his eve.
what you call-ah-sOme ScreeP-
| ture-No2" he said gayly. Then, lead
\ ing the Americans mustang. and with
out one backward glance he rode placid
] " back in the direction from which
/ they had cOme.-Oyerland Monthly.
/ Mixed on His yOvveIs.
He was a short, cOrpuIent. imDOr-