The Cook County herald., 1902-12-06

at sunrise" She shuddered at the
words and. the picture they brought.
before her, but went on: 1T must be-
done. Jocosa, can you leave the camp
and carry message to the rancho
message to a man there, who may
bring the soldiers in timer" (
81 cannot now," was the soft, slow
answer, "but I can when dark comes,
though the evil spirits CT the river may
get me-" =
There will be no evil spirits, Jocosa,
my brave child. You will be on Gods
errand and the spirits will be harm
less.'' =
Il will 30. I meant to say that I.
would go.'' !:
1t would be dark by six o'clock, there
being no twilight. Jocosa, swift of foot
and tireless because of life in the open:
air, might be trusted to reach the
rancho by nine Allyn should start his
messenger northeastward by half past
nine and he should reach. the fort a
little after midnight. 1t would require
reckless riding over a rough country
in the dark but she felt it would be
done. She felt, too, that this messen-
ger would be Allyn himself and she
half smiled. If Harding came-and
surely his pledge would hold him,
thought fifty international complica-
tions~ resulted-his troop should be in
the saddle by one in the morning. She
knew how swiftly the Seminoles pre-
pared for scout. This should bring
them to the rancho by four o'clock and
they would have two hours in which
to cover the intervening nine miles.
1t was desperate chance. The slight
est slip or failure would doom her
felt. Precious hours would be wasted
before the night came, but it could not
be helped. Indeed, Jocosa told her
that an attempt to leave the camp in
daytime would be certain to result in
failure, as sentries surrounded it COM
pletely.
II must slip out when dusk settles,'
the girl said, ''crawling on hands and
knees between the guards. Once on
the trail I shall fear nothing except
the spirits. I will not fear even
them," she added stoutly, 1T is the
good Gods message
In drawer Of Tie table in the room
which Vavara called his "off1ee" Lois
found some paper. She wrote and
sealed a note to Allyn, detailing her
capture and Westons peril and beg
cling him to send or ride for Harding.
HE will be shot at SUNRISE" the note
ended. 'The girl Jocosa will guide
you. For Gods sake, for the sake of
those dear to you at home, do not fail
me-" 1t was signed: "Your sister,
Lois" Indeed, she had no shadow of
distrust of him. Her only fear was
he, with the others, might be scour-
ing the surrounding country in search
of her. This note the Mexican girl
put in the bosom of her dress and then
| thrice pinned it, through the cloth.
Lois explained to her the missive was
to be given to Allyn, and failing him
to any Englishman at the ranch, lex
cept tall man with black eyes, named
Maude." Jocosa understood. "He,
too, loves. you," she: said.
The noon hour having passed, din
ner was prepared, and, strange to say,
eaten with reasonable appetite. Then
the two women set themselves to a
task that would have killed, or crazed
a man. That task was to sit idly and
wait for dark. They had no fear that
Vavara would disturb them. = They
knew that he was busily making ready
for the trial. going from man to man
and spreading Westons certain guilt
before him.. He had no intent thai
any liking or sympathy for their
former leader and comrade should in
terfere with his vengeance. He. be.
lieved thoroughly that Weston j: had
proven false; he did not know which
most angered him, the supposed
treachery or the assertion that |he haC
been foolishly mistaken in the identity
Of his female captive; and the inborr
cruelty of his Spanish blood rose tt
domination Of every other passion Of
desire in him. The man was literally
Transformed, brusque, imperious, ,sav
1 age, thirsty for the death Of one whom
he had known and trusted.
/ d. ," A1AC +CllS 2,WO4ucu Sdl Ill L165 SGul
} gloom of their hut, the camp was asti
} in excitement, At it's outer edge
huge pecan tree had, fallen in som
previous storm and this had been lop
, ped clear Of its branches. AT 3 o'cloc]
; in the afternoon six Mexicans, select
j ed by ballot, took, their seats on thi
81 log, facing toward the creek. In thei
ID front was an open grassy space twen
= ty feet square. They wers judges an
81 jury: Ranged about the further edg
81 Of the. space were all of the otner me
q and the women Of the band, except th
guards Of the prisoner, eight in mum
& ber.3t Vavara himself hatless, weapon
) less and swelling with Importance
stood q little to, one side He was vii
s ness and prosecutor There was 5tos d
<d no attorney or testimony for the dc
fendant, though thes:laW 81 the ban
n permitted that he speak lin his ow
f behalf. At as,signal given by the Ole
-s est Sof the jury, the guard emerge
/; from tie jJaca1 II which weston wa
< confined. He walked among them, III
ho, AZ