Sunday Washington globe., 1902-04-27

Bat Malone is not altogether lovely"
says one of his warmest friends 'but what
he lacks in beauty is amply supplied by
heart of gold and an arm that was never
lowered in fair battle"
The cowboys on the cattle ranches of the
Rio Grande frontier regard Bat as the beau
ideal Of their calling, and they never tire
Of talking about his numerous daring ad-
ventures and his many narrow escapes from
death. He has been crowded over high
bluff by a herd Of stampeded steers
wrecked in a cattle car. held UP by robbers
chased bv mob Of Mexicans, shot at scores
OF times, badly wounded twice, bitten by
vinegar room, had his flesh sampled by
jaguar, hugged by cinnamon bear, threat
ened by red-headed widow, nearly hanged
by misinfi med mob, and now It is known
that he has stolen the prettiest girl in all
Mexico from the hymeueal altar while
priest, bridegroom and wedding guests
trembled in amazement
II is this last remarkable adventure that
has made Bat famous. For several years
this daring rider served the Government as
a river guard, and il was while fearlessly
discharRing his duty that he incurred the
bitter hatred of the smuggler and outlaws
of the Zona Libre.
notorious smuggler by the name of
Doran Bellario, who has long boasted that
ne owed Bat a-killin', recently found an
opportunity to send a bullet through the
cowboys arm from ambush.
When this happened the Texan was en-
gagged in moving a large herd of cattle
through Northern Mexico to a ranch be-
longing to the Castle Rock Company. He
had never seen Bellario, but he charged
his wound to the man who had threatened
him.
He knew he could never find his enemy
in the broken country, 50 he rode on quietly,
biding his time until he came to a little
spring Of sparkling water that gushed from
the rocks at the base Of the hill upon which
the ranch house toward which he was pro-
ceeding was located While busily engaged
in bathing his wounded arm in the cooling
liquid a little noise attracted his attention,
and when he looked around his eyes fell
upon something that he had not noticed.
A young girl stood among the ferns and
flowers near the spring watching him. with
motionless interest. i was afraid F" says
the cowboy, that my eyes had deceived
me, for had never before looked upon
sueh lovely girl"
While Bat was thinking of naiads and
nymphs the pretty girl came nearer, and in
a soft voice asked the wounded cowboy a
few little questions concerning his distress.
Bat had hardly answered her before she
invited him to 60 up to the hacienda. My
father" she said, never turns any one
away, and have a mamma grande who can
dress and heal your wound She is famous.
Come now, " she added, with a smile that
broke the Americans heart, 81 will help
You up the hill"
Before the suffering cowboy reached the
hacienda he learned from the pretty girl
who held his arm that her fathers name
was Diego Borino and that her own was
Nadina He received a warm welcome
from the members of the family, who hap
pened to be present, and he was so well
cared for that physician who arrived few
hours later found that but little had been
left for him to do The wounded Texan
recovered slowly, and several days passed
before he began to talk about resuming his
journey.
In the meantime Cupid had adopted an
old dodge that has proved effectua in all
ages and with all manner of people. Bat
and Nadina suddenly manifested an eager
desire to improve their knowledge of the
English and Spanish languages. They
could well understand each other in either
tongue. The pretty girl had attended an
American school in Monterey and the cow
boy had been long on the frontier.
One hne day when the happy young
people were busy with their efforts to
master two languages a gaudily dressed
caballero made his appearance at the
Hacienda de Flores. Every member of the
family appeared to know the man and
Malone thought that they all regarded him
with feelings of concealed awe or fear
Nadina trembled, and when her father in
troduced Senor Juan Acosta Malone noticed
that the old gentleman was certainly ag-
tated The visitor remained for dinner and
he occupied seat at the table facing the
wounded Texan. Senior Norma was
strangely reticent, while Nadina seemed to
Malone to be terribly frightened. Her face
was colorless and her speech limited to
monosyllables. While Malone was wonder
ing what on earth had caused the change
in the manners of his friends the visitor
picked up the carving knife, and with his
glittering black eyes fastened upon the
Texan he ran his thumb along the edge Of
the blade, saying 'Muncha grande cuhilla"
adding in broken English lust the thing
to wrigRle in the heart of a rival" There
was no reply. The members of the family
sat nAAhlbEly aAANAb Win AuGAA eyes AhbAGnEA
on their plates. But Malone did not know
that Juan Acosta was but another name for
Doran Bellario and that the man who had
broken his arm with a Winchester sat op-
posite to him boiling with rage and thirsting
for his blood. He had never seen the noted
bandit and smuggler and he did not dream
of meeting his enemy at Senior Diego Mo-
rina's table, for the wealthy rancher was
known to be an honest man.
Senor Acosta remained at the hacienda
until the middle Of the afternoon and dur
ing his stay Malone did not see anything
Of Nadina Once he thought he saw her
walking in the garden with the man he was
beginning to hate. The visitor had no
sooner disappeared than the pretty girl
returned to the side of the wounded Texan,
affecting her usual gay manner, but the
man who was now desperately in love was
not deceived. Il was evident 10 him that |
the young girl was greatly distressed, but |
he was unable to discover the cause Of her /
sorrow. The secret was revealed to him \