The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1902-11-07
By II. S. cANFIELD

words and the picture they brought
before her, but went on: "It 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 time?"
II cannot now" was the soft, slow
answer, "but l 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 go. I meant to say that I
would co.
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. It 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
nalf smiled. If Harding came-and
surely his pledge would hold him,
thought fifty international complica-
lions 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 a desperate chance. The Slight
est Slip or failure would doom her
lover to death and herself also, she
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.
Il must slip out when dusk settles"
the girl said, crawling on hands and
knees between the guards. Once on
the trail shall fear nothing except
the spirits. 1 will not fear even
them" she added stoutly. "It is the
good Gods message"
In drawer Of the table in the room
which Vavara called his "office" Lois
found some paper She wrote and
sealed note to Allyn, detailing her
capture and Weston's peril and beg
ging him to send or ride for Harding,
4 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, Eek
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 Weston's certain guilt
before him. He had no intent that
any liking or sympathy for their
former leader and comrade should in
terfere with his vengeance. He be-
lieved thoroughly that Weston had
proven false; he did not know which
most angered him, the supposed
treachery or the assertion that he had
been foolishly mistaken in the identity
of his female captive; and the Unborn
cruelty of his Spanish blood rose to
domination of every other passion or
desire in him. The man WIS literally
transformed, brusque, imperious, saw
age, thirsty for the death of one whom
he had known and trusted
While the women sat in the semi
gloom of their hut, the camp was astir
in excitement. At its outer edge a
huge pecan tree had fallen in some
previous storm and this had been lop-
ped clear of its branches. At 3 O'Clock
in the afternoon six Mexicans, select
ed by ballot, took their seats on this
log, facing toward the creek. In their
front was an open grassy space TWEEN
| ty feet square. They were judges and
4 jury. Ranged about the further edge
OF the space were all Of the otner men
and the women Of the band, except the
guards Of the prisoner, eight in num-
Der. vavara himself hatless, weapon
I less and swelling with Importance,
4 stood a little to one side. He was wit.
a ness and prosecutor. There was to be
/ no attorney or testimony for the de-
q fendant, though the law Of the band
n permitted that he speak IN his own
behalf. AZ signal given blythe old
Z est Of the jury, the guard emerged
from the jacal in which Weston was
confined. He walked among them, hi,
I hands bound behind him with raw: