The Cook County herald., 1902-12-06
BY II. S.. CANFlELD
CHAPTER XV.-(Continued.)

CHAPTER XV.-(Continued.)
"Senor Weston the story IS we'll
told, but it will not serve with Vavara,
for it is a lie. This woman is the
Sonora Glynn, I know. How could It
be otherwise? Surely this is true.
have never understood-my men nave
never understood-the manner In
which we were surprised at the ford,
a surprise which cost us the life of the
brave Cara. We supposed you slain
because you were not with us. Not
one Of us saw you after the river was
reached and then you were in the rear,
whereas you should have been in front.
You say you have been for days at the
ranch BALCONIES. That / can belleVe'
but that you were shot by our Amer
ican friends I do not believe. You may
tell me that you have wound, put
self-intlicted wounds are common
among traitors. I accuse you here and
now of giving secret information to
the gringo soldiers, Of betraying us, OF
causing the death of a comrade, OF
seeking to rescue the Sonora without
ransome. You have been false to the
cause of the band Men, what is to do
next?"
From twenty throats came the an
swer: "The trial."
And after the trial, what?'
Upon conviction, DEATH.
Il, Vavara your chieftain, an the
accuser. Arrest him!"
The men closed in upon Weston who
stood passive, knowing that resistance
was vain Lois had not understood a
1.-THE of the talk, but when she saw
him grasped rudely and his arms
bound behind him, she comprehended.
She turned swiftly to Vavara with a
passionate protest, but he mOtioned to
the men, who Immediately drew Wes-
ton outside. Wheeling in the doorway
the chieftain faced her sternly, his
small figure drawn to its full height,
a savage smile on his face:
"All honor shall be paid you Sc
nora," he said, "for you are precious
to us all, but you will do we'll to re-
main quiet. Even the prospect of ran
som may not be sufficient to restrain
some Of my brave ones, who are much
angered by the traitor
Indeed glance at the figures crowd
ing about her lover as they urged him
onward and a moments listening to
their stormy voices convinced her that
she would serve him and herself by
stiffness. She turned instinctively to
Jocosa. The Mexican girl was stand
ing in the rear room, her face sickly
white, her eyes blazing. Two drops
of blood from her bitten lip had fallen
upon the bosom of her gown. Her
form was tense, her fingers tightly
locked She was breathing heavily
and half-crouched, as if young
tigress for a spring.
''Vavara is a devil!" she said in a
kissing whisper. "They will try my
dear friend, your lover, Senorita, and
they will shoot him. That is the
smugglers' law for traitors. He is not
a traitor-oh! no, no, never! But Va
vara can make them do as he wishes.
They will listen only to him and they
will say the things he wishes them to
say. I know him and them. He is
evil! But it must net be-"
All of the fine courage of Lois rose
to meet this emergency. She did not
permit herself for moment to reflect
upon the murderous outcome of it.
Weston must be saved. That was, her
one thought. But how?
60 outside she said to the girl
''Mingle with the men and women
Ascertain all that you can. Ther
come here and tell me. Meanwhile ]
must think" s.
Jocosa was gone in an instant. Lois
closed and barred the door, sat dowr
and clasped her head in her hands
Not half-hour before his kisses were
warm on her lips and now he was il
deadly peril. What was to be done:
For five minutes thoughts whirleG
through her brain with lightnins
swiftness. Then her New ENGLAND
blood and training asserted themselve;
and she set herself to find way ou
of the maze. There came to her frs
the figure Of Allyn. Then, like an in
spiration, followed a memory Of he
visit to the Seminole camp with Hard
ing and his kindly, earnest promise tt
help countrywoman. There was th
solution of the problem: In some: way
somehow, she must reach Harding. 10
cosa raped lightly on the door. Sh
closed it and fastened it behind he
when admitted and said, at once: j.
HE: will be tried in the .afternoo
and; If found guilty, will be sentence
to be shot tomorrow morning at sun
rise. He will be found guilty.. He
guarded in a jacal at the far end d
the camp" 7etsa|S $3.50 "*''
"Jocosa," asked Ls:is, "are 70
brave?" ,-~ - . = s.~~-s 4 :, !. 4ss$.
NO. said the girl, intent on h
instant, but i love him. L II Y -.
do you know the T. road Z we cam
this morning from the ford g: 4 fssz:s5. ~
Surely; we'll 4. :. e. ,i e, ~. .Es
What is the distance?Ys $e# VI @#
1.-TWO leagues, barely" 2% 2z ft y 4 A4$f&t
And from there ITO the rancht
house Is another league, nine mile
and from the rancho to Fort Clar
fwoYfv rn11oo rfx,o ,iv,o los =