The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-03-17
XIX xa
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Lieutenant Emerson to
8 , 3 him and said:
&x x4 Lieutenant, those Ap-
Eeietek2 aches were the thieves
complained Of by old Don Alvares,
whose hacienda lies down the Los
Mexos, among the spurs of the Sangre
de Cristi Mountains. The old gentle
man will sleep far easier if he knows
that we have driven the red devils
across the range. Will you ride over
with word of our success tomorrow? +?
He has daughter whose beauty will
repay you for the forty-mile jaunt,
and the don will treat you like q
prince. I dare not leave camp my
self, and he would deem it an honor
If one of my officers brought him word
Of the fight. You can have an escort
If you wish. Will you go?"
Nothing would give me more
pleasure, colonel" replied the young
man. ''The young lady attracts me.
But need no escort; the trail is too
plain. I'll start tomorrow at da--
break"
Thanks, my boy. Stay as you will
IA week if need be. You have earned
"a leave. But take care of yourself
heart and all. The donna's eyes are
glorious, but her admirers are jealous"
Emerson laughed.
''I'll be careful sir. Good nightw
Good nightr'
And so they parted, each to his
quarters, and the younger man to
dream of something brighter than In
dian watch-6res for the morrow.
The Seventeenth were old frontiers
men, and Colonel Miller performed his
duty to the government faithfully.
Two days before, after a lively
brush, his troops had routed large
body Of Apaches, q score of miles
above camp, and driven them over the
range.
The Indians came from the southern
country, where they had been COM
mitting many depredations, and it was
to one of the greatest sufferers at
their hands-old Don Alvares, a rich
Spaniard-that the colonel desired to
send the comforting message announc-
ing this discontinue,
The morning dawned clear and golden
-one Of New Mexico's best-and ere the
: dew had faded from the cactus, or the
breath of the night wind left the mes
quite thickets, Lieutenant Emerson, in
. fatigue uniform, armed with pistols
and sabre, was amount and miles upon
his way along the winding trail toward
Hacienda Alvares
The March sun was warm at noon
tide, as the lonely traveller paused be-
meath the shadow of great rock to
rest his horse and smoke a cigarette,
but its backward-fung rays from the
{, Far West had grown weak and faint,
and the dim shadow of on-coming
night fell athwart the narrow path
way, ere the white wall of his des-
tination caught the eye Of the young
lieutenant.
Riding slowly down the broad plateau
toward the hacienda. thoughts Of rest
and supper in his mind, Emerson sud-
denly started in his saddle, and, check
ing his horse, his hand grasped bis
sabre-hilt with 4 soldiers intuition
Just before him, and little to one
side of the path. standing apparently
helpless from either fatigue or fright,
was half naked peon child-a dusky-
faced girl-gazing fixedly upon a
eeiled snake that lay before her. its
glistening crest raised and swaying to
and fro, while its angry eyes burned
into those Of the fascinated child.
An instant more and the venomous
reptile would have buried its fangs
in the trembling form before it, when,
flashing through the air like the wing
Of the plunging hawk, the troopers
sabre fell between the girl and the
snake, and the head of the moccasin
few twenty feet away through the
air.
Then Emerson caught the girl to his
saddle-bow and rode forward.
For a moment she trembled, speech
less, as she lay within the strong
arms of the soldier; then, with a soft
cry, she strove to escape. They were
now close to the gate Of the hacienda,
and even as the child was dropping
to the ground-for the lieutenant In
stantly released her-a young and
beautiful woman appeared and with a
glad cry the little peon sprang toward
her.
Emerson reined in his horse and
raised his cap.
Pardon, mademoiselle, but the girl
was in danger-a moccasin was"
He was interrupted by tho beauty
herself, into whose ear the child had
poured her story.
"Sir, you need no pardon. ! thank
you in the name Of my father and his
most valued servant, Jacque Dumox,
for having saved the life Of this girl
May heaven bless you! But will you
not enter, sir? You seem weary, and
night is at hand"
And so, following the beautiful Qua
dalupe-for it was She-Lieutenant