The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1904-02-20


IGl 9!!] glance over the simmer
l.s .plal4I. The stretches of cac-
tus-dotted sand glOwed like a
heated oven. Far across the arid
waste chain of mountains lay, a
purple shadow against the sky. There.
somewhere, flowed the sluggish Rio
Grande. and beyond that-safety. His
eyes wandered from point to point
with hawk-like scrutiny. Only a soli-
tary ;vnlture, floating lazily far above
the dry. arroyo, moved on the vast, 81
lent eNpanae. He had. for the present
at least, outwitted his pursuers. He
picked out here and there patches Of
the White road that glistened through
tne .chaparral and mesquite. AS he
looked a yellow haze rose in the dis
tance: then the Brownsville stage
lurched into view. moved slowly
against the white glare like a clumsy
beetle. and was swallowed up by the
foliage. Presently it crawled into view
again as it labored up a steep hillside,
scarce mile off AS it turned on to
sne crest something slipped to the
ground and lay motionless.
The stage passed over the hill. Har-
din's eye became fixed on the point
at which it disappeared, expecting to
see. some one return for the lost bun
die. In this he was disappointed. At
ter q little the object in the road
moved. Hardin became keenly Curl
GUS. Glahcing quickly around to make
sure no danger. threatened. he picked
his way to his horse. hid in mat of
manZanitas, mounted and galloped
toward the road.
As he neared. the spot it suddenly
flashed OH him that this might be a
trick of the enemy to tempt him into
the open. He wheeled his bronco into
the dense underbrusI and dismounted.
Holding his Winchester before him,
he crept .stealthily on. He had pro-
ceeded but a short distance when a
faint cry, as of young animal in dis
tress, foated to him from the direc-
tion of the road.
"a young wolf or bear cub" he
thought, that has tumbled over
board" But he would not turn back
now. Life of late had been too mon
otonOus for him to easily foregO the
prospect Of diversion. Reaching the
road, he stopped and listened intently.
No sound broke the stiffness but the
faint ,wailing from the, roadway. He
took a quick glance about him. his eyes
resting obviously on the patch of road
where the stage had disappeared, then
he parted the foliage and ran noiseless-
ly. to where the bundle lay. He stopped
over and threw, aside the covering that
concealed it: then he stepped back and
gave tent to low whistle. A baby
blinked up into his face. 1t stopped its
crying suddenly with an indrawn sob.
and the next second, greeted him with
a friendly ''gIoo-oo," as it.proceeded to
kick itself free Of it's swaddling
clothes.
Blame my cats, young un.'' he ex.
claimed. his eyes hard on the road
where it wound over the crest Of the
HILL" We amt the kind of proposition
I was lookin' fer. can't stand .yere
in the road an entertain ye. an ii
don't seem like jest the proper thing to
leave We; but amt never went back
on a feller vet as 'uz in hole. Shorely
yer friends'll miss We an turn up fer
you fore long. But if a loafer shud
happen this. way. it 'ud be the last OF
you. an jest likely as not I'd git the
credit of kidnapping ye, for my tracks
is goin' to give me away. Well, they've
credited me with most everything else
a feller oughtn't be proud of-an' yere
goes. fer better er' worse: it can't make
much difference" He slipped his arm
beneath the baby, lifted it to his breast
and stepped into the brush. Here he
made sundry maneuvres to conceal his
tracks, regained his horse. and spurred
for his hiding place. Meantime he had
kept the baby quiet "boo-booing." tick
ling it in, the ribs with the muZzle OF
his revolver,,a and addressing to it spec
ulative remarks as to the outcome OF
their blamed uncommon pickle
Safe ssain; n;within the protection OF
fortab1e s,r '11e1" n aid it III Il;
thin shade of ledge of rocks, and. sit
ting down opposite. began to regard Il
with a quizsical air of perplexity.
'Well, young ,ln.. I've been guilty o1
many a fool thing in my day, but this
caps 'em What I'm goin' to do Will
res more'n can savvy :,
.Goo. goo!' coed the baby. 1eefn