The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1904-12-14

AhC9 StYJu toSptuer Oh Ine pOfCn Oh II
plain brick lbuse in Brownsville, Tex.
Bertha was the motherless daugh-
,aer, and Annette the orphaned sister,
tof two as brave border officers as ever
ldrew sword. Both girls had grown
mp on the frontier, and were familiar
,Hvith the crack of u rife and the fierce
yell of the Indian.
Bertha looked off toward the chapar-
raj, but made no reply, and Annette
continued:
lit is Il fine morning Suppose we
take 4 S;illOp to the battlefield of Re
SAGA? We can be back in half an
hour"
Yes. but father said it was not safe
for US to venture out alone. You know
the road is dangerous even for armed
men, rcioincd more prudent Bertha.
But they Will not moleSt us. Sc
lin can outravel anything on the bor-
der"
THAT may lie. Still, have no de-
sire to put your option to the proof
MeXicans. YOU know are not noted
Tor their honesty, or their civlity TO
ladies'" laughed Bertha.
"Oh, bother the McXicanSw impa-
lived all my life OH the plains. and Wit
messed many q hand-to-hand encounter
with savages, and it's come to a pitt
ful pass, indeed. if we are to permit
the fear of meeting Il few MeXicans to
anterfcre with our pleasure. Colonel
Hilton and brother Ned are at Ring
gold Barra ckS and won't be back for
Il week. They surely can't expect us
80 be- housed up all that time Why, l
should die OF want of exercise" en-
phaticaiiy declared Annette.
Both girls were excellent riders and
rs fearless rs they were quick wittcd
and handsome. Full of health and
spirits, ana Mt home in camp and
tiaia. they rode with the regiment
TO WiGt"T"r post of duty it might
be assigned, with never murmur
Mt the numerous pcrils and hardShips
which continually beset the nomadic
life Of 4 soldier.
''Jm," said Annette, to dminutive
youth, who was lolling under the china
trees at the gate, SADDLE SeIim ana
H""t0". and bring them around right
away
"'Dead, Hiss Annette. Selim amt
Npin ouss Of dc stable for mo- an two
days, an he'll be too frlsky fo' you to
hor. suah.' cautioned Jim.
Never mind his frisklng. I'm not
fimid, and Sclm, if he has spirit, is
not vicious"
Silcnced on the one point, Jim ven
tu"2d TO utter word in warning in re-
gard TO the danger OF riding alone
any great distance from the town.
please, Miss Annette, you will not
80 Oh the Brazos road, cause it's
mighty sk"ery dar - deed il is. Dat
ar hoSS OF Major Maynard is watched,
md dem Mex"
"Oh, nonsenscw Interrupted his mis-
freSS. 1--WE are going to ride just
where we please, and no doubt the nat
ural Eve within us will lead us exact
Iy i'll The direction where we ought not
to go, and all through your unwsc
warning. You get the horses ready,
and we will take care of ourselves"
b Jim obcNcd ana soon brought around
the horses. Selim was the pet courser
OF Annci!"'s brother-a high stepping,
beautiful Morgan brown, and widely
known as the best bit of blood on the
frontier.
The young ladies, in tasteful riding
habits, came down the steps. laughing
merrily as the birds were singing in
the trees overhead.
Hector, Il stout iron gray cavalry
nag, was = very ordinary animal beside
the glossy coated. intelligent eyed
charger; but Hector was the hero of
many border fights, and bore his scars
royalty.
Bertha loved him for the danger he
mad passed, and used to say that she
always felt perfectly safe with scdatc.
stcndy going old Hector.
The girls, notwithstanding Jim's
muttered remonstrances ana rucful
face, gaiIy mounted and leisurcly can
tered off in the direction Of the Brazos
road
Oar am no use warning wimmin
1olkS,' philosophical Iim-"no use Mt
all. for dcy am sartin to 20 jus wat
YOU tell 'cm not to. ought to tol
'em to go on dc Brazos pike. den dcy
Us houn' to take dc uddcr way"
The road wound through dense
labyrinth of chaparraI or mczquite. as
1T is called in native parlancp. thickly
1nterspersed with the thorny pined cac-
tus and fan leafed palmetto.
Fhey had but just crossed the mar
row way, whore two faint bride paths
divcrSed on either hand, leading into
what seemed an impcnctrable thicket
OF mcZquite. when Selim showed un.
mistakablc signs of disliking TO 20 on.
Bertha too, noticed that old Hector
prlckcd mp his ears, and seemed shy
of advancing. She was about to re-
mark rs much, when, with n furious
snort Selim bounded to one side, and
there, in the middle OF the path direct
~ before them, stood swarthy MeXi-
can, armed to the teeth. ana as cruel
and crafty looking as any Indian.
They were nearly three miles from
town, on Il lonely little Travelled road,
where all sorts of crimes had been com
mitted, where brave men had died by
the aSguSSin'S hand and tbiavnc