The daily Alaskan., 1905-06-26
A MEXICAN
 ADVENTURE

troops were supporting MdNimiian. After his capture by the French l en- gaged in a desperate plot to elect his escape. but we failed, were arrested and put In prison Co await either being carroted or shot The night before we were to be executed the officer In com mand came Into the room where we were confined and asked it any or us spoke Spanish. Three Of us responded. Thcn he asked us it we were Greek scholars. alone replied In the aiiirma- five. I was taken out of thc room and was the only one of my comrades who was not shot the next morning,
 The commaudaut took me Co his colo mel, who told me that he wished for a tutor In Greek for h,s son, who was preparing for collccc and asked mo tt | was competent to an the position. | was not proficient Greek scholar but of course did not throw away chance for my life. | undertook Che work and was promised that it succeeded I would be permitted Co return to France. The colonel then sen, me to his hacienda In the province ol romau- IIpas. first providing me with a permit 10 remain there signed by General Juarez himself,
 My pupil. boy of sixteen, and his sister. two or thUCC years his senior, were on the vCraud3 when ! was driv- on up to the house. They knew my story. and the boy regarded wc with keen interest. As for the girl it was far more than this. A great sympathy wclled up In her l1strous Spanish eyes, | Shuddcrcd, for | knew that | could not live near her without loving her, and Co love her meant Co me a return to the death | had SD narrowly cs- capcd.
 People of Spanish blood have always been careful of their young girls, but there Is no degree or watcnlulucss that would have prevented the stolen meet mgs between Donna Anita and me Roth understood that we were on the brink of a volcano. But danger only strengthens love, and we Dr-sod the 0ufckcr for n from one GU-nNo Co 0p- other. Then when We both knew and acknowledged that we vcra necessary to each other we were r..1r Co run any risk rather than hC sonarE.el We dare not ask Aujta's fathers consent Co our union, for, If rcfUScl-aul refusal was almost ccrtaIu-wy Nfr would pay for our rashuesS. We must make an at- tempt at flight. Failure Ia this also meant death to me, though | rcC3rlcl the chances more In my favor That we agreed to take even this risk can only be explained under tho theory that love Is stronger than the fear ot death.
 The hacienda was situated 15o miles south Of the Texas border and thirty five miles west Of the CUlt of Mexico. | chose the shorter line. A Frcuchm0n to be travelling with a young girl at that day would 0t once excite suSpi. clon: therefore | decided that Anita must So as a boy. Appropriating a suit of her brothers, she left her room one night after the lights were out and met me at the stable. had her own horse already saddlcd and one for myself Leading our uagS under the shadow Of a hedge Co the gate, we mounted and rode away.
 Before us was happiness, behind us | death. The risk we ran made the CN. | cltement keen as the edge of a sCImi- ter. and to me not unmlNcl with a sen sotiou Ot pleasure. Fortunately Anita was as much at home on her horse as on foot. We made the first ten miles In less than an hour and tho next Yen In an hour and a b3lf At lsSO jn tho morning we stopped to rest our horses and water them at a stream. | dared not attempt Co use them further for an hour when we started again. We made the next ten miles by 4SN and l the day dawucd We were within a few miles Of the coast when we passed a band of Mexican gucrrlIls oucampCd ! beside the road. They called on ms Co return, and | coUstdCrCd the better ! chance for us Co obey. Their com mandcr questioned no, and, assuming to be indignant, | pulled out my permit and, pointing Co tbe name of Ju0rCz threatened the man with dire coDSc- Queuces if he detained wc. Without waiting for him Co read the document we rode On, leaving him In the road looking at us woudCriugly,
 In half an hour we reached the coast, and set about securing a craft on which to reach Browuvil'C, the nearest point In Texas. Our departure must be by this time discovered, and one party Of pursucrs at least would make for the coast In couple or hours we must be afloat or captured There was but one craft In Sightaa fishing smack some two miles out Fortunately | found boat and pulled out Co her | told the owner that ! was anxious Co get to Brownville on Important husl- ness for General Ju8roz. whose magic name I showed him on my permit offering the man a large sum for the use Of his smack. After much delay he consented, pulled mo 0Shorc took in Anita and provisions and pulled back to the smack and set sail When far out at sea I saw party ot horSemen