The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1906-01-12
Who Saw the Signal p?
IOriCinaI.1

tOriGinall
1t sunset coming to n ranch we turn
ell in aud w"r" invited to spend the
night ct The house by Manuel rardo.
tho owner There We're numbcr of
mon i'll tie yard all iinGlng spurs. and
one Of th"m was pointed out to me rs
IL trailer. Ills name was Sancho and
my informant told mc that if he were
dropped down anywhere within fifty
miles of the ranch on the darkest Of
DARK nights lie would feel the bushes
and tel within 4 thousand yards OF
where he was. These trailcrs were al
ways rare and are now well nigh yx-
t;Cc!.
| only SAW one woman about the
house. l'rado's daughter. about SiNtc
, years 'iA. Sh" WAS HS pretty rs 4 lit
Tie picture. Her black hair seemed 10
Indicate u trace of Indian blood, and in
the cCnirv OF her brown cheek WAS Il
cab OF vcrmilliOu. AT supper Sic hand
Cd Us coffee and during the evening
entertained Ills with songs. accumpany-
ing herself cn tho guitar
After Il good sleep arose anl threw
open my window. The yard wis full
uf men. plainly in Il state of excite
mcnt. i'rado was there swearing Ike
pirate. occasionally stopping 80 give
an order. Suucho was leaning against
In" porch. apparently the only uncun-
c"rn"d mam Of the lot. rrado every
DOW ana again would go Up 10 him and
say something. to which Sancho would
invariably shake his head. Meanwhile
saddle horses wcrc being lr'l from tie
stables.
Dressing hastily, ! went down to
learn that during the night some fifty
horses had been driven away from
their range 4 party was being made
up for pursuit. We were invited TO
join and, after IL hasty breakfast,
mounted our horses. When MI were
ready l was surprised TO SEQ Sancho
sitting on the porch. evidently not GO
ing. l'radO went UP 10 him and said
something we could not hear, but it
was like clec;rifyng n corpse. Sancho
jumped up and ran back to the stables.
When he returned he was splendidIy
mounted. On his head was n Sombrcro.
from under which fell long black In
dian hair: around him was Il gauily
blanket; under his right knee his VIII
chester. Prado gave the word. and
we were Off. Looking back, ] saw
something white waved from an upper
window. If any of the party except
me saw it. they paid no attention to it..
Nevertheless believed it was an
''ndieu' to some one of Our number and
that some one saw it. but would not
admit the fact. Which one of the wild
&. I
kept secret
The stolen horses had left a broad
trail, which Sancho. riding in front fol
lowed. On we rode mile after mile.
Keeping the steady ranch horse trot
The horse thieves had nearly twelve
hours The start Of Us, and we were
obliged u 90 faster than they could
drive the horses. At noon we rested
for an hour, then started on and rode
ill night WAS coming on. when the
hrond trail suddenly disappeared. san
cho said that they had scattered the
horses.
We ate supper of bacon Aud hard
tack. then started on under the light of
II full moon. Sancho still kept the lead,
leaning far forward in his saddle.
watching what was now Il single track.
Sancho gave n grunt of satisfaction.
Before us again stretches the wide
track made by the fugitivcS. Midnight
comes and passes. \ faint streak in
tho east hroadcns, and before it the
face of the moon In the west grows
aShen. Then the sun rises. ami we take
n few hours rest.
A cup OF coffee, and we were off on
our relentless pursuit. We had gone
but few miles when the broad trail
gave place 10 Il single one then disap-
peared altogether. Sancho was puZ-
Zled.
Ugh" he said prcscntl", they have
driven wild cattle across their trail"
The next sign was n heavy cloud of
smoke. Sancho said that they were
burning the dry grass through which
their trail lay, hoping to destroy it,
Prado. now realizing that the horse
thieves were near gave the order to
push on more rapidly. and in another