Spray courier. (Spray, Or.) 1???-19??, 1907-10-19
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cess was highly probematical. Tn,
poems, all utter rufians, and expressly
chosen by the general, but who enter
tanned profound respect for the integ
rltS,,ot their limbs, and were but very
slightly INCLINED to have them injured il
90 dlsadvantageous a contest with people
who would not recoil, were disposed to
follow the~ advice of the capataz and re-
tine, before retreat became impossible
lhheppily, the Zaragate was among
the poems. Believing from his conversa-
ton with the colonel that he knew bet
ter than any one the generals intentions,
and attracted by the hope of rich .fe-
! ward If he succeeded in delivering him
OF his enemy, that Is to say, in killing
valentine; and moreover, probably ip-
| PEELED by the personal hatred he enter
tanned for the hunter, he would not listen
to any observation, and swore with hor-
| rible oaths that he would carry out the
| generals orders at all hazards, and that,
| since the persons they were ordered to
stop were only few PAGES before them,
they ought not to retire until they had,
at least, attempted to perform their duty,
and that if his comrades were such cow
! ards as to desert him, he would go on
alone at his own risk, certain that the
general would be satisfied with the way
in which he had behaved.
After a declaration so distinct and
peremptory, any hesitation became i'm
possible, the more SO as the horsemen
were rapidly comnig up, and if the capa-
taz hesitated much longer he would be
attacked in the rear. Thus driven out of
his last intrenchment, and compelled
against his will to fight, Carnero gave
the signal to push on ahead.
But the poems had scarce started ere
three shots were fired, and three men
rolled in the dust The. newcomers, In
this way, warned their friends to hold
their ground and that they were bring;
ing help. The dsmounted poems were not
wounded, though greatly shaken by their
fall, and unable to take part IN the fight
their horses alone were hit, and that so
cleverly that they at once fell.
"Eh, eh! the capataz said, as he gal
loped on these picaros have very sure
hand What do yoI th'ulz of, 2"
II say that>there are still four of ns
that is double the number of those witt
ing for us down there, and we are safIi-
cient to master them" q
Don't be too sure, my good friend,
Zaragate," the capataz said with grin
they are men made of iron, who must
be killed twice over before they fall"
The Tigrero and his companions had
heard shots and seen the poems bite the
dust.
''There is Valentine" said the French
man.
II believe So" Don Martial replied
"Shall we chargeT
YES" = y. 20
And digging in their spurs, they dashed
at the poems. /
Valentine and his two comrades Bel
humeur and Black Elk (for the French
man was not mistaken, it was really the
hunter coming up, whom the Canadian
had warned) fell on the poems simulta-
neously with Don Martial and his com
panion.
A terrible, silent and obstinate strug-
gle went on for some minutes between |
these nine men the foes had seized each |
other round the body, as they were too
close to, use firearms, and tried to stab |
each other. Nothing was heard but an
CRY curses and painting, for what is the
use of insulting when you can kill?
The Zaragate, SO soon as he recognized |
tie hunter, dashed at him. Valentine,
although taken off his guard, offered a
vigorous resistance; the two men were
like serpents, and, In their eff
'orts to dismount each other, at last both
-ell, and rolled beneath the. feet of the
,ombatants who, without thinking of |
hem, or perceiving their fall, continued
o attack each other futiousIy.
The Zaragate, some years younger than
and possessed of his full bod
ly strength, while urged on, by the love
If rich reward, made superhuman eff
orts to master his opponent and plunge,
lis navaja into his heart. -
Still Valentine felt that his strength
vas becoming exhausted the unexpected,i
esistance he met with from an enemy ap-
'arently so little worthy of him exasper-
ted him and made him lose his GOODNESS.
all his remaining vigor to at
empt a final and decisive effort, he sue
eeded in getting his enemy once again
lnder him, and pinned him down; but,
t the same moment, Valentine uttered a
ry of pain and rolled on the ground
horses kick had broken his. left arm.
The Zaragate sprang up with a tigers
'ound, and bursting into yell of de.
light, placed his. knee on his enemy's
hest, at the same time as he prepared
o bury his navaja in his heart. Valen-
Inc felt that he was lost, and did not at
cmpt to avoid the death that Threatened
i'm.
"Ah, ah!' the Zaragate said, with a
erocious grin. II hold my venSeance
: length, accursed Trail-hunter."
He did not complete the sentence:
uddenly seized by his long hair, while
knee, thrust between his shoulderss' fore
d him to bend back. he saw, as in a II
orrible dream, a ferocious fsce grinnine
bove his head. With fearful groan he
oiled on the ground: knife had been l.
uried in his heart, while. his scalp.
Thich was suddenly removed, left his
enuded skull to inundate with blood the
round around. s.--!-
Curumilla raised in his arms the body