Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1909-02-10
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

"No: | come ahead Nv EN-! In fact,
Dick Lame. you air jes' leetle bit of
in yer idees about which party l be-
long to. When you cussed me fer a
thievin' half breed an run me off the
range an tole me to go to the lniuns,
whar belonged. TUX yer advice.
I'm what you might call the rear
guard NV the outfit you've jes' been
havin' yer shootin match with--or /
wuz the rear guard, fer you've wiped
out the whole battalion. So fer as ]
can see. Served 'em right fer detailin'
nee, the only decent shooter in the
bunch, to watch the horses. I got one
shot in as it wuz. Well. as the last Nv
the outfit own a string of ten ponies.
All | need now to set up in business
Is to have some prospector who bain't
long to live leave me his leetle pile Nv
dust an nuggets an the claims he's
located back in the mountains. You
look q leetle mite like the man. It'll
save vallible time il you make yer
dear friend Buck Mckee administrator
Nv yer estate without too much per
suadin' You had some objection
oncet to my slittin' a calf's tongue.
Well, you needn't be scared jes' yet
That's the last thing I'll do to you.
Come, whar's yer cache? | know
you've got one eabouts. fer l fOun'
signs uv.the dust in yer pack"
Lane set his teeth in a firm resolu-
tion not to say word. The taunts
Of his captor were harder to bear in
silence than the prospects of torture.
stubborn, hey? Well, we'll try a
little 'Pache persu2din." And the rem
egade dragged his helpless captive up
to she thOrny sahuaro and bound bis
back against it with the dead horses
bride. Mckee searched through
Lanes pockets until he found a match
Last one, hey? Kinder proprate
las drink from the old canteen las
cartridge, las look at the scenery an
las will an testyment Oh, times
precious. but I'll spare you enough to
map out i'll yer mind jes' where them
claims is located. The rurales won't
be along fer an hour yet if they hain't
turned back after cur other party"
Mckee pulled off Lanes boots at
hain't decent fer Il man to die with 'em
on" he said. He then kindled fire on
the stone, beneath which, if he but
knew it. lay the treasure he sought
He returned with burning brand ia
the captive. For the first time he oh
served the snake impaled on the sahu-
arc, writing still, but feebly. Hello
ole RATHER" he exclaimed Here's
somethin' to stir you up And he toss
ed the brand upon the top of the cac
tus.
Taking another burning stick from
the fire, he applied it to the soles of his
victims feet. Lane writhed and groan
ed Under the excruciating torture, but
uttered no word or cry. Mckee brought
other brands and began piling then
about his captive's feet
In the meantime the sahuaro haG
caught fire at the top and was burning
down through the interior. A thin col
hmn of smoke rose straight above il
in the still air. The rurales in the val
ley below. who had reached the begin
ming of the ascending trail and were
on the point Of giving up the pursuit
saw the smoke and inferred that the
Apacbes, either through overconfidence
or because Of their superstitious feal
Of the mountains. which they supposed
Inhabited by spirits. had camped on
the edge Of the valley and were signal
Ing to their other party. Accordingly
the Mexicans renewed the chase with
Increased vigor.
AS Mckee bent over his captive's
feet, piling against them the burning
ends Of the sticks, the rattlesnake OF
the sahuaro. melted by the fire above
struggled free from the impalinc
thorns by desperate effort and drop
ped OH the back of the half breed, Il