The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08
By ARTHUR L. PRICE
CHAPTER III.

which glistened darlxly under the stars.
There was a second of silence. Then
Lucian heard a diabolical yen AMI the
rapid beat of horse hoofs on the trail
behind him. He jerked his horse from
the pool and urged it toward the
thicket. But the brush was impassa-
BILE. The tired beast faltered The
hoof beats came nearer. There was q
pistol shot and the horse sank under
Lucian. AS the boy jumped clear of
the falling mount a band of horsemen,
yelling like mad, surrounded him. The
leader raised a quirt and struck the boy
over the head.
AS Luclan saw the blow coming he
recognized that he was in the hands
of Juan Padilla
1t was the unmannerly gait of the
horse to which he found himself
dashed that restored Lucian to con-
seriousness. The fearful jogging of the
brute would have aroused the seven
SleeperS.
1t was still dark, blacker even than
when Lucian had been overtaken by
Juan Padilla and his band of outlaws,
for a mist had urifted in from San
Pablo bay and yelled the stars.
The terrible pain on his head blinded
Lucian, but he soon found that the cruel
stride of the horse was so much more
distressful that he let the two woes
neutralize each other, brave lad that
he was, and set his mind to recollect
his position and situation.
AS he galloped along, dashed to the
rocking mount, LuciaA remembered the
exciting events of the last two days.
He recalled the coming of Captain
Merritt and his company of Yankees to
the boys home the Elliott place. He
recollected how he had guided the
: Yankees to Sonoma and how that town
had surrendered so quietly that it did
not seem like war. He remembered
with chagrin how he had taken nap
at the home of Pedro'S grandmother.
and had been aroused by the voice of
Padilla, the most cruel of outlaws
He reviewed his decision to ride into
the night and warn Captain Merritt
and his party that Padilla intended to
pursue them to rescue General Val
lejo from their hand and put them to
death. And though he had ridden as
hard as he had dared here he was,
overtaken by Padilla, held a prisoner.
Padilla had gang of more than 10
men with him on that nights raid.
They were an evil looking crew. Luz
clan could see that even in the misty
darkness that enveloped the band.
Lucian was on a horse, which was
driven in the center of the gang.
He was securely pocketed by the
other riders. Furthermore, he was
dashed to the saddle by heavy coils of
the RATA. his hands were tied behind
him and there was a heavy cloth over
his mouth. He was bound and gagged
and that was all there was to it.
On and on the party rode. Padilla
was at the head of the small column
Of horsemen. AT times he would shout
curses at his men and urge them to
faster travel. They must overtake the
Yankees before daylight, if at all.
Captain Merritt and nine of his men
had left Sonoma during the afternoon
on account of a dispute over the con-
troll of the captured town.
William B. Ide, one of the party, had
declared that the Americans must stay
at Sonoma and establish a government
there, otherwise they were not revo-
lutionists but horse thieves and rob-
bers. There must be no pillage or
drinking.
Merritt was a different sort of a
warrior. He held that the command of
the place and it's force rested more
in the person of the commander than
in the possession of the town, He
declared that General Vallejo should be
taken as a prisoner to Captain Ere
mont's camp and held as a hostage
When Ide said that he would not agree
to that PLAN Merritt and nine of his
followers broke with the majority
Taking General Vallejo and another
Spanish officer. Victor Paudon, Merritt
had started for the Sacramento valley
He and his men were exhausted. They
had been in the saddle for days and
nights and when darkness came they
made camp and settled themselves to
rest without posting a guard. The
crafty, bold Indian fighter and bear
hunter showed a lack of discretion that
led almost to his death.
The blackness of night was growing
slowly less in the east when Padilla
halted his party. Lucian, cramped and
stiff, welcomed the respite although
he did not know but what ii foretold
his death. lie could not realize now
why he had not been killed outright