The San Francisco call., 1910-09-11

III
Ezzzzs.EzzzzlznzsK KzESxzzxEWD
mand, the critical elbow" having been
passed, they swung back on to the
grade. With this movement. however,
there was a terrific cracking of the
brush and noise of rolling stones and
logs. which. formed into an avalanche.
seemed TO be destined to take team and
all down the terrible precipfces
Ismael peered far down perpendicu-
larly into the dark mass OF treetops
standing Silly in the canyon below, in
mute apprehension, but at the critical
moment heard his father utter the
magic word to his wheelers, and the
noble beasts, with the agility OF mice
ana the strength Of elephants. sprang
with the tongue of the great wagon
nalf around on the upper side, "cramp-
lpg the wagon at deadlock" and.
with their own great weight thrown
pack in the breeching, held il there
So that. though all the other horses
should stumble off the narrow way the
wheelers and the rolling stock re-
NAMED on the grade
Al this time the bandits found n
mighty uncomfortable riding. even on
straw, when beneath their improvised
mattress was a bunch of iron TASKS.
ana tney decided TO climb into the back
a
more ease for their bones.
Ihey reached at length the steepest
ana most tortuouS portion OF the mar
row grade and as they stopped again
TO allow the horses a breathing soelI-
isIhaei reached forward and whispered
INTO hls fathers ear:
Nos mataE, papa?" CARA thew 1oirS
TO murder u.s. fatherD
Sepa dos? exclaimed BIZ In an
uhoertone- Then he asked son. tell
me, Is the king pin that couples the
oacK action wagon to this one the
old one with single head. or did YOU
nut on each end?"
It's the new one. dad; hxed it up
yesterday morning"
Good" cried Bill Now wen bava
some fun If there is the same stuff in
you that Is In your father"
A Desperate Undertaking
Then the youngster was told that
the ROBBERS overlooked the six shooter
In the jockey box. for him to get Az
and hold 1T in readiness ON his seat
and to shoot rapidly and accurately at
the bandits should they make a move
while he was at work near the rear
wagon The boy was excited and some
What mystified at his fathers scheme.
but declaring his faith in his God ba
the big wagon. and extracting the pfs
toI therefrom, slipped silently to his
seat In the back action He peeped
In and noted that the robbers were en-
Joy1nS to the full the brandy that was
1olted into gurgles in The demiiohn that
rested between them He heard George
the Greek mutter, Else passage es nnuv
pefgroso, por causa de las penas." thus
giving his partner a fortunate excuse
for the delay. that the passa ge was
dangerous. Then when George asked
the question, "Que va v. a hacer al
otro lado del riO?" and Vasquez replied
"Impidale de hacer danoy' his heart
leaped to his throat "Sol When thew
crossed the river they were going to
prevent him (BiH from doing mis-
ch1efF That means murder usp' he
soliloquized
Bill, in the meantime. had srasped a
monkey wrench and was worming his
way along the ground until he came
to the coupling pin between and which
joined the two wagons. Quickly he
unScrewed the nut at the top Of the Lin
and then slipped swiftly back to hfs
horse and mounted. IsmaeI took his
place at the front OF the main wagon
and with CHEEKY "get alongr the
team started up the last fearful in
cline. How IsmaeFs heart beat as
he thought that if nothing happened to
prevent, when they got on the other
side he would be sent to the rear
wagon and then the bandits would bat
tie with them. He knew his father
was sure shot, but the bandits had
four guns and they had but one be-
tween them.
AS they proceeded Bill pressed his
lips hard together. the boy trembled
and with the jolting and backing and
filing" the coupling pin gradually
worked downward. finally dropping out
altogether. when-away shot the back
action like an elevator released from
a cable, down. down. with vicious like
speed toward the last sharp curve or
elbow" springing with the increased
momentum off the grade into the awful
space, hurting through the air into
the shsdows OF the night below.
crashing with It's load OF human
freight, the now cursing bandits, into
the tall trees, awakening the valley
with the dreadful crash. finally landing
a splintered wreck on the rocks
Thus Bills coup had worked success
fully and the father and son hugEed
each other in their glee. IsmaeI was
dispatched on horseback on a night
ride not unlike that Of Paul Revere
arousing the people at different points.
including deputy sheriffs and the con-
stabulary, apprtSing them Of the fact
that the whole Vasquez gang was en-
camped in the region near Chambers
mountain ClaIleTlnS INTO the station
at Tres Pinos. the boy informed the
telegraph operator. later riding into
Hollister. San Juan, Watsorvine and
Castroville. galloping into Salinas Just
as the day was breaking.
1t was not long before a great gang
of citizens and officers were swarIning
about the camp Of the notorious brig
and chieftain and a daring gun fight
ensued. All of the gang were killed
with the exception of Tiburcio Vasquez
and a confederate, while there were a
number killed and wounded among the
attacking party.
This began the final doom Of Vas
quez, for with the two killed on the
precipice by Bill and Ismael and the
others at Fremonts crossing the foS
midable gang was demoranzed, The
stricken chief being unable to get an
other bunch Of men together in time to
save him from his arrest. which soon
after followed, leading to his hanging
in the Jail yard at San Jose in 1875.
detachment of officers led by
Sheriff Harry Morse of Alameda county
fastened to Moss landing at Monterey
bay. where the schooner was sighted
that was to bear the loot TO Mexico.
Morse left at once for San Francisco
to get a ship to chase her. but she was
too fast and when spotted she disap-