Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-07-18
BLAKE'S
SURRENDER
II Was An Unconditional
One
By QAHSsA hAcEIE

Blake pushed his EEy through q
thickst Of cAspsczl, t-9- With Il
emerged lite Dors rzzEs3 AID 6cET
than before, and sat doE- ~ = 1y
stream t-1ckE1g is lE-51 -By 70
ward ths SAID bloEo 6=z-1 Els fest
were 20; and SIRE tuz sEe 6Eyg
rapid travelling th-o1za .E-ksi
wastes, bit s. tEr L. lad c1ls OFT
unhErDsi True, Is t.us5 sazb-E-o
carried two hoes WHARF II taEz-rscto
ssutry's bullet had gooe Epr4rg
through, bit Frank Bake lad drawn
lis OWL weapon II response, and be
was sure that the Mexican had taken
& brief vacation from se1ry duty.
OF course that only FASTENED bis
flight toward the frontier. for II was
fight Ordinarily be Was not one to
turn his back On g skirmish. but be
was the psynsster Of the Laguna
Mines company, and as the revolution
ary spirit Of his miners forbade them
70 waste any more golden days delving
II the darkness o. galleries and cross
cuts or upper and lower leTels when
there was Instruction afoot It became
Necessary for the psymaster 20 fee IN
CALAMITY with his papers and his bills
Of eIehsnge-the currency be hastily
buried As be vas the only American
left On the force there Was nothing
for Frank Blake 70 DO but 10 guard bis
conpany's treasure 70 the best Of bis
ability.
He tossed OF the tn box which had
been strapped 70 lis shoulders and ID
buckled the stuffed belt which burden
Cd hin cruelty II the heat and stress
Of his long tramp He kicked Of bis
shoes and stockings and thrust his feet
into the cool trickle Of the stream and
closed his eyes.
Naturally DARK conplerioned, the
burning SUI Of Mexico had tanned his
face 70 the complexion Of the natives !
His straight black hair ciung TO his /
brown forehead and added TO the rag |
ged- unkeupt appearance, for ragged
be WIS and uocared for. HIS clothing /
was torn 70 shrsds By tborns and cae-
tins EDines. and the dust that coTered
his handsome features lent q grotesqus
appearance 70 an otherwise attractive
personality.
All az once be opened his bright
black eyes with the sudden resolve
that q thorough scrub II the stream
would refresh hin nightly. Hungry
be was and thirsty, but be must go
unsatissed until be ran across q ranch,
and in this locality they might be thick
as pulque plants. As be bent 70 plunge
his cupped hands INTO the water there
came the sharp barking Of dog and
the sound Of Light quick footsteps be-
lind hin he turned 70 see a girl,
slender. erect, with tnQuir1ng eyes Of
warn brown. & skin blended Of the
olive and the cactus flower, hair as
black as his own and a red mouth
rounded into a surprised exclamation
at sight Of him.
ABR she said quickly in Spanish.
"Buenas tardes, senorita," returned |
Blake gravely, for there was hostility |
In her eyes now as she scanned him |
closely. Then he continued in Span.
ish as be arose to bis feet, 'Is there a
house near at handT
why do you askT' she inquired sus.
piciously.
Blake laughed shortly and included
bis outcast appearance in one graphic
sweep Of a shapely brown hand 81
am in need Of refreshment and repose
among friends. I have Travelled far,
and am very weary" A trace Of the
WEAKNESS was evident In his voice.
For two days and a night be had not
slept
The girl seemed to hesitate. She
booked over Blake's head, her forehead
wrinkled in a pretty frown Truly
she was the flower Of some neighbor.
ing hacienda. be decided as be noted
the Spanish coloring Of her complex.
ion, though she wore the trinity cut
garments Of an American girl-a short
snowy linen skirt and shirt waist,
with loose sleeves rolled back to
rounded elbows Her uncovered head
showed her hair arranged IN two
loose braid hanging far below her
slender waist
Come" she said suddenly. Come
to my father"
he admired the girls quick tread, so
different from the languorous glide Of
her countrywomen, and attributed il TO
the free, open life which she had en-
joyed as the daughter OF a ranchero
He was aware that she was under.
going some perturbation on his &C
count, for she frequently looked back
at him and always with that dlstrust.
ful glance OF her brown eyes.
Presently he noticed that her hand
always rested lightly on her right hip.
and then he saw there was a tiny
holster. from which protruded the
ivory handle OF a revolver His own
hand sought his weapon then. for II
the daughter was suspicious the father
might be openly hostile
They topped rise OF ground and came
upon a smooth, well made road wind
Ing toward n distant red rooted build.
ing set in the midst OF n chestnut
grove. North, east and west stretched
a magnificent cattle range Herds ap-
peared Ike blots in the distance. The
herders were black moving specks on
the yastness OF the grassy plain. As
they went forward a horseman rode
from the gntes and. turning TO the
west, galloped madly along a palm