The evening world., 1914-04-24

OF vantage they watched the Lax.
outfit. with l'en Evans at Its head.
dash into the plaza and turn Its
horses toward its solitary occupants.
is she dead?" Hens horse went
back on Its launches,
stunned. l think"
"Who-how did II happen"
BorJarques ran her down"
Ben's mouth was set In n straight,
hard line AZ he flashed a look at the
others. Then he raised his reins and
asked:
which way did he GOT"
Bob directed him with nod. That
was all. The saddle feathers creaked
as the horses responded to the spurs.
Tho Mexicans were returning.
laughing boisterously, and Ignacio
was a hero. wearing a self conscious
smirk. How neatly he hsi bowled her
Overt They bent In mirth over their
saddle horns.
What horsemanship he had dis
played In striking the shoulder at the
right angle! All. he was a devil
when reused! They had better be-
ware OF him-Ignacio BojarQues!
There was proud blood in his veins.
lgnacio Bojarques twiried his mus
tache and tossed his head. Pigs Of
Americans-bah.
What was that Tho caballeros
stopped on tho instant. The pound
Ing OF hoofs. a cloud Of d,ist-Dios!
the Americanos! They recognized
Ben Evans's big scrrel In the lead.
They curbed their horses In sudden
panic. and the faces Of tho Jaunty
caballeros paled perceptibly. II was
ono thing To fight the Americana In
tho Imagination and quito another
To face him In reality. particularly
when he was seeking the encounter
with all hts heart and soul. Indecis-
ION was In tho Mexicans' attitudes
In the momcntary pause. Should thcy
fight or run?
Perhaps tho Americans desired to
wreak their vengeance only upon lg-
nacio Boj1rqucs. In that case surely
II were not cowardice to remain neu-
trail, since he alone was guilty?
Happy inspiration! IL was far loss
ignominious than to run; besides,
ones back In n Wide target.
They drew their horses to tho road-
side. budding close to let tho cowboys
pass II they would. and fight IL they
must. The only ono among them who
was In doubt as to what he should do
was Bojarques. With the first hoof-
beat he promptly turned and ran.
The cowboys Numbered by. passing
the Mexicans grouped by the road :
side without a glance. for they knew
the dust ahead.
Ignacio had no need 10 look over his
shoulder to know that they were
gaining. He rode far over his horses
neck. sick with fear. Tho hoofbeata
behind him were only a little louder
than the pounding OF his heart.
When his winded horse began "a
stumble. he cast n terrified glance
over his shoulder. Tho gap was clos
ing fast. and his horses breath wa
coming In sobs.
In front OF him was q long stretch
, OF ankle. deep Sand. Once. twice. his
horses knees gave way. Its wind
was almost gone!
In a frenzy OF desperation he
looked about for some way 10 escape
other than the road. The torne0
grew like a hedge on either side.
dense. impassablc. its thorns ready
TO tear his flesh to shreds n he tried
to force II.
And then. II only he could reach Il;
trail branching to tho river. In his
insane fright he cared not where II
went: he thought only Of leaving the
road. where quickly he must fall or
surrender.
The horse was staggering when he
reached II. but the trail was little
used and harder than the road, which
enabled II to recover somewhat. A
hundred yards or No and the sullen
Rio Grande spread before him. The
trail ended on It's sandy bank, and
he could not go back.
The river WAS up. and running like
millrace, yellow with sand and
mud. and swirling In ominous cddies.
Heavy rains and melting SHOWS In the
mountains to the north had raised
II nearly level with Its banks.
Uprooted trees and debris were
rushing by. swtrling and bobbing In
the erratic current. II WIS thick.
too. with sand. and from tho torrent
came IA steady. dun, awesoine roar.
For an instant II appalled, Bo-
jarques though he had forded II often
at this crossing when the river was
down. He looked at II. ashen with
fear. while his horse stood at its
edge with dropping head and spread
Ing legs, its knees shaking violently
beneath II.
A bullet sung by Bojarques's ear.
and the river looked leSs formidable
at the moment than his pursuers. lie
spurred the horse, which baked,
punching its feet in refusal upon the
very edge OF the sandy bank.
Ine Mexican plleu the Qulrt, ana
, still the horse refused, while po-
jarques In his fright screamed at II
, like a hysteriCal woman.
Without warning the bank caved
beneath the horses feet. and horse
and rider sank with q splash to rise
again In the swirlinx Mood.
Look at him-the crazy fooi--he
thinks he can swim ~" There was
II certain compassion in the cowboys
faces. for the horse that was strug-
Cling CALAMITY in the yellow hood.
II could as easily have breasted Il
cloudburst
III its head goes under once. they're
gone: that waters m0re'n half sand"
The cowboys, looking on grimly.
. followed along the banks as the cur
rent swept horse and rider down.
The struggles OF tho already ex-
hausted animal were growing weaker
and. snorting. stranglinE. II turned
it's wild. beseechinE eyes toward shore.
Gosh! that hurts mo clean
through" Ben Evans began to un-
coil his saddle rope.
The Mexican felt tho horse waA
swimming lower. and realized that
II could not keep up much longer
with his weight upon Its back. 30 he
grasped It's name and slipped from
the saddle.
"Ionk at hin--he don't kuou