Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-21

] lOW DdtihS, anu lOOhlHS DIS II II ing NJ
have trout in it. Here we knew we
off into the brush again and decided
to lie low until moonrise.
From our hiding place we could
see quite a way down the slope, to a
spot where a heavy spring sprouted
out under a rock When Badly and
Antonio got thirsty both at the same
time it seemed quite all right that
they should creep down to the spring
and get drink
We'll, the fellows had no more than
reached the spring when I saw them
kind of stiffen up. pull their knives
Next second [ heard a cry and a
scuffling. | was up and after them
in jiffy, pulling my own knife as
ran. for YOU will understand that was
no time or place to use our guns il
we could help it. There at the side
of the trail was an old man. crumpled
up on his face, with Badly Just pull
ing the knife from out of his back.
between the shoulder blades. In the
middle of the trail lay boy. He had
evidently been running away when
Antonio's big bowie knife caught him.
The way the greaser could fling a
knife was a caution.
AT the sight of the old Injun and
the boy lying there in their blood l
felt pretty sick. | can tell you This
was not the kind of fighting | was
looking for. It was Just the coolest
blooded kind of murder; but under
stood it all in a glance-and having
gone into such game with those two
rufi1ans, it was no more than ] had
a right to expect There was nothing
could say very well. so ] Just stood
there chewing in disgust
+'fIag tfiDrq II.
the other kept watch, We rested until
/ well into the night when the moon
was Just getting up. Then. knowing
that it was the time when every
inJun would be in out of the way, we
started up the trail.
Il tell you we didn't make any
more noise than so many ghosts as
We crept along in the blackness of
the Swallowed side of the trail Pretty
soon We came TO the bridge. 1t was
one of their ininn bridges. aimsy
enough to our eyes, but answering
their purpose as well as ANYTHING
more fancy.
From this point the trail left the
river. 1t climbed, climbed. zigzagging
through a tumbled, broken country
for maybe a couple of hours Then
il began to descend-first little by
little, then so quick it was like going
downstairs And at last we reached
the mouth of the canon, with the
river rolling out of ii.
The mouth of. the canon was wide
and the woods came down thick to
the trail. We reckoned it would be
no kind of a healthy place for us
around daylight, so, the first gray
ness just then sitting down among
the trees, we quit the trail.
"AlOnp toward tho fY,idd1a ~ +ba
afternoon We caught queer kind of
noise. We made it out, at last, to be
woman's voice crying and moan
ing. / said I'd go and kind of pros
peet around and bring back word
what was the matter; but Baldy and
Antonio allowed they'd go along, too.
I'VE didn't have to go far be-
fore we saw what it was There at
the bend of the trail, tied to a tree,
was girl with long coal black hair
all down her face to her knees. And
In front of her, where she could see
1t plain, but couldn't any way get at
it, was a jar of water keeping nice
and cool in the shade. II struck us
we being thirsty ourselves just then
as mighty simple but ingenious
kind OF torture.
Well whispered |, 4 reckon we've
got to see what can be done for that
kid Antonios eyes showed their
whites at me with a. 1eer of mis-
understanding and approval; but
Badly protested.
What for, Martin? he demanded.
You haven't got much sense,
Badly, have you? Can't you see this
is our big chance? Well make her
show us the way.
Il slipped out of the brush with
my knife in my hand. The girl gave
a cry of terror as she saw me
coming. Then he face lighted up with
hope.
i" Don't be frightened, we won't
hurt you any. says I in Spanish,
as I cut the leather thongs that
dashed her to the tree.
"She didn't seem to understand
Spanish, but began to thank me kind
of wild like in an injun lingo which
I'd picked up down on the coast; and
she tried to kiss my hands The
moment I'd freed her little feet she
grabbed my arm and fairly dragged
me into the brush.
We must get away quick she
whispered, all shaking with terrible
excitement. But when we came to
Badly and Antonio she looked scared
and slipped behind my arm.
They're friends, says / TO her
This satisfied her.
Come on, then. come quick!' she
painted. and started to drag me away
as if to get me out of the canon, but
wouldn't stir.
No" says I. Not that way, yet
We have come to get gold. I've saved
you. Wen fight for you, but you
must show lis how to get the gold
"She seemed terribly frightened at
this and fell on her knees and begged
me to take her away at once or we'd
all be killed. She made kind of signs
to show US that we'd be tortured and
she poured out such a string of stuff
about the injuns having just murder
ed her mother, and having condemned
her to death for a kind of witch-and
about how she'd tell us all about the
gold, by and by, so as we could come
back with a lot of soldiers and get It,
and all such crazy childish stuff.