Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-03

II am armed" said Cameron ...
you were armed also it would be- An
equal fight"
THE men always carry their wear.
ons with them"
Cameron did not like waiting for .
bandits to return and was eonar.
averse to leaving the girl under n,
suspicion of having warned Mn.
There seemed no way but to TAKE r.
with him.
eff you are willing to take the 1.s
of going with me-" he said at last. ~vs
will leave at once"
| 1t was some time before Pepita %.
| piled. When she did she said. 81
| would rather die than remain bere -
| captivity. Were it not for the tinne.
! / might invoke the aid OF the law 4,
present there is no law in Mexico
! But I will not place you in jeopardy
| on my account / have suspected that
! there are arms concealed somewbera
| in the house. If / can find anything
with which to defend myself will "a
with you. If not 1 will remain. Bur
! will not ask you to remain also"
She went into the house, where Cam.
gone some time when he heard some.
thing give way, and in a few minutes
Pepita came out with a brace of 70
volvers. Cameron examined them and
found that they had been freshly load
ed. This he knew from the fact thar
the cartridge cases were not dingr.
Pepita had pried open a closet door
and found a lot of arms and ammuni.
ton.
Within ten minutes the two were
riding away in the darkness. 1t was
about o'clock. and the bandits were
not expected to return till midnight st
least. But Pepita did not believe that
they would remain long in ignorarse
of the fight. She suspected that they
might have set a watch on the house
Besides, there were others of the gang
occupying here and there one of the
adobe houses along the road, any one
of whom might have been commission
ed to report any one hurrying by.
Their route lay midway between the
gulf and the railroad leading north
ward through Victoria and Monterey
The roads were mostly unpaved. so
that their horses hoofs sounded only
with a dull thud. Hoping to avoid at
tention, they rode for awhile at a
walk, then assumed a brisk trot and
finally broke into a gallop.
Pepita was right in assuming that
their fight would be reported to the
bandits They had not been on tie
way half an hour when suddenly Pc
pita's horse threw back an ear. In an
other moment the girl heard the tread
of horses coming swiftly, and lastly it
broke on the less sensitive ears Of the
American.
Now we must run for it." he said
1--WE must direct our course to the
nearest town. How far is the house
we left from Victorian"
I've heard it said that it is about
twelve miles"
We've come about five; that leaves
seven. We must turn into the first
road we come upon leading westward"
The road forked a short distance far
Their on, the left hand road leading, so
Cameron believed, 10 Victoria They
turned into il, but seven miles was
long distance for a run for life with
men following on feet horses. The
only comfort for the fugitives was
that their pursuers were doubtless full
of pulque.
Pepita's horse, as were all the horses
OF the bandits, was fleet. Cameron
found it difficult to urge his mount
on to keep up with her. he spurred =
him and belabored him all TO no pur-
pose. Meanwhile the hoofbeats in rear
grew more distinct. At last Cameron
thrust his hand into his hip pocket.
pulled out his roll of bills and handed
them to Pepita, saying:
Take these and go on. If the BAN
dts spare my life 1 will join you in
Victoria
SIS it money!"
Three thousand dollars"
She took it and, with parting pres
sure of the hand, urged on her morse
and soon left Cameron far behind
His horse was now staggering. de
and. slapping the animais
sent him on. then took to
thicket near the road. In a few MN
utes the pursuers clattered by. TO IND
the horse. which they recognized as
the Americans, standing exhausted Nv
the road a mile farther on.
Then began search of the surrounu
ng country, which was fruitless anu
enabled Pepita to reach Fictolia-
There the two met in the street tne
next day. Pepita handed Cameron tne
bills, and he. after she had agreed
'emain where she was till his return
completed his journey and the trsnSA' I
ion upon which he had been sent
The oil company paid Pepita sum
equal TO the one she had saved thenl'
md she went to live with relatives VI
he other side OF the Rio Grande. u
Cameron gained good deal OF eciS'
With his company by his feat wh'eu
vas added TO since the property pun
hased turned out TO be very vaiuaUe
lie was advanced to a prominent Is
Ion and has the prospect of maAins
ortune