Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-01-29


had leaped through the window. glass
and all. and was on the porch. From
here, as two bullets sped after him, he
leaped down upon the back of q horse
that was being held by a soldier.
Striking the animal with the butt of
his revolver. he went careering of
through the darkness like a rocket.
From the men on the drive, from
men on the porch, came a rain OF bull
let's: and Holton, who had learned q
trick or two in the way of horseman-
ship. slipped down along the animals
body. shielding himself almost COM
pletely. But the horse was exposed.
and whining bullet pierced the steed
to the heart. He suddenly plunged for
ward, throwing Holton to the ground.
then rolled over and was still.
Holton landed on his knees, and. al
though Jared. was not stunned. He
scrambled along desperately, regain
ing his feet. and struck out for the
woods, about hundred feet away.
He toiled on for two hours. distanc-
ing all sounds OF pursuit, and then
flung himself on the wet ground like
tired animal and fell at once into a
deep sleep. When he awoke the sun
was shining through the trees.
But 1t was not this that had reused
him. 1t was the roaring OF field ord
nance and the racketing of small arms.
Evidently they were at it again. His
one thought was that this was the End
OF July. and that on the morrow the
Spanish warships meant to dash out
of the harbor and attempt an escape.
His fleet must be warned. That was
what he was there for, and this, from
now on. must be the single aim OF his
life. the one thought in his mind. the
supreme struggle of his body.
BY constant concentration upon the
object of his mission, he brought his
mental condition into sort of hys-
terra The heat. too. had got into his
brain. AS he stumbled over log he
would sob or curse. and once. when
he tripped and was thrown fiat, he lay
for second. weeping like child.
So he went on until once, upon
climbing a tree to ascertain his posi-
tion, he looked down upon the upper
waters of the harbor. He was on the
hills to the right. and another hours
journey would bring him within Sig
! nal of his fleet.
He struggled feebly. and then lay
back with the realization that, great
as was the eSigency, he was not able
to meet It. A sort OF stupor. partly
hunger. partly fatigue. stole over him.
and he closed his eyes.
1t was night when he opened them
again, starlit night. At first he could
not recall where he was. Then he re-
membered. and with start remem-
bered why he was there.
He sat up and with difficulty got on
his feet. Then he walked. He did not
know he was walking: he had no con-
sciousness OF moving. and no sense OF
direction: but his subconscions pow
ers were leading him right. breath
OF pure salt air blew on his face. He
turned toward a line of brush and
parted it, and there, below him, lay
the Spanish feet, their lights. reflect
ed in the velvet waters, twinkling and
winking. He heard the chug-chug Of a
steam launch, and several times the
murmur OF voice rose TO his ears.
Farther down. in the moonlight. he
could see the masts and funnel of Hob
sons Merrimac. Ships bells struck
as he looked. and the sound fioated
sweetly TO the hilltops.
He turned his face seaward and
walked along, partially rerivified by
his rest. At length sense of open
ness came upon him. the sensation OF
vast void In front of him. He
paused. and then stole noiselessly on
ward, until at last. passing through
a growth of manigut, the wide ex-
panse Of the Caribbean lay before
him.
Here he flung himself on the ground
and waited for morning. His limbs
were aching with almost unbearable
pain. His eyes burned with fever. his
head throbbed. And yet all these
things he regarded lightly. for the
Caribbean was In front OF him. and the
American fleet would receive his warn
ing as soon az God brought tho dawn.
CHAPTER XII,