The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-05-18

Other arm, senor!" squeaked the
shrill voice. anxiously.
Eiand shook his head. Cant" he
ans wered. you may as well shoot,
for, your friends will get me soon.
anyhow"
The little face had been trying TO
look ferocious. Now IT did not have
to try. The beady black eyes fairly
snapped. Freends-mtne." he hiss
ed. ''No. not all OF them-Faugh!
Psf But you will not harm me.
senor. n lower my deadly revolv-
err - 40
II have but one arm and no wea-
pons," dryly. "You are In no dan
ger"
Thrusting the pistol back into the
blOod,red sash he wore, the little
man said: 1T may of help to you I
can be-even I, the fierce soldier
and your enemy. See. this is it's
way Some Of us were scattered
round TO cut you of. but myself am
the only. one station in the cactus.
am order to shoot you--anything-
but to get the papers. Sol" the
long, uptUfned twist OF his little
mustache quivering tempestuously.
1T Is Lopez who give the order
Ramon Lopez, who try to steal away
the girl L love-wbo win her father
with his fine uniform and promise
NJ 0ald--Uhn 10 ne <.<x3
Ger than iea-cushion dog. Faugh.
psf. See. II Lopez get you--get the
|papers--then he he promote-win re-
ward-go to father-show new uni.
form and reward TO Senorita Nita
and win her maybe. And me- get
nothing but Iopez's foot. He hate
me now and put me here to be prick
by cactus"
Then 10 keep him from the re-
ward you're willing to help me. Is
that it.? Much obliged, but I'm
afraid IL can't be done without a
very fast horse"
Have fine horse-me," protested
the little man. in an aggrieved voice.
Back hind next cactus. Pay 81
for him, only one leg lame. All
other three sound and swift But
we not use horse. They catch You
that way. Me save you here. but
need be aueeck."
How" curiously.
But the little man was already at
work Dropping upon HIS hands and
knees he rapidly scooped a long hole.
two feet or more deep, with his ma
chete. One end was up under the
broad, sharp-edge leaves Of an agave,
dug TO the very stalk OF the plant.
Now lie down in It on your back.
aueeck." ordered the man, with
your face push away up under the
leaves. I not dig so deep there. so
your face and mouth and eyes be
on level with sand 1t only few
inches TO leaves and nobody see
under. but 1t 'nough for you to
breathe. | cover all but face, and
sprinkle white sand and dry stun
over all so nobody guess. Queeck.
you hear"
,I>ouu shouts. came from the slope
The ruse of the rife had been dis
covered. II seemed the one chance
Eland did not hesitate. How long
will have to stay here?" he asked.
"Quien sabe? Maybe two day,
maybe four. They not give up
search easy. II you not make noise
they never find, not If they walk
right over your body. When every.
thing be still one whole day then
you break from sand and start for
border. Let 1t be in nisht time"
But how about eating and drink
ing IL have to stay here four days?
Will you"
The covering was completed and
the little man was kicking few last
cactus shreds and debris over the
spot.
Il go now and never shall come
back" he broke in. 1T not be safe.
They search long time, and Lopez he
watch me. You lie still and think
what you eat when you get out, II
you get out. Now / 60"
Five minutes later men were rush
ing and searching through the cac-
fuses. Presently from the talk Eland
knew they had found the little man
and that he had suggested the fugi-
tive must have slipped on to another
patch farther along. But some Of the
pursuers remained In the cactuses
through the rest of the day and at
night there was the CLEAN OF a
campfire near its edge.
The next day was quiet, save for
an occasional call or sound OF foot
steps or the hoofbeats, of a passing
horse. BY this time Glands throat
was parched with thirst, for, al,
though the agave shielded his face
from the direct rays of the sun, the
sitting heat under Il was almost IN.
tolerable. The only relief was that
the wounded ann was less painful
In It's sandy prison. 49,
/, Toward noon he was aroused from
half doze by a subtle feeling of
danger. Rolling his eyes a little he
could see the head OF rattlesnake
not ten inches away. rhe space was
too small. for the snake TO coil, but
that did not prevent the sweat ooz-
ing from his white face. A half