Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-01-07
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talking to me. I've got to so. Come
on, Joe"
But Joe couldn't come on. He tried
to. But his steed had a mind of his
own Three times he threw Joe off, and
the last time with a heavy olt that gave
Joe a good excuse to keep out of dan
ger.
Not on your life" said Joe, limping
toward the hotel bar, you can go it
alone"
81 prefer to-" laughed Annette.
Meals mother tried to dissuade her
and called out the proprietor Of the
little old hotel.
Annette nodded to him. Safe, isn't
it?" she asked.
lie nodded. OF surety, in the day
time, he said. Travellers often passed
out to the mission and the priests came
into town-and always in the daytime
there was no danger. The people all
about were peaceable.
"And at night?" queried Mrs. Hardin.
oh" said the proprietor, even at
night ii is usually safe. Only there
has been a prowler-an animal, not a
man-something that whined and snaTl-
ed at night about the borders of the
village-possibly a jaguar-a mountain
lion-possibly only a wildcat. Who
knows? But he would not appear in
daytime. Senorita might assume that
everything was safe"
Annette started for the mission. Half
way there two figures darted out from
behind a hillocl1, and one of them seiz-
ed her bride and brought her steed to a
standstill. Terror-stricken, Annette saw
! that the two were Ponto and the Brute
two of the band of desperadoes whom
she feared
Drag her off her horse" commanded
Ponto of the Brute. The Brute obeyed,
Ponto gave the horse a cut with the
whip and the horse ambled off toward
town.
Curse the luck" said Ponto, that's
the thing l oughtn't to have done. Now
they'll find the horse, and they'll fol-
low her. Well, they won't have to fol-
low very far-they'll find her, but they
won't find us"
At his command the Brute carried
Annette across the desert, totally obliv-
ious to her struggles and outcries. Ponto
led the way, stopping from time to time
to make pleasant remarks to Annette
You were bound for the mission, SEN
orita,' he exclaimed, well and good
but there shall be a slight delay Time
is of no consequence"
BY this time they had reached the
small, damp, dank oasis with it's shad-
ing palms and it's little pool of water.
| POnto led the way into the depths of
this inviting green shelter Then he
struck the brute on the shoulder.
Now set her down. he commanded
The Brute obeyed. Annette gasped
with surprise. She was not bound-she
was free, Untrammeled. Only, across
from her was the crafty Ponto, watching
her every movement with his eyes.
1 hot to, 10
queried Annette.
Nothing, senorita," returned Ponto
bowling low.
Annette. wary, fearful, looked behind
her as though she expected an attack
! from the rear But there was no one
to be seen. Beyond was the desert
there seemed to be no hiding places
And there was no hiding place I'm the
oasis. But her glance returned to the
face of Ponto. What was he going tC
do? What did he mean?
Ponto merely bowed again. "Senorita,
he said with leer, beauty in distress
-ah melt touches my heart always
See. The mission lies yonder-behint
you. Your path lies there. You are
free" ~
Free" stammered Annette
Free returned Ponto with another
leer, free. Co."
Annette turned Keeping her glance
over her shoulder, to be ready fol
treachery, she slowly proceeded on hel
way.
Suddenly, without warning, she sanl
into the pit.
they are like knives" he cried-"the!
are deadly-they are jaguars-and little
wildcat heiress-oh, yes"
+ With a cry. Annette found hersel
falling helplessly into the unknown ter
! ror underneath.
Il "Help-help-help, she cried.
With bound the Brute was upon her
He darted to the very edge of the pi
and with the sure-footedness of an ami
NAL crouched there, throwing his entir'
body forward and catching her by thu
shoulders just as she disappeared from
sight. He drew her back to terra firma
No sooner had he done so, however, thar
Z Ponto was upon them both, knife il
hand. his teeth literally gnashing will
rage.
He hurled a savage knife-thrust n
the Brute-and missed. Then he threw
himself upon Annette and half tore he
in his frenzy from the Brutes grasp, cut
ting and slashing at them both will
his wicked knife.
1--WE got you now. you little wildcat.
he painted in gutteral Spanish down you
l 60"
He thrust her savagely into the pit
Once more the Brute caught her-and il
so doing swung the three of then
around, Ponto, throwing caution to tn,
winds, kept lunging at the two will
4 his sharp weapon.
''Ill get you both,'' he yelled, I'll ge
you both"
| A moment later he was clawng a
the air-but it was too late. Making
frantic struggle to preserve his balance
he tottered over backward. There was
| NFRV0IIc DYcpEpcIb