Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-01-11
CONTINUED from Last Issue)
CHAPTER Ii.
THE JAGUAR'S MATE.

Missouri clapped Neal on the Shout
der.
We'll" he said, ensign, we're
still following your girl. Pleasant
occupation for you, eh?"
Looks as if I'd do it all my life"
said Neal, but some day l hope to
catch up to her"
oh" said the lieutenant, you We
caught up to her already-you
can't tell me that you haven't"
Hope So" said Neal, but you
never can tell"
small squad of men who had landed
at Santa Maria in Lower California,
under orders from Washington, and
under advices from the United
States district attorney of California.
They were on the track of a coaling
station-the United States wanteu
to make a treaty with a girl. The
girl was here-somewhere.
Hello" said Neal, look. There's
a horse-a rideless horse. Go on,
boys-get it, double quick"
Three of the squad caught the
horse and brought it to Neal.
"A woman's saddle said Neal.
| His heart was in his throat. Look. 4"
He drew from the pommel an object
that had caught there-one of pair
of woman's glaves.
"Annette's,' he cried, something
has happened.
Forward, double quick" COM
manded the lieutenant. Well see."
At the hotel they found Mrs. Har-
| din and Joe, gazing anXiously off to-
ward the mission. Neal caught his
mother by the arm.
Annette" he cried, I'VE caught
| her horse. Where is she?"
They told the story of her start
! ing out. Neal cast a glance of re-
buke to ward Joe.
-'You let her go alone" he criad
| Welcher sneaked around the corner
and sought refuge in the bar.
mot a moment to lose" ex-
claimed neal, come on boys-hurry
all yau can"
Meantime at the mission, Herman
dez and Inez-with full confidence
in Ponto's ability to delay the ad-
vent of Annette-had once more
presented themselves before Brother
Anselmo.
said Hernandez, and we trust that
prayer-ando sleep-have given you
wisdom and enlightenment, and sat
isfied you of the justice of our
claim"
"Ah, you speak truth, son." said
| Brother Anselmo. He rose and left
the room, returning Immediately
with the iron box containing the
docuents in question:. He set it
down upon the table. He looked
about him.
Where" he exclaimed, is the
servant you had with you yester-
day-the stricken one-he with the
eyes?"
He rests" said Hernandez, he
sleeps. lie is tired"
There was a hubbub outside in the
courtyard. In the midst of it a door
was thrust open, and the Brute strobe
in, carrying Annette in his arms-An-
nette, still only semi-conscious-still
suffering from the shock of that with
ing figure at the bottom of the jaguar
trap back there in the desert. Some
instinct had led the Brute back to his
master. He laid the figure of Annette
upon the table with the air of one who
has done his duty we'll.
Brothers," cried Brother Anselmo.
seeing Annette's plight, "quick-resto-
ratives-succor for this young girl"
Hernandez took advantage of the con-
fusion-though he himself was confus-
edbeyond all peradventure. Listen"
he said to Inez, leave her with the
Brute-go at once. I'll do the rest"
Unnoticed. Inez and the Brute obeyed.
They left the room, hurried across the
courtyard and disappeared. Hernandez
watched them go. His GOODNESS re-
turned. Swiftly, with one bound. he
was upon Brother Anselmo and ha1
seized the iron box in his iron grasp
In an instant he was across the room
But Brother Anselmo had done some
thing more than pray and sleep in his
quiet existence. He was an active, we'll
trained individual. With a loud cry he
leaped across the intervening space. and
! bounded upon the shoulders of Herman
! DEE.
Help, help, brothers." he commanded.
There was help aplenty. Hernandez
fought like a mailman, but the brothers
chung to him like leeches.- Slowly,
however, he worked his way toward the
nearest exit-and then with a mighty
wrench, he threw off all his assailants
including Brother Anselmo, and dart
ed. with a mighty leap out through the
doorway.
lie bounded into the arms of Neal
| Hardin and his squad.
Neal saw at a glance what had hap
pened. He seized Hernandez wrist
the wrist of the hand and arm that
held the iron box, and twisted it sud
| denly, painfully. Hernandez dropped
the box-but- jerked away from Neal,
There was a repOrt-a ping. Hernandez
had reached the edge of the green oasis
| he screamed with pain. 1t was as
though red hot iron had scared him
sprang to a window and disappeared
1t was a painful disappearance for the
room was upon the second floor, and
the drop was twenty feet or more. Her.
uandez, supple and we'll knit, was I'M
hurt. He leaped to his feet, and dart
ed, with his accustomed agility, toward
the desert-toward an inviting refuge
in the desert-the oasis. To him it
seemed like sanctuary.
Behind him he heard the steady plup-
plup of many footsteps-the steady lone