The Ordway new era., 1918-10-18

Colonel C0bo took time to scruti-
nize his prisoner.
YES! She's a pretty little spy
quite a prize, truly. Now. then !''
His thick lips spread: he spoke to
her more gently. 81 want you to tell
me about that brother of yours. eh?
Cueto said would find him here.
Hal Still frightened, l see. Well,
have way with women; I dare say
you'll be glad to tell me everything
by and by" Then. seeing that his
men risked scorching in their
search of the hut and We're already
quarreling over the scanty plunder
which 1t afforded, he turned from
Rosa to call them away.
Profiting by his inattention, Rosa
wriggled out of his grasp and ran to
Evangelina, who lay face down in
the dirt, her limbs sprawled loosely.
She flung herself upon the PROSTATE
body and cried the black woman's
name, but she could awaken no re-
sponse.
The first pink of dawn was now
deepening In the east, and as soon as
1t had grown light enough to see to
travel Colonel Cobo prepared to re-
turn to his horses. The roof and
walls Of the bohio had fallen away
few pieces Of crude furniture alone
were smoldering when he called his
men together and gave the word
TO go.
Come. my sweetheart" Cobo ad-
dressed himself to the girl. Leave
that carrion for the buzzards"
Rosa looked up to find him leering
at her. She brushed the tears from
her eyes, crying:
go awayI In Gods name haven't
you done harm enough?"
''Oh. but you're going with me-"
The girl rose; her face was color
less: she was aquiver with indigna-
tion. Leave mel" she stormed
What hAve I done to you? Don't"
"Carambal A temper. And you
have strength, too. as I discovered.
Must I bind those pretty hands or"
Colonel Cobo reached forth. laugh
Ing. and enclrcled her In his power
full arms. Rosa fought him as she
had fought at the first moment of des-
peration. but ne lifted her easily and
went striding across the Held behind
his men.
Esteban's party made good time
over the hills and into the San Juan,
for Asensio knew the country we'll
Mid-afternoon found them In sight of
La Joya. Cueto's cane was thick and
high: 1t was ready for the knife or
for the torch The incendiaries dis
mounted In the shelter of wood and
removed the bags which they had
carried on their saddles. Inside these
bags were several snakes. the largest
perhaps eight feet In length. To the
tail of each the negroes fastened "a
leather thong. and then to each thong
n length Of telegraph wire. the end
Of which had been bent into a loop
| to hold bundle Of oil-soaked waste.
These preliminaries accomplished,
they bore the reptiles into the cane
fields at widely separated places and
lighted the waste.
Soon tongues of fame appeared
and the green tops of the cane began
to shrivel and to wave as the steady
east wind took effect. Smoke bill
lowed upward and was hurried west
ward before the breeze; In n dozen
| places the fields burst into flame.
From somewhere came faint shout
Ing, then shot or two. and finally
the ringing Of bell.
Esteban waited only until he saw
that his work Of devastation was well
under way. then he led his followers
back toward the hills.
| In the shelter of a ravine the party
took time to eat supper, their first
meal since leaving home, and 1t was
after dark when they finished. The
negroes. who were thoroughly tired,
were for spending the night here. but
Esteban, more cautious than they,
would not have 1t SO. Accordingly,
the men remounted their weary
horses, though not without some
grumbling. and set out. At length
they crossed fhe summit and worked
down toward the Yumuri, hns It