Mexico Missouri message., 1918-06-13

Colonel Cobo 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, Ell?
| CuetO said l would find him here.
| Ha Still frightened, l see. Well, l
| have way with women; / dare say
| you'll be glad to tell me everything
| by and by" Then, seeing that his
men risked a scorching in their
! search of the hut and were 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 bOhlo had fallen away
to ashes, its skeleton of poles and its
! 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 awayl 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-
ton. Leave mel" she stormed.
"What have I done to your Don't"
"Caramba! A temper. And you
have strength, too, as 1 discovered.
Must l bind those pretty hands Or"
Colonel Cobo reached forth, laugh
|
full arms. Rosa fought him as she
had fought at the first moment of des-
| peratiOn, but he lifted her easily and
went striding across the field behind
his men.
Estebans party made good time
over the hills and into the San Juan,
for Asenslo knew the country we'll.
Mld-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 a 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
length of telegraph wire, the end
of which had been bent into a loop
to hold a bundle of oiI-soaked waste.
These prellminaries accomplished,
they bore the reptiles into the cane
fields at widely separated places and
lighted the waste.
Soon tongues Of flame 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 a dozen
places the fields burst into flame
From somewhere came faint shout
Ing, then a shot or two, and finally
the ringing OF bell.
} Esteban waited only until he saw
that his work of devastation was wei
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 frs
meal since leaving home, and it wai
. after dark when they finished. Th,
negroes, who were thoroughly tired
, were for spending the night here, bu
Esteban, more cautious than they
would not have it SO. Accordingly
: the men remOunted their wear!
: horses, though not without som'
! grumbllng, and set out. At Length
they crossed the summit and worke,
down toward the Yumuri, but 1