Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-06-06

ed: "Where are they? Speak to me-"
"Goue" she gasped. "Gone" She
struggled weakly toward Cueto, i'm
ploring him, "Pancho, don't you know
me?"
swell, we've taught him a lesson"
said Cueto, grinning ap~prehensively
at Cobo. "We've accomplished some
thing, anyhow, eh?" He nodded at
Rosa. "She's oil that I told you.
Look at her!"
Colonel Cobo took time to scruti.
nfze his prisoner.
Eyes! She's a pretty little spy
quite a prize, truly. Now, then"
His thick lips spread; he spoke to
her more gently. II want you to tell
me about that brother of yours, eh7
Cueto said I would find him here
Ha! Still frightened, I see. Well, ]
have a way with women; 1 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 plumber
which it afforded, he turned from
Rosa to call them away.
Proiting by his i%nattention, Rosa
wriggled out Of his grasp and ran tc
Evangel1na, who lay face down in
the dirt, her limbs sprawled loosely.
She flung herself upon the PROSTATE
body ana cried the black woman's
name, but she could awaken no re
Spouse.
The first pink Of dawn was now
deepening in the east, and as soon as
it 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
to ashes, it's 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 leerins
oL z jill AuSllCu LIZ lCd1S 11OA
her eyes, crying:
"Go away! In Gods name haven't
you done harm enough"
ooh, but you're going with me-"
The girl rose; her face was color
less; she was aquiver with indigna.
ton. leave me-" she stormed
"What have I done to you? DON'T
"Caramba! A temper. And you
have strength, too, as I discovered
Must I bind those pretty hands Or"
Colonel Cobo reached forth, laugh.
ing, and encircled her in his power.
full arms. Rosa fought him as she
had fought at the first moment of Ges.
peration. but he lifted her easily and
went striding across the ft.S behind
his men. .
I
Esteban's party made good time
over the hills and into the San Juan,
for Asensio knew the country well.
Mid-afternoon found them in sight Of
La Joya. Cueto's cane was thick and
high; it. was ready for the. knife OF
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
a length of telegraph wire, the end
Of which had been bent into a loop
to hold a 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 flame appeared
and the green tops Of the can 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 a faint shout
ing, then a shot or two, and finally
the ringing Of a 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 it 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 the summit and worked
down toward the Yulnuri. but 1t
seemed as If daylight would never
come. J
Esteban suddenly refined in his
horse. "Look!" said he. "Yonder Is
a light"
"What Is Evangellna thinking
about" Asensio muttered.
"But see! It grows brighter"
There followed a moment or two dur