The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-07-18

which it afforded, he turned from
Rosa to call them away.
Profting by his inattention. Rosa
wriggled out of his grasp and ran to
EVangelfna, 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-
| Spouse.
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 awav
10 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 adj
dressed himself to the girl. Leave
that carrion for the buzzards."
Rosa looked up to find him Ieerfng
at her. She brushed the tears from
her eyes, crying:
Go away! 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-
1on. Leave me-" she stOrmed
"What have I done to you? DON'T
"Carambal A temper. And you
have strength, too, as I discovered.
Must 1 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 des-
peration, but he lifted her easily and
went striding across the field behind
his men.
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
/
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 bundle of oil-soaked waste.
These preiiminaries 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 q 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 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 it 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 Yumuri, but 1;
seemed as if daylight would never
come.
Esteban suddenly refined in his
horse. Look" said he. -Yonder is
a light"
"What is Evangelina thinking
about?" Asensio muttered.
"But see! It grows brighter
There followed a moment or two dur.
ing which there was no sound except
the breathing of the horses and the
creak of saddle leathers as the riders
craned their necks to see over the Low
tree tops before them. Then Estebar
cried:
Come! fm-afraid it's oul
house" Fear gripped him, but h
managed to say. calmly. "Perhap:
there has been an-accident."
Asensio, muttering excited1y, wa
, trying to crowd past him; for a few
yards the two horses brushed alonS
, side by side. The distant point o.
light had become a glare now: Il
winked balefulIy through the open
: ings as the party hurried toward It
; But it was still long way CT. anC
) the eastern sky had grown rosy be
: fore the dense woods Of the hillsiai
J gave way TO the sparser growth o
: the low ground.