Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1918-11-14

wrlggled 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-
| Spouse.
The first pink Of dawn was now
| deepening In the east. and as soon as
II 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, 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
aer eyes, crying:
"Go away! In Gods name haven't
you done harm enough7"
"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 l done TO your Don't"
"Caramba! A temper. And you
have strength. too, as l discovered.
Must l 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-afterno0n found them In sight OF
La Joya. Cueto's cane was thick and
high: It 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 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 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 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 II was
Il eAtSA oaAA Wntu tHcy uuiSutu. lnt
negroes, who were thoroughly tired,
were for spending the night here, but
Esteban, more cautious than they,
would not have II so. Accordingly.
the men remounted their weary
horses, though not without some
grumbling, and set out. At length
they crossed the summit and worked
l trxx o~1
seemed as II daylight would never
come
Esteban suddenly refined In his
horse. Look" said he. "Yonder is
light"
What is Evangelina thinking
about?' Asensio muttered
But seel II grows brighter"
There followed moment or two dur
ing which there was no sound except
the breathing Of the horses and the
creak Of saddle feathers as the riders
craned their necks to see over the low
tree tops before them. Then Esteban
cried:
Come Pm-afraid It's our
house" Fear gr1pped him, but he
managed to say. calmly, perhaps
there has been an-accident."
Asenslo, muttering excitedly, was
trying to crowd past him; for a few
yards the two horses brushed along
side by side. The distant point of
light had become a glare now; It
winked balefully through the open
ings as the party hurried toward IT.
But 1t was still long way of, and
the eastern sky had grown rosy be-
fore the dense woods Of the hillside
gave way to the sparser growth of
the low ground.
Esteban turned a sick, white face
over his shoulder and jerked out his
orders; then he kicked his tired
mount Into swifter gallop. 1t was
ne who FIRST broke out into the clear
Ing. One glance, and the story was
| fnId