The Penn's Grove record., 1919-03-28
Crossing a Ford
By ELIAS KILLIAN
(Copyright, 1sl7, Western Newspaper Union.

NSOkSAA5Ap ASAat SSA"b
When the National Guard was or
dered down to the Mexican border ]
was keeping store about a hundred
miles south of the border line. l had
gone down from the States with a lit
tie money | had inherited from my fa-
Their, thinking there was a better
chance to use it in Mexico than in a
more settled country. l was only twen-
ty-one years old and without expert
ence.
l located in a town in Chihuahua a
few miles south of the Conchas river,
a tributary to the Rio Grande, and
since there was no other store carrying
such a stock as l had in the place, /
did very well, but l encountered the
animosity of other dealers.
There was an American family
named Talbot living near the Conchas
north of me, and since l was not made
welcome in the homes of the Mexican
families, l used to ride out there for
companionship. Perhaps it was the
second daughter Emily who attracted
me.
Several of the storekeepers whose
business l had taken away from them
put their heads together, and resolved
to "dO' me. They watched for an Op-
portunity to make away with me when
l was at some distance from the town.
Such an opportunity occurred on a trip
l made to collect an account from a
man zeal the American border. l was
obliged to cross the COnchaS, which is
fordable zeal the Talbots, and l found
it convenient to stop there for a visit.
Jose Zangas, one of my competitors,
learned of my proposed trip. and fol-
lowed me. 1t was about 20 miles from
the river to where my debtor
lived and Zangas kept a short
distance behind me all the way.
He saw me, unseen himself, go into my
debtors home and saw him pay me 300
pesos. Zangas had picked up a
couple of men who made their living
by robbery.
On my way back 1 stopped at noon
for a rest and to eat a snack l a
with me. After refreshing myself 1
filled my pipe, and, resting my head on
the root of a tree, smoked while my
horse grazed near me. 1t was not
long before l fell asleep. / was awak-
ened by a kick, and there, looking
down ON me, a cooked revolver in his
hand, was Jose Zangas, while the 9th
err two men, mounted, were near at
hand.
My revolver was under me at my
hip, and I was at his mercy. He Or
dered me to turn over. 1 did so, and
he relieved me of my weapon. Then he
ordered me to give up the money / car
ried which I did. He divided it among
his assistants, taking nothing for him
self.
The place where I vas captured was
a few miles from the ford, and thith-
er they directed u course. When we
reached 1t one Of the robbers started
to cross, then the other, then /, and be-
hind me Zangas, who was to cover me
with his revolver to the other side,
The ford was over a ledge of rock,
which was not visible. The current
was quite swift. Moving in running
water one is liable to go down stream
instead Of straight across. We had got
half way over when there was a sharp
report and the leading robber fell from
his horse and disappeared under the
water. This disconnected the second
robber, and, being misdirected by the
running water, he left the ledge and
all that remained to be seen of horse
and rider was the animals feet above
the surface.
: Zangas might have shot M had he
kept his wits; but he was so discon-
.certed by what had happened that he
DELAYED. / turned to look at him, and
the hand that held his weapon was
trembling; but seeing me turn, he
raised his revolver. Before he could
fire he fell forward from his horse, and
his body was carried away by the cur-
rent.
1t now occurred to me to look about
for the person who had saved me. No
one was to be seen. / crossed the ford,
taking care not to be misled by the
current. On reaching the opposite side
behind some bushes 1 saw Emily Tai.
bot lying in a faint.
I took her up in my arms and Gov.
cred her face with kisses. This warm
led her to consciousness, and seeing me
looking down upon her, she smiled.
There was never a definite proposal
and acceptance between me and Emily.
Our counting, proposal, and accept
'ance were all included in the kisses
that brought her back to life.