The Brussels Post, 1890-4-25, Page 22
1 Hkt 1:3HL SSJi4.. S k'OS"1'
ST MARY
7 '. •�•�'t p.,.N t3 E ] W . j dollars apiece when we oomo t"
J.. AYd A LlI 1- O L'' C L rJ,;t C? `t �?t S f divide up. Ten tl?opeand aollare
HIS FIRST •AID LAST LOVE.
3-'•'-4 WS- OMAS A• 411.7r'XRR,
()HATTER VI.
Hardy realized that his ease was
desperate. About all that was left
for him to do he concluded, was to
the game. He remembered one°
having seen a rat let out of a trap ;n
the midst of a group of terriers.
Row he knew what the feelings of
that rat must have been, It was
rather late in the day to he sorry
for that ret, but he was sorry for it
very
While he meditated in this dismal
fashion be heard ttte distant sound
of horses galloping. As the sound
gre.v louder he perceived that it
came from two three 'lens ; then he
heard clearly the splashing of two!,
to the water ea a horse crossed the
river and entered the town from the
north, and a few miuntes atter s
inati on horseback passed close by
the station, corning up the track
from the house. Don Pedro rose
and stretched himself.
"Glory to God 1" he said fervent-
ly, "We now eau ]rave something to
eat."
But almost half an hour passed
before Don Pedro was permitted to
realize this pivuely expressed long-
ing. Teen the sound of footsteps •
and voices was heard, and Barwood,
.carrying a lantern, entered the
station, fetio.tea by a couple of
Mexicans. With the arrival of this
relief Don Pedro and the two watch
ers were off like shots to their sup
pars Barwood put down his Ian
tern, lighted the kerosene lamp, on
the table, and seated himsell be-
side it. He was clad in full ranch-
ero costume ; tight fitting trousers,
girded with a red sash, and adorned
with silver buttons down the out
side of the lege ; wide brimmed
sombrero ; short boots and gram
spars. In this dresa, the illusion
being a -listed by hie dark hair and
beard and black eyes ht looked so
thoroughly Mexican that until he
spoke Hardy did not ret,gutze him.
"Nice rig, ain't it 7' be said with
a grin. "Au' it's as useful as its
pretty. For th' little game that
I'm goon' to play t' -night 1 dou't
'specially care t' have any of my
frieode recognize me—an' I rather
guess they won't. As a Mexican I
should say that I waa solid." Ho
chuckled a little and then went ou :
"My friends here don't understand
.English, so we can speak right out
free au' comforuble. What sort
of to time have you au' Don Pedro
been havin' ? Did he talk matters
over eat) you auy 7'
"No," Hardy answered shortly,
"he didn't."
"Well, I dun know as 't makes
much difference I've given th'
main fat's, an' that's all you need't
make up your mind on Have you
got down t' bedrock yet, or are you
still scratchia' around in the'
gravel ?" "Time's pretty near up,
you know."
"I gees I've got down to about
se much bedrock as I'm likely to
get to.".
"Well?"
You can begin your shooting
whenever you please."
"Whoa ! Steady. 1 Now, who's
been sayin' anything t' you about
shootio' ? That mildewed fool 61 a
Don Pedro, 1 s'pose. An' -well,
yes, come to think of it,. I b'lieve I
did sort of hint about somethin' of
that sort myself. But that's only
iu case you won't come in, yeu
know—an' I, think you're eomin', all
right. Now, just you listen t' me.
This afternoon I couldn't epealt oat
as tree as wanted to. It would' se
been Lakin' mos' too many chances
if I'd talked out before eh'. up•traiu•
had passed, an' while th', telegraph
was workin'—you've caught on,; 1
guess, ' t' 'th' telegraph hero'
busted ?"
Hardy nodded.
"Yes, 1 thought you had, for
you're one of the gaiok kind. Well,
then, you see I really can talk right
out t' you, fur nothin' you can do
now can do no hurt. You can't
mend Me' wires, for the outs are a
pretty long ways off, both sides ; an'
if you triod t' walk off I s'pose some
of that fined talk you say Don
Pedro's been givin' you about shoot•
in' would cone true. Yes, I really
s"poee 't would,
"Now inaybe.you've sized things
up 's to' know that just for a little
thing like droppin' on you—in case
we have to do it, thatIs--I wouldn't
bothert' dross up in. Mexican
fashion,, an' stone on us would tieltle
seeeh a risky, game as' ctittiu'
telegraph :wires, ..An' so maybe
you've g(iVhold •,o'i iii' idea that
there's.epmothing up dint s„ xeklly
Worth talltfeaboub, •eh ?"
ITttrd +
Vac ,not raliobeel any snob
conohlston- and Jtarwood's words
tools him by surprise. In common
with most men he regarded the
taking of hie life as the most im-
portant event that possibly oould
happen—forgetting that chis is one
of the cases in which the difference
between the personal and impel'.
conal standpoints marks also a
difference between importance and
triviality. He had regarded, them
fore, the cutting of the wires, and
Barwood's assumption of Mexican
drese by ways of disguise, as nut
ural measures of pradenoe, which
so grave a matter as his prospective
murder abundantly justified. In
deed be had accepted the cutting of
'he wins as a sure eign that his
mauler had been irrevocably de
tided upuu. But this presentment
If the c.tee from the standpoint of
an impartial outsider, while it was
sufiicieutly convincing and some.
what htrmiliatiug, was out enhght-
eoing. [Is looked muzzled.
"So you bavn't tumbled to it ?"
Barwood went on. "Well, all I
can say is, you're not grate as quiok
as I thought you was. Yes, siree,
we've got somethin' ou hand for
to -night that really is worth tenon'
about. It's a joy, it Why, man,
there's two hundred thousaud doll
ars in coined silver on the• np train
to night, an' we mean t' have it !
Now, how does that catch you ?"
Hardy looked steadily at Bar -
wood and made no answer. He
was strongly disposed to believe
that Barwood was lying.
'It's th' everlastin' truth," Bar•
wood went on, perceiving the look
of doubt on Hardy's face, and ane•
weriug it. "It's just th' solid ever
lastin' truth. We've been layin'
for this haul for the past two
months—watiu for enough of th
stuff to 0umt) along In one lamp to
make it worth while to strike for
it. Now, it's eomin and we're to
get in our work."
"11 w are you going about it ?'
Hardy asked.
"Well, we've sort of fixed things
down to the Barrauca Grande. I
tulgot, you don't know nothin
.+bout th Btirrance Grande, or where
it is, It's a big barranca, six or
seven kilometers down the line.
It's a hundred feet deep, I guess, in
the middle, and there's te wooden
trestle across it about four hundred
feet long. As soon as number two
went across this afternoon some of
the boys got to work at that trestle
—and taint in near as good order
now as twas when they begun. The
company's • been promisin and
promisin the • government for the
last eix months they'd put in the
permanent bridge over that 'there
barranca=I guess they'll go to
work and do it now."
"You mean that you've cut that
trestle so that the passenger train
will go down into the barranca 7
Hardy's heart stopped beating as be
asked this queetion, and even
his lips became white. But he kept
his voice steady, and in the dim
light Barwood did not see the pale-
ness of hie facie.
"In a geu'ral sort of way that's
about the size,of it," Barwood
answered. "At fist, we was just
goin' t' hold up th' train an' go
through th' express oar, I'd rather
'a' done it that way, too. But I
settled that that would be too risky.
You see, th' trouble 15, I don't more
+'half trust these Greasers. If ah'
Iolks on th' train tried t' stand ns
off is more'n, likely th' Greaser?
'It'd just drop tb' whole business
an'. skip. out, They 'recurs, that')
'what Greasers is for tie' most part.
'So that'b why we settled 't" do tai'
job this way. 1 can't say 'lust al-
together like it, but .I guess- it's,
sure. With things all in a heals in
th' bottom of th' barranca, an' " the
cars afire, more'n likely, an' nobody
much in any kind of shape for
fightin'—well, I guess even Greasers
can manage a job like that without
gettin' skeert an' runnin' away.
An' th' haul is a daisy one 1 Think
of it t Two hundred thousand dol-
lars at one wbeek 1 lt'e more'n we
Could make in emugglin! an' stock
stealin' in ten years 1"
for one Right's 'work strikes me as
beiu' about tit' everlasttngeot big -
gout wages I've over kuowed a 'man
to earn. Tell me, is it a go ?"
Iu lbs indignation aroused by
Boxwood's cool presentment of this
devilish project, and in his eager
desire to prevent it, Hardy had lost
sight completely of his own present
danger and utter helplessness. His
mind was working so actively, in-
deed, to find a means whereby he
could upset this plan for train-
wreolciug, robbery and murder that
he did not hear Barwood's question
in oonoluaiou, and did not reply to
it. Evidently taking his silence
for hesitation, Barwood continued :
"Of course, I'm bound t' tell you
ones more --though Boob talk ain't
pleasant between friends—that if
you don't come in things aro about
up with you. An' perhaps I'd
better remind you of what I said
about Mary. What you sae in
Mary, th' Lord only knows—it's
woman. I do ! lent muse 1)3111 tl0 ase
eoineehiu' iu her, I tell you again
I'll chuck her into ta' bargain,
along with that ten thotts.tud dol-
lars tbat it wautin' for you now in
tit' express oar drat at this minute
is a cumin' up tit' road. Don't be
bashful on my acoouut. I'm very
web fixed, 1 guees, t' get along
without her. Au' don't forget that
the money chance I'm givin' you
mint th' kind that comes twict In
any man's lifetime—accordin' t' my
experience its mighty seldom it
oomes ones
"Now, I'm goin' over t' see that
my Greasere have got things
straight iu their fouls heads about
what they've got to do. They're a
dumb lot. Th' Alcalde's the best
o' them—he's down t' eh' trestle
now, bossin' things -but eveu h's
more'n half fool when he's sober,
an' a good deal more than half
crazy when he is tight. Lord !
what arelief it'll be t' have you
around t' help loop after them 1
"I'11 be back in a little while, an'
when I come 1 except t' find yoti
gestin' your hat ou ready t' start
It's taken you sort of sudden, 1 see,
an' that's the reason I'm not hurry
ing yen for an answer. But don't
you forget what it is you're oboes
ing between : its havin Mary and
ten thousacri dollars, or going by a
bhort out to kiugdom come 1"
'With this valedictory Barwood
departed, the two Mexicans re-
maining on guard outside the door.
In a moment he came back again.
"I to.got you lead no supper," he
said. 'I will send some over t
you -you must be hungrier'n
As he turned away he added with a
grin : 'And I will fix things so's
you wont be lonely while your satin
it, either.'
As lie passed the two Mexicans
Hardy heard him ,say, 'The Senor
is composing his mind to join us.
He's all right.' He added some.
thing in a lower voice, of which
l3'erdy caught only the words
'Senora' and 'keep out, of the way.'
Then the sound of hie footsteps died
away as' ho walked toward the
town. One of the Mexicana turned
with a friendly nod toward the
prisoner.
It was evident that a climax was
approa0hing rapidly. Hardy'e ex-
citement was intense, but he did
not lose his coolness. The fact
that his situation already was
desperate, made him absolutely in-
different to danger.
Before the sdund of Baawood's
footsteps had quite died away he
had conceived the outlines .of the
only plan for succor that the cir-
cnmttanoes of the ease allowed,
The beet thing to be done, of course,
was to get to .the station on the
other side,ofthe out wires, and
telegraph a warning'to the;advatie.
iug'train. But this he had rejeeted
as impossible,. Supposing that lie
should be successful in 'breaking
away from his' guards—the first
point to be gained in any .event -it
was clear from what Barwood had.
said about the work of destroying
the trestle still being in; progress
that he could nothope to go down
the line without being seen. That
there was a trail parallel with the
railroad was probable, but lie did
not know where to find it. His
plan, therefore, was to go np the
track, away from the Beene of the
intended wreck, to the first elation
beyond the out. in lbs wires, and
thence telegraph for assistanoo,
Tbie was not a euro thing, like the
other ; but there was ground for
strong hope that a force of men
could bo eolloeted et the northern
terminus, and run down by a fast
ungiac to the 13arranoa Grande) in
time to scatter, or possibly capture,
thewreolters, nod give warning to
the northbound train. The noxi
station north, Las I'alomas, was
twenty miles away. ' Three home
I would be the shortest tido in which
lhe sound Melte the distanee soli foot;
and throe hours would be a peril
tautly large Amon t of tilde to tante
from the siyt'hottrs inte'voning be
In hie excitement Barwood paced
up and down the room, enlpbasiz-
tng his words with . short jerks of
Ids bead and eager movements of
his hands,
"An' now that you know the
whole busineas, Hardy," he went
on, "will you or will yon not come
ill ? 1 think it's pretty liberal in me
t' f,'rvo you th' chance; brit tb' fact
of th' matter ;s 1 never eau more'n
half trust these Greasers, an' in a
job of this size I want somebody
along as l.. know I eau tie to. There
will be shout twenty of us• in th
job; an' that'll mitlto ten thousand
Ar'RIL.2r,1890.
,fare the arrivaiof the 'up train at I
Chit brolien., resile—and be still Irad
to make bis escape(item hitt guards,
It was strong old once iu favor of
Hardy's 'coolness that he decided
not :,,t begin uput'atious until he h ul
eaten the supper that Barwood had
protnisnd to send over to him, His
excitement kepthim from feeling
hungry, not.withstaudrug Itis long
feet, but he knew that he needs.;
the strength that food would give
for a fight for life with two DMext-
0ans, followed by a twenty -mile
cleat; on foot along so trying a course
as a railway track, made a combin-
ation of arduous difftoulties that be
wisely deoided had better not be as-
sailed ou an empty stomach. In
the meantime, since his only chalice
of getting clear of his guards lay in
hiking them by surprise and so
mastering them, he set himself to
developiug wade them something in
sus nature of friendly relations.
Fortnnntely, Barwood's too -assured
atatenee t that the Senor was corn•
p•,aiug
his mind to take part in the
rubbery, made them quite ready to
meet bis amicable advances, They
talked tritely of the pr'j .e, -ea wreck,
and a gr ,at eatisfaotiou of their
anticipated dollars. They oven—
thus exhibiting an amiable national
characteristic—went se l'ar as to ex-
press their sorrow for the passes:
ers and train hands destined to be
wounded or killed. "Poor little
ones 1 It is very sad •I" they said.
While this pleasing conversation
went ou, Hardy was startled by
Iiearing what seemed to be the
sound of au approaching train. He
roieed hie head and hatened. Ous
of the 'Mexicans noticed his motion
and At the same tune ;.eard. rep
noise. "Be not alarmed, Senor,"
.he said reassnriuglc ; "it is ouly
the little car on which the Alcalde
returns." A couple • of minutes
Inter a baud -car, with two men
working the brake, appeared far a
momeut, as it passed through the
ray of light that the lamp to the
station shell across tbo track through
the open door. 'L'Ito oar stopped,
and the mon started toward the
town calling bbck, in answer t0
enquiries, that the work at the trestle
was completed, Hurl that overy.hing
was all right. Eeardy's beam gave
a bound its he saw the hand car ;
if he could get away on that he
could make the run to Las Pal ones
inside of two hours, time ilia salvo,
tion of the train would be assured.
'Here comes your supper, Senor.'
said one of the wen. "Romut and
I will retire. The Senor will not be
disturbed at his feast." The melt
laughed a little, and to Hardy's sur
prise walked away through the dark
nese a considerable distance down
the platform. And then, to his far
greater surprise, through the door
way same Mary.
Hardy started forward, "You 1"
he exnlaimed.
Mary s taco grew red, and tben,
in the moment that Choy stood in
silence, very pale:
"Will made me come," she said,
speaking elowly,rand with a sort of
despairing solemnity, "He told me
that the train,was to be wrecked
to night. He tolme that yon had
agreed to help in it if—if—oh, John,
I can't--"
She swayed from Bide to side, and
seethed. about to fall. Hardy put
out his arms to support her, but ebe
steadied -herself, and motioned him
away with a positive fieroeneee.
"Don't touch me," ehe said, "dou't
dare to. touch 1 He told me, John—
he dared to tell me'—that you had
agreed to:help if—if he would" give
you the 1"',
There was heroin grandeur in the
tone of disdain in which Mary utter•
ed these word's. But in a moment
this 'gait,. jshieo .to,'heart•broaking
sorrow and entreaty, ae she added,
"Oh, John 1 John 1 for God's sake
tell ma' that lie'lied=or eltie kill nee 1
One or the other, .Joltp,'one or.the
ocher—,t she brolte,off into a moan:
It was not'diffloult -for :Hardy to
see bow Barwood-permitting his
hopes to mould his oonviotions,•and
beingquite incapable of understand-
ing the revolt. that it would' stir up
in Mary's •sottl—bad been led into
this false move, •
He answered her with intense
earnestness :' "Mary, 1 swear to you
before heaven that it is a most in-
fernal lie I"
For a moment she made no re-
ply. Then she held out her bands
to him. "Forgive me, John," she
said, ""I ought not to have believ
ell that it oven might be true. Bat
after—after what you said to -day,
and after all that 1 have soon and
know in these past two years—oh,
you don't know --We enough to
matte me lose faith in everything.
Thank God, though, it isn't trio.
Olt, thank God fur ;that 1"
She came close to him, and seem-
ed to gabber strength as ho put Iris
arm about her, As he drew her to
loin, soothing bort he heard the
sound of a smotherod laugh in the
• darkness otitsido. 'Then he. 'Minato-
bend I3atWodd's` whispered words
- to the men Ite he went awes, and
canneotod with him the withdrawal
of the men when Mary appeared,
Tie felt that he had an aoaount to
settle with thews two Mexioaie--
and lie hoped that he would be able
to settle it very 5000. Oerteinly, if
the train was to be saved he had no
time to lose.
'Mary,' be sat,;, '1 want you to
go luau the inner room and shut the
door. You wou't be attend alone in
the dark in Otero for a Tittle while,
will you ? .And, Mary, euppoee you
—suppose you say your prayers in
thorn, That sort of thing is not
much in nay liue ; but there's ti
good deal to pray for tonight, and
I guess it won't do any harm.'
'Yes, John,' she answered. She
spoke in a tone of simple obedience,
as a child might have spoken, He
led her, to the doorway, gently push-
ed her in -ids and (dosed the door
after her.
She had brought a basket of food.
He opeuod it, but he found- eating
hard work He forced hitnself to
swallow sem° bread and meat.
Theu, fano ,t bottle of mescal this+
Barwontl thoitgstfiilly had pat into
the basset, he cl•aalt ,t good half
tu•nulerhil at a draught. He fedi
the tintsi.,g effect of title potent
liquor iuunediately. lie was ready
for his Werk now.
In one corner of the room was All
iron tamping•bar belonging to the
section gang. He put thin within
easy reach of bis hand. Then lie
went to the 3oor and called
'Friends 1' The two Mexicans came
toward him.
Tito Senor Barwood has sent me
some mescal. Let ne drink that a
shall go well to night.' '
The men griuned, He held uut
to the one called Ramon the bottle.
and to the other the glass. Ramon
raised the bottle to pour ; the other
than held the glass carefully. This
wee Herdy'e molneut for action. lu
stn battier the iron bar had risen
like a flash and had fallen with a
dull, crushing sound on Remuu's
neck Ile dropped litre a log. The
other tnau let the cup fall and start
ed book, fumbling for hie piston
Bat oef.'re b( lied 11 tree the be
had risen and fallen again, and he,
too, went down. It was not as clean
a stroke us rho first one. Tor
man groaned and male an effort to
rise. Hardy sp mug on hit creast aur
esttlecl his hands au his throat.
For a moment he struggled Cos.
vulaively ; then he grew quiet. Pres
eptly his arms fell limply by his aide
and all his =soles relaxed. '1'o
make the matter sure, Hardy re•
seined his graep fur a couple of
minutes more. Ttceu, drawing n
luug breath, he let go his hold and
stood upright. He looked et Ramou.
There was, nothing to fear from tba
ginner. Ramon was lying just
Where he had fallen. From the ugly
way in which his head w,ts taken
with his shoulders, it wat evident
that his nook' was broken. Beside
flim, lying unbroken ani; still halt
full, was the bottle ofmescal.
k erdy felt faint and a .ltttle stela
tlo picked up the bottle of Mescal
and took anobber.drink. This stead
ied him. When he'had taken their
pistols and cartridge belts he drag
gad the two oxen out from tut) roots
to the platform -far enough from
the doorway in the darkness to be
out of range 01 Mary's eyes. Then
he opened the door of tbe•fnuer roam
and called to her. She was on her
knees:
"You must be strong and brave,
Mary," he said. "Our one ehanoe 01
saving our own lives and of saving
the train from being wrecked is to
get up to Las Palomar on the hand
oar. ' gonna" •'
"But bow can we, John? The mon
Won't let us go."
"The men won't bother us, he
answered grimly.' "At least not the
Ones left here to watch us ,They
are not' keeping very good watch
just 110w."
"John" she asked, in a low, hor
rifled voice, "have you murdered
them 7' • •
"Never mind about the man," he
said, speaking quickly. "Any court
of justice in the land—even a 'Maxi.
can court of justice—would have
hung them. What we have to think
about now Is ourselves ; or, if -yen
don't care for yourself, think of the
passengers on that train. Come,
Ylary; for God's shite, Dome 1 Every
second that we lose here may make
ns too late."
Ile caught hor by the wrist and
dragged her through the outer room,
across the -platform and down to
where the hand -oar was standing on
the track. Ile saw hor give a ehnd-
Bering glance around and heard her
Sigh of relief, The sltlt'1 of her dress
was tonobing one of the dead men
as she gave this sigh, but the merot-
ful darkness hid from her the sight
which alio had expected and had so
dreaded to see, . Five minutes later
she would not thus have been spared,
for above the mountains already
shone slue glowinglight of the rue -
hog moon,
' "Remember," he; whispered, "we
aro working to save innocent lives,
Private Funds to Loan.
$20,000
Have been placed iii 01y hands
for Investment 00 real estate.
LOWEST RATE OF INTEREST.
No Commission,
Borrowers can have loans cam-
p'leted in Three Days if title
satisfactory.
W. 111, SINCLAIR,
Solicitor, Brussels,
General Blacksmithing,
The undersigned desires
to intimate to the Public
generally that he has ]eased
the $inter Blacksmith Shop
in Brussels, and is now pre
pared to attend to all work
entrusted to him.
St'1'l'i"t1 1'!t)l 0bItILtSTEED.
4'x IV lee E A. CiALL.
ns
,Tens. JlfcIrr;Eosh.
Ready for Business !
I wish to intimate to the
'public generally that I have
leased the blacksmith' shop
at the bridge (4,1,',V=„) and
am now in a position to at-
tend to all kinds of black-
smithing in a workmanlike
manner and on very reason-
able terms. MORSE -SHOE -
I Q A SPECIALTY, A share
of the patronage of the pub-
lic is solicited. It will be
my aim to give the best of sat-
isfaction 32-4
SILAS H. JACKSON.
YOU
A
3- _DENNIS
To Prepared to supply you with a
Handsome Carriage
•lt a Slight Advance on Cost.
Call in and Make a Selection or
Leave your Order.
If you are intending to travel
Dennis' is Headquarters for
TRUNKS,
VALISES,
SATCHELS Ro
A Large acid Well -Assorted
Stook to choose from.
H. DENNIS.
Brilliant
Durable!.
Economicall
Diamond Dyes excel all others
in Strength, Purity and Fastness.
None other are just as good, Be-
ware of imitations, because they
are made of cheap and inlerior
materials, and give poor, weak,
croaky colors. To be sure of
success, use .only the DIAMOND
DYES for coloring Dresses, Stock-
ings, Yarns, Carpets, Feathers,
Ribbons, &c., &c. We warrant
them to color more goods, pack-
age for pack dye, ..than any other
dyes ever ntade, and togive too"re
brilliant and durable colors. Ask
for the f>iernIenrd and take no other.
A Dress Dyed
A Coat Colored
garments Renewer)
otturs:
A Child can use theme!
At Druggists nnJ \tetd,nnrs: Ilyc 13ock+fre.
WELLS, RJC//,1RD, ON CO
Montreal, P,
FOSS