o
iVVVlVVI
Odt oj? the Pampas
fSJ By tl. A ItCNTV
J5?s?f?5?rr?'o,,'r'c,,'f
kjySM
"-V s .
CUAITnU XIH.-Coutlnued.)
"Wr will, Charley; wo will, my boys,"
Mr. Hardy said earnestly, and reusing
himself nt tlic thought. "I must go up
nnd break It to your mother, though how
I shall do o I kunw nut. Do you give
what order you like for collecting our
friend. Klrst, though, let us question
tlas man. When was ItT"
"Last night, signer, nt eleven o'clock. I
had Just Inln down in my hut, nml I no
ticed that there wore Mill tight down
stairs nt tho house, when, all ot a sud
den, I heard a yell ns ot a thousand
(fend, and I knew the Indians were up
on u. I knew that It was too late to
ily, but I threw myself out ot the 'win
dow, nnd lay tlat by the wall, as the lit
dlans burst In. There were eight ot us,
and I closed my ears to shut out tho
sound of the others cries". Up to tho
house, too, I could hear screams and sone
pistol shots, and then more screams an i
cries. The Indians were alt round, ev
erywhere, and I dreaded lest one of them
should stumble up against mr. Then a
sudden glare shot up, and I knew they
were firing; the house. After time all
became qulot; but I dared not mora tilt
daylight. Then, looking about mo care
fully, I could see no one, nnd I jumped
up nnd nerer stopped running until you
met me."
Mr. Hardy now went up to the house
to break the sad tidings to his wife.
Charley ordered eight peon to saddl
liorwes Instautly, and while they were do
Ins so he wrote on eight leaves of his
pocket book: "The Mercer's house destroy
ed last night by Indians; the Mercers
killed or carried oft. My sister Kthel
with them. Meet at Mercer' as soon as
ixxsilde. Send this note around to alt
neighbors."
Oae of these slip of paper was given
to each peon, and tliey were told to ride
Tor their lives In different directions, tor
that Miss Kthel was carried off by the
Indians. This was the tlrst intimation of
the tidings that had an-trcd, and a per
fect chorus of lamentations arose, from
the women, and of execrations ot rage
from the men.
Mr. llardy and the boys kept up as
well as they could, in order to Inspire the
mother and sister with hope during their
abtcicc, nd with many promises to
bring their missing one back they gallop
ed off. They were scarcely out of the
irate when they saw their two friends
from Canterbury coming along at full
gallop. Itoth were armed to the teeth,
and evidently prepared for an expedition.
An exclamation ot rage and sorrow
burst from them all, as only a portion
ot the chimney and a charred post or two
showed where the Mercer home had
stood. The hut of the peons had also
disappeared; the young trees and shrub
around the house were scorched up and
burned by the heat to which they had
Iteeu exposed, or hail been broken off
from the spirit of wanton mischief.
With clinched teeth and faces pale
with rage and anxiety, the party rode
past the site of the huts, scattered round
which were the bodies of several of the
murdered peons. They halted uot until
they drew rein and leaped off In front of
the house Itself.
In half an hour they were able to say
with tolerable certainty that no human
lelngs had been burned, for the bodies
could not have been wholly consumed in
such a speedy conflagration.
"Perhaps they have all been taken pris
oners," Hubert suggested, as with a sigh
of relief they concluded their search, and
turnedfrom tho spot.
Not as yet conld they see Into the
ditch. At ordinary times tho fence would
hare been an awkward place to climb
over; now they hardly knew how they
ncrambled over, and stood by the side of
the ditch. They lookod down and Mr.
Hardy gave a short, gasping cry, and
caught at the fenro for support.
Huddled together in tho ditch wai a
pile of dead bodies, and among them
peeped out tt piece of a female dress.
Anxious- to relieve their friend's agoniz
ing suspense, the young men leaped down
Into the ditch and began removing the
upper bodies from the ghastly pile,
First were the two men employed In
the house: then came Mr. Mereer; then
the two children and on old woman ser
vant; below them were the bodies of Mm.
Mercer ami her brother. There were no
more. Kthel was tint unions them.
Charley and Hubert turned toward
each other and burst Into tear of thank
fulness and joy. The suspense had been
almost too much for them, and Hubert
felt so sick and faint that he was forced
to lie down for awhile, while Charley
went forward to tho other. He was ter
ribly shocked at the discovery of the
murder of the entire party, as they had
cherished the hope that Mrs. Mercer at
least would have been carried off. As,
bowever, she had been murdered, while
It was pretty evident that Kthel had been
upared, or her body would have been
found with the others, it was supposed
that poor Mrs. Mercer had been shot ac
cidentally, perhaps In the endeavor to
avo her children.
Canterbury, he h,avlng Wen out on the
farm when his master left,
A grave was dug In the center of the
space once occupied by the house. In
this the bodies of Mr. Mercer and his
family were laid. And Mr. Hardy lim
ing solemnly pronounced such parts of
tho burial service its he romeintorod over
them, nil standing by bareheaded, and
stern with suppressed sorrow, the earth
was tilled In over the spot where a father,
mother, brother nnd two children lay to
gether. Another grave was at tho snmo
time dug near, and In this the bodies of
the three servant whoso remains had
been found with the others were laid.
Hy this time It was 11 o'clock, and the
number of those present had re.iehed
twenty. The greater portlou of them
were Kngllsh, but there wero also thrvo
Hermans, n trenchman and four gnu-
chos, all accustomed to Indian warfare.
ICarh man, with the exception of the
young Ilardys, who had their Colt a cst
Idnes, had a long rifle; In addition to
which all had pistols most of them hav
ing revolvers, the us of which, since
the Hardys had first tried tbera with
such deadly effect upon the pampas, had
become general among the Kngllsh set
tlers. Nearly all wero young, with th
deep auutmrned hue gained by exposure
on me plains, j-.vory man had his poncho
a sort of native blanket, used either
as a cloak or for sleeping In at will
rolled up before him ou his saddle. It
would have been difficult to ilud a mora
serviceable looking set of men; and tho
expression of their faces, a they took
their last look at the grave of the Mor
eers. boded very 111 for any Indian who
might fall Into their clutches.
nirda flw put overhead with terrified
cries, and a close, hot smell of burning
w.vs very plainly distinguishable.
Starting about hslf way along the side
or the cleared piece of ground, Mr, Har
dy set the dry grass alight, l-'or a mo
ment or two It burned slowly, and then,
fanned by the wind, It gained force, nnd
spread In a semicircle of tlaiue.
The horses wero already twplokotcd,
nnd half of the party held thtin at a
short distance in the rear, while the rest
stood III readiness tu extlniulsh the 11m
If It crossed tho cleared space,
Over and over again the tiro crept par
tlally across for the clearing had been
done but ruughlA Juit It wna speedily
stamped out by the heavy boot of tho
watchers.
Tho spectnele ns the lire swept nwny
before tho wind, wns lino in tho extreme.
Tho party scorned Inclosed between two
wnlls of tiro,
Advertising Did It.
Ho didn't liavo a dollnri ho didn't
linvo n illmo, lilt clothes nnd ahooa
wero looking just mi though they'd
svrved tholr tlmo. Ho didn't try to
kilt lilnicnlf to ilodgo inlnfortuno'a
whacks, Instead, Iio got soma nnlion
nml lm filled llvodoxon sacks. Than,
noxt Iio begged n dollar. In tho pnpor
In tho iiium lm fidvrotlscd tin polish
tlint would put tho ami tu scorn, Ho
kept on advertising, nnd, (tut now,
milieu to say, liu'n out In California nt
lila i-oltAgu on tlio bay. Tho Lyre.
Confession,
"I)o you tnnko much out ol your ll
hrnry workT" nuked tho Inquisitive
person,
"Yes, replied tho ninn who scribbles
The main oonthigrallon . occasionally, "intiuh inoioout of Itthun
i f! s -aCSm
W Airs
was now fearfully close, burning flakes
were already falling amoim them, and
tho sound of the tire wns llkn the hiss of
tho surf upon a pebbly beach.
"Now," Mr. Hardy said, "forward with
the horses, Kvery one to hi own ani
mal. I'ut your poncho over your own
head a wvll as your horses."
In another minute the party stood clus
tered upon th black aud smoking ground
which the lire they had kindled had
I do In It.
Canada Is llullJIng Nnllronds.
Tho nurnbor of miles of railroad
completed In tho Dominion of Canada
is lH.HUB, an Increase ol 674 miles ovur
thn previous year.
The Inference Obvious.
District Attorney Jerome lolls of n
prisoner recently brotitfht to a Harlem
twillrn atntlf-irt tli-, nAmtlltAH
.. . '- r-.--- -,tws nnviv VVetltI Tt HIJ J
.m rnh-.nu eieiiem aroumi ineiii, out uncloanly thut ho was advised by tho
Imlf-choked with ths smoke. .ls.k Himni i i.k. . i..ti.
swept clear. There, for live minutes, they
remained without moving, uusoorehed b)
The bodies were now taken from the
ditch and laid sldo by side until the oth
er settlers should arrive. It was not long
before they began to assemble, riding up
In llttlo groups of twos nnd threes. Itage
and Indignation were upon all their faces
at the sight of tho devastated house, aud
their feelings were redoubled when they
found that the wholo of tho family, who
were ao justly liked and esteemed, were
dead. The Kdwards and the Jamiesons
wero among the earliest arrivals, bring
ing the gaucho Martinez with them.
Perez, too, shortly after arrived from
CIIAPTKK XIV. v
There was no difficulty In following the
tracks. Mr. Mereer had poed near
ly a thousand cattle aud five thousand
sheep, and the ground was trampled in
a broad, unmistakable line. Otico or
twice Mr. Hardy consulted his compass,
Th trail ran southwest by west.
At nightfall there was a general un
rolling of ponchos, and soon afterward
only sleeping figures could b seen by
the dim light of the smoldering fire. Mr.
Hardy, Indeed, was the only one of tho
party who did not fall to sleep. Thoughts
of th events of the last twenty-four
hours, of the best course to be adopted,
and of the heavy responsibility upon him
self as leader of this perilous expedition,
prevented him from sleeping. He heard
tho watch rouse the relief and lay down
In their places. In another half hour he
himself rose, aud walked out toward the
sentry.
It was a young man named Cook, onn
of the new settlers to the east of Mount
Pleasant. "Is that you. Mr. Hardyr"
he asked, a he approached. "I was just
coming in to wake you."
"What Is It. .Mr. Cookr
"It strikes me, sir, tint there Is a
strange light away to the southwest. I
have only noticed It tho last few minutes,
aud thought It was fancy, but It gets
moro distinct every minute."
. Mr. Hardy looked out anxiously Into
the gloom and quickly perceived the ap
pearance that his friend alluded to. Pur
a minute or two h did not spoak, and
then, aa the light evidently Increased, he
said, almost with a groan, "It Is what I
feared they wonM do; they have set tho
pralrlo on Are. Yon need not keep watch
any longer. We are as much separated
from the Indians aa If the ocean divided
us."
Cook gave the two short whistles
agreed upon to recall tho other men ou
guard, and then returned with Mr. Hardy
to the rest of the party. Then Mr, Har
dy roused all his companions. Kvery man
leaped up, rifle In hand, believing that the
Indian were approaching.
"We must be up and doing," Mr. Har
dy said cheerfully; "the Indians have
fired the pampas."
There was a thrill of annrehtnslon In
the bosom of many present, who had
heard terrible accounts of prairie fires,
but this speedily subsided at the calm
manner of Mr. Hardy.
"The fire." ho said, "may Iks ten mile
away yet. I should say that It was, but
it Is difficult to judge, for thU grass does
not flame very high, and the smoke drifts
between it aud us. The wind, fortunate
)y, Is light, but It will le hero In llttlo
over half an hour. Now, let the four
(Cauclios attend to the horses, to sec they
do uot stampede. Tho ret form a Hue a
couple of yards apart, nnd pull up tho
grass by the roots, throwing It Iwhlud
them, so as to leave the ground cloar.
Tho wider w can make It tho botler."
All fell to work with hearty zeal. Look
ing over tholr shoulders, the sky now
appeared on fire. Flickering tongues of
flame seemed to strugglo upward. There
was an occasional sound of ttt, as herds
of deer flew by before tho danger.
'"How far will it go, papa, do you
think?" Hubert asked his father, next to
wnom ue was at work.
"I should say that It would most likely
stop at the stream whero we halted to
day, Hubert. The ground wns wot ami
boggy for some distance on the other
side."
Tho horses were ow getting very res
tive, and there wss a momentary pause
from work to wrap pouchos round their
heads, so as to prevent their seeing tho
glare.
The fire could not have been moro than
thre miles distant, when tho space clear
ed was as wide as Mr. Hardy deemed
necessary for safety. A regular noise,
something between a hiss and a roar, was
plainly audible; and when the wind lifted
the smoke the flames could be seen run
ning along in an unbroken wall of tire.
Thou Mr. Hardy spoke! "It Is over
now. Tou can look up."
There was a gsneral expression of as
tonishment a th heads emerged from
their wrappers, and the oyer recovered
sufficiently from the effects of the blind
ing smokn to look round. Whero had tho
tiro gone? Whsre. Indeedl Tho main
conflagration had swept by them, hail
divided In two when It reached the
ground already burned, and these col
umns, grewlug further and further asun
der as the nowlr kindled lire had widen
ed, were already far away to tho right!
and left, while beyond and Iwtweoa thetu I
was tho fire that Ihey thenfsclro had
"What!" exclaimed tho hoho.lndlc-
nantly, "mo o Into tho water?"
"Certainly; yon need It, How lon
If It since you had n bath?"
Tho hobo grinned, "I never wan ar
rested before. "New York Times.
Ms Knew Onr.
"I havo hero," said tho Industrious
Ixiok K"'t. "a volu mo which la us
pcclatly holpful to business num. I'm
certain it would brtiotlt roil II"
"Can you mention any businessman
It has benefitted?" broko In tho nken-
kindled, now two miles wide, nnd already I l,rrtl ono '" t,iu 0'" rUlr.
far In the distance I Huro. There's mo. (or Instance.
'Hie fires In the pampas, although they I Kt a big commission." Kansas City
frequently extend over a vast tract of! Journal,
country, are seldom fatal to life. Th
grass rarely attains a height exceeding Wom alvtn pfC, of ,,
three feet, and burns out almost like so I .... ... .. , .
much cotton. A man ou horseback, hav , ', ?."mM "' Ho,lcJr ' JWjfiw,
Ing no other method of escape, can. by ' " ,a xhn on """n "ho has been
blindfolding his horse and wrapping his K,r8n P - " Centennial pro.
own faeo Id a poncho, ride fearlessly H""" roimiieinorntliig tho 100th annl
through the wall of faro without damage ! "'sary of tho admission of Ohio to tho
to horse or rider. j union. Tho themo of her address will
At daybreak they were soon In the sad- Ih "Tho VaIuo of Good Women In In
die and on their way. Titer had inanv flnonclng Civilization." Mrs. Ilonlov
an hour'a ride In-fore they came upon th ! is a lormor president of tho Ohio FesN
trail They followed It all that day. To- j orated Club.
warns sundown one or the gauchos told
Mr. Hardy that he knew that at a short
distance further to the west there waa a
spring of water much used by tho In
dians, i imiing that It was not mor
nmmons, saved fron
an operation for Ovaritis, tells
how site wns? cured by Lydin Ii.
Pinklinm's Vegetable Compound.
" I am so planned with tho results I
obtained from Lyilhi V.. I'liilc lium'a
VoKotntilo Coiipotuitl that I feel It
a duty And a prlvllo to write you
About It.
" I suffered for over five yeAra wltls
ornrluu troubles, causing an un
pleasant dlsoharira, a great weakness,
And At times a faliitnes would iimiio
over mo whloh no Amount of medicine,
diet, or exercUo seemed to correct.
Your Vegetable Compound found tha
weak split, however, within a fair
woeka - mill ntivurf mo from nit
operation all my troubles had dls
nppcArcd. nnd I found myself once
more hoaitliy and well. Words fall to
describe the real, trim grnteful frollnir
that la In my heart, ami I want to tell
every alclc and sufTf rlntf Uter. Don't
dally with medicines you know noth
ing about, but take LjiIIh 11, IMnk
hutti'x Wtfotnblo Compound, and
Uko my word for It, you will x a
different woman In a short time."
Mrs. IjAuua Kuiio.ts, Wnlkcrvlllc, OnU
ijooo t-U It H'I t htut
Don't Iicaltittu to wrlto to Mr.
IMnkliiun If tlioro Im iinjtltliijr
about your ciikii which you do
not iimlorMnuil. rilio will trut
you Mltli klmliu'NH nml lior u!
vlcn Im froo. No woman mor n
trrottoil writing IutuihI nIio linti
IK-Ipml thousand. Addrcaa Im
IVyiiii, Ma,
Ortat Demonstration.
"They say when tho great pianist
nl-ycd In this town tho eono went
man halt an hoars ride, Mr. Hardy, af-i wiiu," lemarkod tlio comedian,
ter a brief consultation, determined to "They did tho amo when I played,"
go over thr to water the horse and remarked tho young lady who blowa
breakfast, before retracing their foot- tho cornet.
aiep across tne uurned prairie. MWflro ,oy demnilln2 that
In a llttl over the time named they ' romn back?"
came to a small pool or lirlght water,
from which a llttlo stream Issued, run-
WKmmmBmmmmmmvmmmsmm
I aP? HIBlf.
ALCOHOL, OPIUM,
TOIJACCO USING
WRITE I0K ILUISTKATID CATaIOCUE
not sol JOitawrr Mi.. PoHmntt, Orm.
7kUM, Kxls JM.
tdng nearly duo north across the nlala
After drinking heartily themselves, ami
filling the water skin and kttle, the
horses wer allowed to drink; and Dash
plunged la with the greatest delight,
emerging with hi usual bright chestnut
color, whereas he had gone Into th
water perfectly black.
After h bad come out and sbak him
self, he commenced hunting about, snif
fing so violently that Hulert'a attention
was attracted. Presently the dog ran
forward a few paces and gave a sharp
bark of pleasure, and Hubert, rnnnlng
forward, gave so loud a cry that all the
party rushed up.
Hubert coold not apeak. There, half
"No, they
money back."
wore demanding
you
their i
Not So Warm.
"I say, Ml. DoWItt," remarked
you UK Paplolgh, "votih wesplendont
beauty seta mo bwaln on flab, donchcr
know,"
"Never mind, Mr. Baplelgh," re
plied M Ira DeWItt, "the conflagration
will e too Insignificant to necessitate
the chlllug out of tho Are department.
The Camtra'a Eccentricities.
"All naturo I beautiful," Raid tho
enthusiast. j
f ii.it in tltltilr -i " iniuMiul Ii...
I l-J I.. .1. . ... . " - - t -.,--H"-
u.m- ju .uegrouuu, ami pointing we, l ,onnR mn wjt, UUcoloted llngere.
- , mm iuuuii UW i Iltitr ,lt I saL
" 'f
COLUMBIAUNIVERSITY
PORTLAND,OREGON
mwan by the cwcmca.
I (II Ot lilt HOLY CIDU AND
AmilUTfJ) lffl Tilt ISiVDt-
was an
head wa twlsteil a plec of while calico,
with llttl blue spots upon It, which Mr.
Hardy lastsntly recognised a a piece of
the dress Kthel had worn when she luff
home.
"Oh, paps, papa," cried Hubert, "I
know this arrow."
"Know the arrow." he repeated.
up amatour nho-
tography-I begin to have my doubts."
Washington Mar.
Tionot
ArmUTU) mi THE I
IT Of KJTki ii AM
SlinJirJ Ac trmlc four-ynr Conriti la
ClAula. Esfiub ttl StUtct, Oae-rur
anl four yr Cosunrrchl Couuo.
Krce-r ColkrUlt Cooria la CUula, Eiif
l, Otneril Uitatt, HUloty al Lcooom
la, riaincc inJ Comroace, (Jill Eailarrr
lof. Mrclunlul EflflMtfliir At- Elrctrial
Blmlar.
The KhoUitle yeir, begin
nine Sect. 7, 1903, rndijun
CafjIou sent frre on appli
cation. Address
REV. H. A. OUINLAN, CS.C
UNIVERSITY PARK, OREGON.
Qun AUxandra'a Hplgram.
"It Ii a pity," said Queen Aleian
dra to tho late Illahop of London, one
day, "that women aro not a devoted to
"Ye., I am quite, quite sure I know It. tbo blrda In tho Air Aa they aro to tho
Dor, t you remember, Qisrley, the dsy bilU, ,,, t)0,r ,um
that those wntinded Indians started, as
wo wero taking tho quivers down to them
Rolorison Mnchlno Co.
HUCCKMOIU) TO JOHN I'OOf.K
I'oot ol Morrlton St., I'orlUnJ. Oregon,
I'srsotis Hawkey Automsllo. Keif feed Ins, '
FaultletsHluinp Puller, lui horMiNitrr with
twotierses. Iiuoksys HswmiIH Msolilnery. Kit
ttnes ami Ibiilers Kit ami Mtckney Oauillne
Murines Wrlto us wfieu in want of snylhlng
Inmscblnerr lint.
I noticed that ono arrow had two feath
era which I had never seen before, and
could not guess what bird they camo '
from. They were light bins, with a crim
son tip. I pulled one off to compare It
with my others. It Is at home now. I
remember that I chose the one I did bo-1
cause the other ono had two of the little
side feathers gone. This Is the feather,
I can almost solemnly declare, and you I
seo the fellow Is gone. That arrow I-
loiics to oiim nt Out men tm rtenvrrvit-" '
All crowded round to examine tho ar
row, and Mr, Hardy said solemnly:
"Thank Hod for His mercy. Ho has do
elded our way now. Undoubtedly, as
Hubert says, ono of the men we aided
Is of tho party nnd wishes to show Ills
gratllude. Ho he has managed to get n ,
piece of IJlhel's dress, and has fled It lo
this arrow, hoping that wo should recog
nize tho feather. Thank Ood, thore Is
no more doubt, and thank heaven, too,
mat i.tticl has at least one friend ucur
her."
All was now Joy and congratulation,
and Hubert rubbed his hands and said
triumphantly: "There, Charley, you were
alwavs fhslTlnr me and wintlnir In linnus
what w. the good of my collection, and oWmut'iiiSS!
now you see what was the good. It has OUrb CONSTIPATION
put u. 0D the right trail for Kthel, and u'.Z.., ?c"7., i..'
uu nil, IICTIT I'D UIJIC IU IIU(U HI U1U
about my collection again."
(To be continued,)
PIMPLES
Mf wife tsssd uluiplss on liar face, but
Sb baa benu laUlnj c'AhC'AICin'H aud (Hey
kave sit dlsspiwsred. I had been troubled
with constipation for soma tuna but stter Uk
'D,!J"?, nrf ' '; I bar bud no trouble
with tbls sllnionl. We osiui'iisiwnk toohlub-
,''.!.,,?.reM " msiJWsllTSIAH,
070)1 aenxuntown Ave.. 1 iU4ip)U, To.
CANOV
CATHARTIC
VMADI uuia sscisnssso
The State of Now York lias mora
savluga bank deposits than Austria
Hungary, Franco or tho United Kingdom,
NO-TO-IAO
Apia snd syirsnusd bf all dros
Jills to OVkrc-Jobscoollkliw
aTJi ! ! HbI 1 I i a H is I im
lotlm. SoMbrdrossUts.
I
- --------- - "- - - - - - - a a 4
k I-P Vl TvDbB mU
?l-BKr TO QJEAtTy
I WLvtiD Y9U HOMES
SL ffl f VAZSWiVC
r t cmms. tables
i tLi !?
L III 0t?ABL&'
NWU AfOT SCRATCH
a&tACSACQLQRS
EM5ST CtfAtAWAO
FOAt DAIJTJ7.
-" ,
P.N, U. Ho J4-IP0J.
I W,IKN wrlllnif to advertisers pleasa I
ITT insnllon this tmpr. I
rIsTi? L". H,T,r:i jr-T-i