The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-10-01


In two days he was able to take out
enough from this new source to COM
plete the coveted amount and not lit
tie over From each of his trips to tho
caverns he brought back sections of
dried trees and branches and threw them
upon the deposit to give an appearance
of natural wreckage. The bed would
hardly have attracted the attention of
superficial eye as it was; but he wished
to make assurance doubly sure.
The evening of the second day he
thought he saw armed men and horses
silhouetted on the lofty verge Of the Bar
ranca, like the gods of Walhalla riding
in the sky, He fancied this must be
only deceptive appearance of the
bushes. sas before; but this time it was
poftent that was to be corroborated by
extraordinary events.
What WAS his a1nazement, on return
ing from his usual mission the following
day, to see two armed men in the canyon
on the very field of his operations, and
two horses picketed ut a little distance!
One of the men climbed up to him from
the cavernous bed of the stream. the
other appeared from behind his hut.
He recognized the first us Capt. Perez,
the other as Antonio Gassol, keeper of
the Alma de Mexico restaurant at Cuer-
havaca.
These are the shocks thatshorten mems
lives; and Walter had had so many Of
them crowded into his late experience
that he showed clearly the effects of the
rack and strain
Capt. Perez advanced towards him in
hearty way with extended hand. Wal
ter was inclined to lay his own upon his
revolver instead. He drew back repel-
lently and kept on the defensive
"Ah, you do not like our intruding?"
said the captain.
"Oh, as to that" Struggling his shout
ders, I'VE don't have great many visit
ors here, and it was trife unexpected"
He felt the impolicy Of his conduct, yet
had been too flustered and was too trem-
blingly alive to the magnitude of the in
terests at stake to have adopted any
other.
so you are not in the United States.
after alp
Good day, Senior Arroyo! We do not
see you often at the Alma de Mexico
nowadays, Senior Arroyo" interrupted
Antonio Gassol, coming up with most
obsequious politeness. Walter turned
iercely toward him.
"He is all right" interposed Perez,
assuming Il confidential relation. An
tonic is one Of those persons whom it is
perfectly proper to trust
II am from this part of the country
exclaimed Gassol; $50 | return once in .
while to see how my native village is get
ting along. We have come down.
Eyes, to see if we could get some sui
phate Of copper to use in my arrastra at
La Fortuna" said his principal, cutting
him short. II pound out Il few dollars
from the ore On my place when | have
nothing else to do. Antonio, will you
kindly go and take Il look at the horses?
The roam seems to have tangled himself
up in his lariat."
'You do not appear surprised to find
me here" said Walter,
IL make it Il rule not to be surprised
So many remarkable things are always
happening. have left myself little Ca
pacity for it. You were quite mysterious
in your goings and comings for some
time, then your horse turned up. giving
us all IL scare lest you had been murdered,
and finally learned the other day that
peasant corresponding to your de-
co1-; iC,, bod loo1, hand 70