The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-08-13


that is to be only last resort. Give
plenty Of time"
Then he set out on horseback, by a
long journey, to take the railway for
Vera Cruz. 1t was his plan, he said, to
visit some neglected business correspond
ents on the way. He meant to dispose
of his horse at Puebla to pay part of the
expense of his voyage.
Some Of his young acquaintance &C
companied him part of the way on his
road in lively fashion. After leaving
them he went ON with single servant,
who carried his baggage On thesecond
day he insisted that the horse this mozo
rode was lame and looked badly.
II would not for anything that so good
an animal should be permanently dis
abled," he said. "Give me here the bag
gage on my own horse"-he had pur-
posely made it very highland you go
back; shall get on perfectly well by
myself"
The man hesitated in surprise, but the
order was peremptory and he went back.
When the Senoritas Arroyo heard of it
they said, cit is exactly like his warm
heart, considerate both of beast and
man."
AS soon as the servant had disappeared
up the road Don Walter plunged into
the woods There was no one in sight
in either direction to observe this I'M
usual proceeding Within an hour after
wards he reappeared as peon, of the
usual copper colored skin and in the cot
ton shirt and drawers of the class. He
emerged from the woods near the same
spot and took the road back towards
Cuernavaca. The animal he rode was
also considerably changed in appearance,
and seemed to have been victim of
wanton neglect.
He passed the night at the same meson
with his own servant, who was dallying
on the road. He set out much earlier in
the morning than the latter When he
reached but little used trail, penetrat-
ing his own mountain district, he struck
off into it. A wild babbling brook ran
down the same course, disputing the
right of way. When he had gone GER
tain distance he dismounted, took off the
more necessary articles, and with sad
but resolved air led his horse into a
thicEet. The poor animal seemed to
have sense of the fate that was impend-
ing. He trembled and drew back, and
when the revolver was aimed that, as a
precautionary measure should have put
an end to his existence, he made so re-
sistless bound that he escaped to the
bed of the brook. Don Walter scram-
bled after him over the rough stones,
but pursuit was useless.
"Go, then, in heavens name. | am
glad I did not do It," he breathed aloud,
rejoicing in the chance that had stayed
his hand from cruelty so repulsive,
even with all the danger of detection in
volved
Then he shouldered his effects in a
bag, peasant fashion, went on on foot
and disappeared. Surely his acquaint-
ances would have thought this an extra
ordinary way in which to start for the
United States.
After Don Walter had gone Amy Cole
brook felt far more than before the seri-
BUSINESS of her position. It was weighty
responsibility indeed for her, an mex
perienced little American girl, to be down
there in the far off wilds of Mexico, the
confdant Of a secret Of life and death
and monstrous treasure, with all its
far reaching interests. At timeslt seemed
too formidable to bear, and she had to
struggle not to betray her preoccupation