Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-05-20
world to raise "a finger in my defense II

INC netu arose.
Within week of my arrival three
attempts were made on my life. Dur
ing one of these attacks had the I'll luck
to wound, in self defense, one of the ring
leaders, a Spaniard named Antonio, nephew
to my worthy host. This young man had
thus two reasons for wishing my destruc-
ton, and third was supplied by a circum-
stance Of which | had then no suspicion
To this day he is the only enemy / am
aware of possessing, but have forebod-
ing that he will yet do me or mine some
fatal injury.
After the failure of these three attacks
was not surprised to find that the conspira-
tors had resolved to give me few days
rest; but / was not deceived by their in
activity, | had refused an escort from the
commandant at the convent simply be-
cause felt that my own vigilance was the
only safeguard likely to be of any use. My
enemies. i suspected, were but biding their
time to put in practice some more safe and
certain scheme than open attack had
proved to be. The event showed | was
right. Meanwhile | was not idle. | was
carrying on my work of inspection from
day to day, and had, in fact, nearly finished
my written report to the directors. This
|
of more than one eminent geologist and
engineer. The closing of the mine was, in
my opinion, an imperative necessity.
At this time ! was preparing uncon-
sciously for myself the greatest danger OF
my life, a danger which has not yet passed
away; but with it was to come to me
blessing which has enriched my whole ex
istence.
tbink | hoya
specimen of the heavy villain class than
Diez, my worthy landlord at Palos, and
certainly never woman who charmed me
more than his daughter. Juanita was a
girl of fourteen when first came to Palos.
l can remember having admired even then
her pretty face and graceful shy manners
and having wondered how such maidenly
creature could be the daughter of my coarse
and sometimes brutal landlord. AS for
myself, do not mind confessing that, half
conscious only as | was Of any feeling Of a
tender sort, had one reason which have
not mentioned before for making my visit
to Palos de Santa Fe as long as possible.
| Juanitas attractiveness had for me been
! growing as she grew to early womanhood
she never appeared more lovely than when
i saw her that Sunday evening after my
| three or four months absence. NY all alb
| sorbing anxiety would have prevented any
| love making, even had had any thought
of such pastime. But | remember hav
| ing noticed after my escape from assassina
ton a new shade of thoughtfulness on the
| girls face At the time ! put this down
| to the prosecutions Of her cousin Antonio
/ who was devoted to her in a savage, jeal
GUS way, which made her very uncomforta.
| bic. He was evidently favored in his court
ship by his uncle, Dez.
| Attracted as was by Juanita, could
not help taking a great deal of interest in
this love suit, prosecuted by one who, | had
no doubt, was my bittercst foe. SO it was
that ] noticed great change in Juanita's
treatment of her admirer. Hitherto her
! dislike for him had been evident; besides
she was apparently afraid of him. Now
to all appearance, the pressure put on her
by her father, of whom she was very fond
and who treated her with surprising in-
| diligence, and even respect, had proved too
much for her powers of resistance. Her
manner was now one of shy acquiescence
in her lovers claims. Whereas before this
| time you would have thought her less than
kin to the eager Antonio, now at least
considered her more than kind to him.
Unreasonable as it was, this state Of
| things added, l know, to the feeling of
| loneliness and depression which was grow
| ing upon me. | pat it to myself that was
disappointed in the girl,
| Though still shy and timid in her lover,
presence, my landlords daughter had alto
! gether changed in her behavior to the
| frequenters of the inn. Instead of keeping
] to her own room when the house was full
of men, or going quietly about her house
] hold duties, the young girl began to loiter
near the bar, listening to the conversation
of the miners. Diez no doubt attributed
the change in his daughters habits to her
| growing love for his charming nephew,
| who was always there; at any rate he never
| interfered | myself could only think as
/ he did, and acknowledge TO myself with
| sigh that Juanita, too, was IN the enemy's
camp.
At last, three weeks after my return to
| Paios, the great report was finished
| handed it to the manager, and received
| from him an acknowledgment in writing
| My work was over, and was heartily glad
of it. ] at least had done my duty; it only
remained for the directors to do theirs.
! The next day would see the last Of Palos.
did not doubt that with the force at their
command the company would close the
L
! not help being sorry. The village would
cease to exist, Diez would have to close the
posada, and this lovely valley would be de
serted for many long day to come. Still,
the company had other mines not very far
away; they could start new workings there
and use a good deal of the old machin-
| cry. The miners, too, would soon perhaps
get work again, but they would be the
chief sufferers by my decision.
was in very good spirits that evening,
so that it seemed to the quite natural that
every one about me should be wondrous
polite and even cordial My host was over
whelming with his attentions, forced his
company on me upon the slightest Psetext,
and grew eloquent as he told me with gay
! confidence Of his plans for his dear Anto-
MO. His nephew, it seemed was good
fellow if ever there was one, only little
too warm hearted and too sensitive. Did
he not seem to me little sulleni con
fessed that he did, Ali So |, too, had no
ticed It'll The poor fellow was in love, and
all lovers were respondent at times. And,
would | believe i'll Antonio had actually
an idea that did not like him, and he had
such respect for mel And so on. At last
the old fellow became 80 affectionate and