Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-12-11
BY, CHRISTIAN REID

celVe a courteous SdlutatlOn. Whether or not Fernandez had rightly interpreted him to Barrera-and thls he knew was doubtful-the latter obviously did not include him in his anger There was something almost friendly in the "Adios senor." with which he passed.
 But there was nothing friendly in the air and manner of Fernandez when he appeared If Derwent had ever doubted what was in the man he saw 1t now saw the bitter and implacable enmity of which he was capable in lowering brow and angry glance. There were no words exchanged Derwent would have been glad to be courteous as long as the ex- igencies of their journey threw them to- gether. but Fernandez for once seemed unable to put any constraint upon him. self or else did not care to exercise it, He mounted silently and rode off with Aranda. leaving Derwent to follow with the mozos.
 As they passed down the canada the young man turned in his saddle and looked back at the majestic peak, the first appearance of which had so fasci- mated him 1t formed a beautiful pie ture for his parting glance, standing in stately isolation at the head of the gorge, it's noble summit bathed in golden sun shine. while the purple shadows of late afternoon had gathered in the deep chasms around its base. Knowing just where to look his eye caught the light gleam of the great lode running across the mighty slope, and with a pang of disappointment keener than he had reck oned upon he bade adieu to the hopes which it had kindled.
 Since there was only an hour or two of daylight remaining they made as much haste as possible out of the bar ranca. and then turning from the direct road took their way to ranch on the slope of the mountains, where Senor Ar anda had made arrangements for them to spend the night.
 The next morning Fernandez proved to be in the same mood as on the preced- ing evening-saying such few words as were necessary for interpretation and direction. so Derwent, as he swung him. self into his saddle, thought without much cheerfulness of the long, silent ride before him-for they hoped to make Eitzatlan by night. But the ride was not destined to be so silent as he had an ticipated Fernandez came to his side, and. observing that they had both been somewhat nasty the day before, pro posed to explain fully the whole history of the bond It would have been a brutal incivility. of which Derwent was incapable, to tell the man that he dis trusted his statements altogether; so he listened to a sketch of Barrera' S imprac- ticable and fiery disposition, of the de- sire of the other owners to sell the mine, of the difficulty they had in inducing him to consent to sale, and of the man. ner in winch he had since endeavOred to e1nbarrass their efforts On abstract grounds Derwent agreed that it was hard that one man should have power to annoy others and lnJure their interests but he sad to himself that he was by no means sure on which side the injury lay l and he altogether declined to reconsider his own decision The result was finally the exchange of few angry words which cut deeply on each side, and then the two men parted, Fernandez to joir Senor Aranda, and Derwent to sootht himself with cigar alone.
 At noon they halted for short res | and refreshments by the side of the only water on thelr road They were in the midst of very wild and desolate coun try surrounded by mountains, with | savage looking defile before them through which their road lay 'Wha an inviting place for brigandsr though Derwent, regarding the narrow pass anC frowning heights. But, knowing hoy sternly this little amusement had beer l T Iva bo1
 prehension of anything of the kind. Tn
 thought was merely suggested by tn
 recollection of the many bloody deed
 which such localities had witnessed i
 times past It was not even stron ] enough to deter him a little later fror falling behind the rest of the party a
 they passed down a barranca with steep mountain strewn with rocks O one side and precipice which droppe
 two thousand feet on the other.
 The road at this point descended s
 sharply that Derwent, to relieve himse
 as well as his mule, dismourted an
 walked, with the animal following clos behind him 1t was dangerous plac,
 for the almost precipitOus incline of tE
 road was strewn with fragments (
 powders from the mountain above; an l
 his attention was altogether fixed upo
 the path, when the sudden falling of
 rock immediately before him caused hi | to look quickly up the mountain sid There was only time for a glance
 glance which showed him the partial = concealed form of man behind a gre
 bowlder-when there came flash, a T
 port, burning pain in his shoulde
 and simultaneously the frightened mu
 dashed past, knocking him off his fee He was conscious of falling down u o precipice, of throwing out his han
 wildly to save himself, of a crushil blow upon the head-and darkness fC lowed.
 CHAPTER VI
 It was with very strange sensati | that Daruanf caTna hack to fsOnGoiOI