The Press., 1891-10-15


 nel Honradez had gathered his men to- square surrounded by stone wall about four feet high, and sentries were already posted, tramping up and down with the steady machine-like regularity which marked the discipline of the best com manders of old Spain-a discipline to which, no less than to their arms and horses, they owed their victories over the hordes of savages they conquered.
 The village or town they had taken was a collection of huts made of upright canes, thatched with paja. In the cen ter was the plaza of the temple, and in this stood the temple itself, large house, one story high, built like the huts. The open front showed the shape less log of wood which had been wor- shiped as a god, already thrown down, while before it lay the bodies of three or four priests slain in their attempt to de- fend the altar. Some blood red flowers, remains of the morning offering, were scattered about, and the coals of the sa- cred fire yet showed spots of red. At one side was the heap of gold ornaments torn from the altar and the god carelessly ly- ing there, waiting until the rest of the booty should be collected. Down the street in which the battle had ragged Spaniards were examining the bodies of the dead and stripping off the gold.
 As the young soldier sat there a group of captives guarded by five or six sol diers attracted his attention. There were many women and children, some old men who mourned over the fate of their people, and some in the prime of life. Many gaping wound showed itself on the bodies of these warriors, and their sullen looks were evidence enough of the feelings which ragged within their breasts. But it was not on these that to him and seated on the ground, he1 white cotton robe half torn f1Hsziasl ial shoulders, was an Indian girl 8 fifteen. This was Nechtla, the
 Bocho-Ammo, war chief of thN
 ros.
 The relacion of the Frey Juai
 gales, in which I found this stor! scribes the girl as looking like one ezzSfh the old Gothic families of Spain, and the old Franciscan adds, quaintly enough, "She was beautiful enough, without the aid of the devil she served, to do all that came." fancy, then, that Nechtla must have been a pure brunette, with large and soft black eyes, perfect figure, ex- quisitely beautiful hands and feet and long black hair. Probably she possess ed that appealing expression which may even now be seen in half breed Indian girls, an expression which cannot be de- scribed, but which is inexpressibly touch ing.
 Whatever she looked like, she was such one as Don Francesca Medina had never seen before. He had influence enough with Colonel Honradez to cause her to be carried on a litter during the long and toilsome march back, and it is certain that he talked to her great deal. Colonel Honradez did not care; it was a rough age, and if Don Francesca Medina, the son of the captain general, chose to take fancy to an Indian captive, what did it matter? She was of no use as a slave; in fact, the stern old Spanish soldier would not have burdened himself on the march with her SO long as the thrust of 8 knife would have been less trouble.
 That the young man should prefer having her to receiving the share of gold he had offered to give up in return amused Colonel Honradez not a little, but for all that the colonel resolved good naturedly Francesca should not suffer when the yellow metal in those bundles, bound in raw hide and carried by the men who were guarded so care fully, came to be weighed and divided. In due time the party reached Cartha- gena; there were fresh slaves to take their places on the walls, and the cap tain general was delighted when he heard the story of his sons behavior in his first fight from the lips of Colonel Honradez The two men laughed together as the colonel described the Indian girl and the reason why she had been brought to the coast, but the captain general cared as little about his sons act as did that sons commander.