The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-26
SAVED BY THE AZTECS.
A PTOSpeCtOr Finds Refuge in a Pre-
historic Temple.

denly Disappeared From Their View
in Hole in the Face of Cliff.
From the Philadelphia Times.
THAT is a people for whom l always
feel a keen sense of sympathy, personal
as well as sentimental. Indeed, they
saved my life once, " said the man in the
soft, black felt hat and a general air of
careless independence that stamped him
at once as from the Lone Star state, as he
paused before the remains of the Aztecs
in the Anthropological building at the
worlds fair.
Saved your life, man! Pshaw!" inter-
rupted his companion. why, the Aztecs
have been gone from Mexico over 800
years"
"All the same, am indebted to them
for the fact of my being alive to-day.
Want the story? Well, come over to my
state building, and while we rest awhile
III tell it to you
1T was nearly twenty years ago now
that Lew Ripperdan, an old collegemate
of mine, persuaded me to go to Mexico
with him to look for silver. He had met,
while in San Francisco, a Mexican of good
birth and some education who was there
@OA WY ia JOoC VI UCIllR bTtdbGu lOF Cdn~
Ger, not having confidence in the medical
fraternity of his native country. With
this Senior Costerigo Ripperdan became
rather intimate, nursing him all through
his long, painful illness, for the man was
dying; and, grateful to his friend, the
Mexican bequeathed him all his property.
amounting to small ranch in the north
ern part of the republic. But what he
contended, was of infinite more value, he
a q uQN va ET 90, =
power to give, and this was a description
OF the location of one of the silver mines
worked by the ancient Aztecs
AS you know, when the Spaniards
took the country the natives DESTROYED as
nearly as possible all traces of these
mines, blocking up and covering over the
entrances with rocks, soil and planting
some rapidly growing plant the better to
conceal them. Well, it was one of these
ola mines that Setor Costerigo had dis
covered through one of his herdsmen hay
ing found stray yearling in a hole on the
SIDE OF small hill close to the ranch
Inc herdsman'S story arousing his mas
ters curiosity, the senior went himself to
examine the spot, and came across unmis-
taxable evidences of its having been
worked at some remote period.
LEFT A PLAN OF THE MINES LOCATION.
"He left Immediately for the City of
Mexico to raise stock company to fur
nish funds to work the mine, but while
there was told of the serious nature of
his disease, and, with the idea of having
the cancer removed by an operation BY
American physicians, went at once to
san Francisco. Here he met Ripperdan,
10 whom he told the secret, knowing by
tnat Tune that he would never live to
himself profit by it. He drew a rough
map Of the spot, and when death at last
ended his pain, Ripperdan went on to
Iexas on his way to the property he had
inherited and the hidden fortune in it.
BY chance he ran across me in FL Paso,
and, aware that l was frst-class as
sayer of metal and needing some one on
whom he could rely, took me into his CON
hdence, promising me half share in the
profits.
I'VE set off at once for the Santa Maria
ranch, and while ostensibly preparing to
enter upon the life of cattle herders, made
cautious reconnoiters of the land After
some little difficulty we discovered the
hole into which the yearling had fallen,
though Costerigo had again replaced the
stones, branches of trees and other debris
that concealed the mines entrance. not
wishing to leave any chance open for
wandering herder to stumble on the Sc
Cret while the senior was absent But we
mad to be careful, for that country was
1alrIy alive at that time with idle, rows
terng bands of 'greasers," remnants of
MaXlmllian's army, that, driven from pill
lar TO post, of necessity preyed ON the peo-
pie in remote districts, where the law was
a dead letter. And well we knew that
once let these vampires scent our mine
our lives would not be worth a moments
purchase. We made a hasty exploration
OF the place and found that the senior had
Deen right. 1t was indeed an old NINE
put had been pretty well worked out,
though there still remained enough silver
10 make US both rich men.
THE SECRET BECOMES KNOWN.
Leaving Ripperdan on guard [ went
pack to Tucson. Ariz., to bring on the
machinery needed, and after an absence
OF Two or three weeks returned to the
ranch. As l rode up TO the house l no.
tlced that it presented an unusual appear
ance Of confusion and desolation, and on
pushing open the front door beheld the
ueaq body of my poor friend lying amidst
the broken and hac ked-up furniture of the
room. In some way our secret had be-
come known and the house been attacked
ooy the murderous horde, who tried to
Iorce Rlpperdan TO point out the location
Vi me mine, being prepared, / suppose, to
torture him even if necessary. But the
brave fellow had given them warm well
ZONE, as was evidenced by the bodies of
Ihlee MeXicans which lay near his, until
ne had himself fallen by bullet through
the temple.
Judging from the appearance of the
Gead, 1t was plain that the crime had
oeen perpetrated within the hour, the alb
sence of the band being probably due to
tsher dispensing over the ranch to look
Tor the mine themselves, as Ripperdan
hdu oled with his secret. But they might
return at any moment, and knowing
%nat mercy might expect at their hands
a. found there, | resolved to make for the
texas border as quickly as | could. So,
waiting only to secure such ammunition
as was In the house and to bid poor Rip
perdan hasty farewell after cutting off
lock OF hair for his mother back in Ken
lucky, went out to where had left my
morse. He was faded and broken down
~ the Journey he had just come and l
Ieared would be of little help to me, but
mounted him for lack of something, and
loue OF as quickly as he could carry me.
however, had gone but short dis
lance when heard in a thiCket the soft
MMhlcker of horse, and looking made out
frankfort, Ripperdan's fine blue grass
LldTe' coming out to welcome me. she
nag evidently broken out her pasturage,
ana TO this was indebted for her escape
rom being stolen by the bandits | took
tlle saddle of my weary animal and put
~ On the mare and was off again, feeling
renewed hope with this fresh aud spirited
creature to FelV on