The news boy., 1894-11-10

Inc air was cool and balmy; outside.
the gentle splash of dripping water
could be heard. Oh, how 1 lonpcd for
d1aught of that water! Once more
essaycd TO rise, but without success.
The effort drew forth a cry OF main.
Immediately the opening darkened
aud large, broadshoulIered figure
strobe softly toward me; kneelinR
beside my couch he held an earthen
vessel of sparkling cold water to nv
lips. swallowed it at one gulp. He
arose and quickly returned with the
vessel refilled; this also emptied. sig.
nifying that l had enough
Then he addressed me in broken
English:
~ mucha glada you go well, senor."
| answered in Spanish, thanking
him for his solicitude, and inquired
as to my whereabouts, whether or not
he had seen my friend. and hundred
other questions. To all of these he
made polite answers in choice Span
isn, which he spoke with polish and
refinement
During the long days of my conva-
lescence, Jaun, as he told me ~ call
MIN, attended me with the utmost ten
derness. No mother could have been
more careful of her offspring He
spoke little Of himself; in the morning
he went hunting and never failed to
return with some tempting game. 1t
was on one of these morning hunts,
that had taken him further up the
mountain than usual, that he had
found me at the bottom of the canyon,
bleeding, broken and generally used
up; he asserted that it was only the in
terposition of providence that had
saved me from instant death.
He would sit beside me for hours
telling me of strange and thrilling ad-
ventures in a most fascinating lhan-
ner. Lounging there on an immense
jaguar skin, strolking his glossy black
beard his long hair falling almost to
his shoulders, his slender fingers occa-
sionally tapping his high forehead
which appeared to be strong abit--
he would throw an expression into his
naturally soft eyes that accorded per-
fectly with the tenor of the story he
was telling.
Sio"is lcS ulHcu lily SlTcuSUu anu
every day Jaun and became closer
friends. Knowing how reticent he
was, l refralned from further ques-
tions on his previous life, and only
gathered little snatches here and there
that he inadvertently dropped. Every
evening he would kneel before little
crucitiX in dark corner of the grotto.
a month had passed and l was able
to sit up. One bright, cool morning,
October 8 it was, 1 was propped
up with soft skins near the door.
was wondering when l should reach
Leon's camp. Why had he not searched
for me? Why had he left Inc at the
foot of that terrible cliff? Had he
| made no effort to find me? l could not
think of him leaving me thus to perish
l must regain my strength and join
him as soon as possible. Thus musing
rose with some difficulty, and sup
porting myself against the rocks sue.
ceeded in reaching the ground outside.
| Here the crisp breeze sweeping down
from the snow caps above revived me
wonderfully.
A little to the right was the gush.
ing. ripping mountain spring: seat
ing myself on the brink | scooped up
the water in my hands and quaffed it.
| Suddenly heard voices, and peering
over the line of powders saw Jaun,
| with dead tigrillo on his shoulder,
earnestly talking to four or five fierce.
! looking Indians dressed in an odd,
| picturesque mixture of serapes and
skins. AS they turned to leave he
called to them in a sort of Spanish
patois of which | understood, ten
days-San Augustin!" Approaching
| he saw me and seemed little startled,
but laughingly told me that he made
an appointment for a puma hunt. A
few days afterward, in compliance
with my urgent request, we set out
for Leon's camp Never did traveller
in that region receive more careful at.
teution. His strong arm helped me
over the rough stones, His unerring
eye found the smooth path.
On the morning of the third day he
seemed depressed. About ten o'clocl,
he pointed out, from rugged bluff
an appearance of life short distance
below. Gazing steadily down, l rec
ognized Leon by his leather coat and
Stanley hat; he was hard at work
| building sluice.
was overjoyed, but my companion
interrupted me by saying that he
hoped that I would make the descent
safely
what! You are not going?"
mo. l must return immediately
but surely you will tell me who
you are?" said l, impulsively. You
"Senor," he answered, II desire youl
gratitude and friendship. If you