The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1894-03-31

devil Heseemed to care only to get money
to hoard it and hide it away. 10 this
day people believe that there is money hid
den in these ruins. You are amused, senior:
You laugh."
Every ruin is said to conct~l Il treasure,
you know" said Severson SIX, ically
"Vaya!" replied the Slani.rd, with ap-
parent indifference. believe it or not, as
YOU will; but searches have been made and
money has been found-no matter! Don
Federico lived to be ninety years old, and
his wife was his slave, and his children
were afraid to speak aloud in his presence.
lie had grandchildren, too-a sturdy brood.
that alone am left! He would
not permit them to learn the English lam
guage or recognize one who spoke it.
You see. senor speak English with
much care. | learned it of necessity few
years ag. We Miramontes are born with
a hatred of the English people and tongue.
Don Federico would let no stranger cross
his threshold, for he had no faith in the
fidelity Of women, and my great-grand-
mother dared never to speak to any man
but her husband and the priest. Well, he
died at last. and his heirs quarreled among
themselves, and in the end the place was
sold to settle the dispute. And so it hap
pens, senOr, that this immense estate, which
should now be mine, passed into the pos
session of aliens, and this house. which
was built to shelter Don FedericO's de-
scendantS for centuries. now stands empty
and in ruins
SeversOn with his arms behind him.
paced slowly through the deserted rooms.
The walls were immensely thick. Each
window made an alcove. The ceiling was
broken where the roof had leaked, and the
heavy tiles had fallen through: and patches
Of sky were visible here and there.
"Of course the place is haunted:" Sever
son queried, with Il smile: these old
houses are always tenanted by ghosts"
Miramonte smoked vehemently for a
moment. The senior does not believe in
ghosts:'' he asked in noncomnittal tones.
well, hardly" answered Severson en-
phatically. 'still-pd like to. 1t would
make life intensely interesting DO you?"
"Quien sabe:" murmured the Spaniard,
Struggling his shoulders. II could tell yon
of things''- and he said nothing more.
Severson extended his explorations, not
ing with growing admiration the immense
solidity of the walls Between two of the
inner rooms he found 4 partition seven feet
thick.
"Whew.' he whistled in amazement:
1.-The old don built for all eternity-a seven
foot walIr'
He struck it admiringly with his doubled
fist. and to his surprise he heard faint
sound like falling mortar.
Queer" muttered Severson: lit can't
be very substantial after all, and he be-
gan to search for the defective spot. But,
though be examined it Oh every side, the
wall presented an unbroken surface. He
struck it again, and again he heard the
mysterious sound.
"Miramonte!" be called excitedly: mira
monte Come here:''
What do you want:" the Spaniard re-
Piled, indolentIy rising from his seat on
the floor in the farther room.
''Come here' shouted Severson; quick!
I've made a discovery. This wall is hol-
lOw!'
Miramonte leaped to join him-not in
dolent now-his yellow face suffused, his
eyes afiame.
1.-The money!" were his first words.
''Vive Dios!-the hidden money!
Severson nodded affirmatively and gave
the wall another blow. Listen, Mira
monte" he said; don't you hear the NOR
tar falling inside? tell you this wall is
hollow. How shall we make hole?'
Miramonte stood transfxed. II hear,
hear" he murmured. in ectasy. rs if he
were listening to celestial music. SNOW
now. at last it will be found. shall be
rich once more"
Think" urged Severson impatiently.
"how to get inside. We have no TOOLS"
1.-The roof!'' cried the Spaniard. my
knife!-with my knife can make an open
ing through the roof"
Instantly the two men ran out into the
placita Severson stopped to study the
roof and fix in his mind the location of the
inner room; but Miramonte, carrying his
uDsheathed hunting knife in his hand and
trembling with eagerness. began at once
to Chamber over the fallen and moldering
outer walls.
BE carefulv' cautioned Severson; you'll
break through the roof. The tiles are
heavy; the tules are old and rotten! Be
CAREFUL But the Spaniard scarcely seemed
to hear.
Kneeling now upon the uneven roof he
flung the loose tiles aside. and when Sever
son joined him he was hacking the tules
and rendfng the thongs that bound them
together. Severson could hear him reit-
Grating in Spanish while he worked. '"The
money-at last-the money!"
Soon hole was made two feet in diam
eter. Miramonte thrust in his head till
his shoulders rested upon the roof. Sew
erson saw his body shake and heard him
utter hideous oath. 1T is dark! can
not see!' he cried aloud in fury. 1--WE
must make the hole largerl'' and he fell
madly to work again.
At last the opening was four feet long
Miramonte's hands were bleeding; his face
was smeared with sweat and dirt His
eyes shone like smoldering Goals. The
dust which had accumulated for century
on the roof swirled in a cloud about them,
and it was impossible to discern anything
below. But gradually the dust settled,