Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-03-07
not permit them to learn the English Ian.

not permit them to learn the English lam
guage or recognize one whospoke it.
"You see. senior. speak English with
much care learned it of necessity few
years ago We Miramontes are torn with
a hatred of the English people and tongue.
Don Federico would let no stranger tross
his threshold, for he had no faith in the
fidelity of women, and my lsreast-gralid-
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 50 1t hap
pens, senior, 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 hauntedf' Sever
son queried, with a smile; these old
houses are always tenanted by ghosts"
Miramonte smoked vehemently for
moment 1.-THE senior does not believe in
ghosts?" he asked in noncommittal tones.
"Well, hardly" answered Severson en-
phatically; "still-Td like to. 1t would
make life intensely interesting. Do your"
"Quien sabea" murmured the Spaniard,
Struggling his shoulders; Il could tell you
of things''- aud 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 partition seven feet
thick.
"Whewp' he whistled in amazement;
"the old don built for all eternity-a seven
foot wallP'
He struck it admiringly with his doubled
fist, and to his surprise he heard faint
sound like falling mortar.
Queer" muttered Severson; ut can't
be very substantial after all" and he be-
gan to search for the defective spot. But,
though he examined it on every side, the
wall presented an unbroken surface. He.
struck it again, and again he heard the
mysterious sound.
"Miramontel" he called excitedly; "Mira-
montel Come herel"
"What do you want?" the Spaniard re-
Dlltu, lHuOlcilUly HUN LID ScctO Ou
the floor in the farther room.
"Come herel' shouted Severson; 'quickl
I've made a discovery. This wall is hol-
lowl'
Miramonte leaped to join him-not in
dolent now-his yellow face suffused, his
eyes ahame.
1.-THE money!" were his first words.
"Vive Dios!-the hidden moneyl'
Cavaroop r,oddad III IN, tivalu opd ,roya
the wall another blow. "Iisten, Mira
monte" he said; don't you hear the NOR
tar falling insidef tell you this wall is
hollow How shall we make holea"
Miramonte stood transfixed II hear,
hear" he murmured. in ectasy, as if he
were listening to celestial music. "Now-
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 roofr' cried the Spaniard. my
knifel-wth 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
unsheathed hunting knife in his hand and
trembling with eagerness, began at once
to Chamber over the fallen and moldering
outer walls.
BE careful' cautioned Severson; you'll
break through the roof. The tiles are
heavy; the tules are old and rottenl Be
carefuln' 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 rending the thongs that bound them
together. Seyerson could hear him reit-
Grating in Spanish while he worked, "The
money-at last-the moneyp'
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 "It is dark can
not see!" he cried aloud in fury. 1--WE
must make the hole argerp' 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 a century
on the roof swirled in cloud about them,
and it was impossible to discern anything
below. But gradually the dust settled,
and slowly-how slowly the air cleared
and the two men kneeling on the verge of
the opening they had made gaze down
into the apartment beneath them
The Spaniard's face became ashen under
its CRIME. His eyes were CLASSY and dull.
"Virgen santissimaP' he whispered, slow
ly making the sign of the cross "Mother
of Godl what do l seer Dos Esqueletos!n
Below them, in narrow chamber-a
mere cell, not four feet wide, without win
dows or doors-on floor paved with square
brick tiles, lay two skeletons, the skulls
resting close together.
Looping his lariat around rafter which
crossed hole in the roof, Severson low
cred himself into the CELL Craven in
Spanish upon tablet in the wall, he read
this legend:
Here, shut in a living tomb, with her
lover, is Don Federico Miramonte's faith
less wife. Accused be her soul" Amy
Elizabeth Leigh in Argonaut.