Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-12-12

CHAPTER II.
THE SENIOR STRICKLAND
Two and twenty years ago |, lgnatio
visited village IL the state OF Tam
aulipas, named Cumarvo. n beautiful
place, half lliddenin pine forcstsanong
the mountains. came to this village
because friend Of mine, one OF the
brethren Of the Order of the Heart,
wrote to me saying that there was IN
Indian in the ncighborhood who had in
his possession an ancient Aztec scroll,
which. being in picture writing. neither
he nor anyone else could read.
This scroll had descended to the In
dian through many generations, and
with it "a tradition that it told of very
rich gold mine in the mountains where.
of the site was lost, which had been
closed to save it from the grip OF Cortcs,
by the order of Guatcmoc my fore
father.
Now had been taught the secret Of
the pissulv-writing when first | was in
itiatca in the lay,tariei of the Heart
This writing the Indian was willing
to give up to me as Lord Of the Heart.
and accordingly journeycd to Cumar-
70 to study it. On my arrival at The
house Of my friend heard that the
Indian had died Of Il sad'lcn sickness,
and that his son woalsl soon discover
where thnscroll wa, hidden.
~ .14... ALL
that waite nan, IN lngle e. the first
who ever visited these parts, had come
to the village about six months before,
and was canagcd in working some old
silver mines on behalf Of u company,
task that he found difficult, for the
Mexican owners Of land in the neigh
borhood being jealous Of him and
angry because he paid his men a fair
,vagc. were striving to prevent Indians
from laboring in his mine.
1t Glanced that q fray arose on the
night Of my arrival Mt Cunarvo. On
the morrow saw the fruits Of it as |
walked down the little street. In the
middle of the street, lying in the shade
OF d house. were two. dead men. A
handsome Indian girl, with n sullcn and
,lnmovpd countenance. was engaged in
winding n serapc, or blanket, round one
Of the bodies. but the other lay un-
tended, certain stains upon the cloth
ing revealing the manner Of It's end.
On doorstep sat third man, wounded
about the head and face. while the bar
her Of the village, its only doctor, at
tempted to remove his hair with q pair
Of blunt scissors, so that he might dress
the cut.
'What is the cause Of this, senor?" l
asked the barber,
II think that have the honor of adj
dressing Don lgnatio," the little man
answered. and, lifting his hands from
their work, he made sign showing
that he, also, was member of our
brotherhood though a humble one.
"Ah thought so, he went on as |
gavc the countcrsign; I've heard that
you were going to visit us, and am
glad OF It. for weary Of dressing
wounds on Sundays, and perhaps you
may be able to put stop to these
fights. The woman was the cause OF
it. Of course. senior; these are not the
first that she has brought to their
deaths, and he nodded at the girl who
was wrapping the body in a blanket
With d sigh was turning to go, for
It saddcncd me to think that when
drink rot hold Of them q woman should
have power to change these men, who
were my brethren, into savage beasts
thirsting for each others blood.
"Ah" unused, "had it not been for
that other woman who destroyed me
ID NV hone. bv now had begun to
teach them better.
At this moment | CHANGED to glance
up to see man such us had never be-
fore bcheld. standing ut my side and
gazing at me.
James Strickland, the Englishman,
was q fine man. over thirty years in
age, short in proportion to his width.
though somewhat spare in frame and
delicate in limb. His features were as
clearly cut rs those Of an ancient god
upon marble wall and his eyes were
as blue as the sea and his curly hair
yellow as Mimosa bloom.
"Your pardon, senor,' SAID the man
in good Spanish, bowling to me as he
spoke, but unwittingly | have over
heard some Of your talk, and | cannot
understand how it comes about that
you, u stranger, have so much author
ity. wish that you would explain it
to me in order that might learn how
to put a stop to such murders. These
dead men were two of my best work.
men, and do not know where | shall
look to replace them"
II cannot explain 1t, senor,a an
swered, returning his bow, further
than to say that have u certain rank
among the Indians, on account OF
which they reverence me. Still, though
! have no right to ask 1t of stranger,
pray that you will forget any words
which may chance to have reached
your ears, since of such authority the
government is jealous
by all means, senior, they are nj
ready forgotten. Well, adios, This sight
Is not so pleasant that wish to study
It," and replacing his hat upon MS
head he passed on.