Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-06-28
THE MILK WHITE DOE

IIC SOuIu w DIS 81 ldluu l1lIG Oily l1G
ears Of the skilled huntsman might hear
it,
1t came from hundreds of tiny hoofs,
muffied by the grass in the mountain
park.
'Antelope!"
Together we lay face downward, I
hid my Indian guide, with our long
rifles at easy rest, and awaited the COM
ing of the band. 1t dashed over hogs
back and into full view, wildly leap
ing, struggling, undulating mass of red
dish brown, white tufted bodies stretched
to the fullest speed.
Nervous? Yes, for i'll q moment more
the band would pass us within easy
range
We lay with forefngers on the trig
gers as the timid animals, wild with
fear, SKINNED along as if waited by the
spirit of the wind Now they are direct
ly opposite. We will never have such
another shot.
Onward they dash and pass so closely
by that it seems we can hear their heart
beats Their great liquid eyes are wild
with terror.
Another moment and the herd has
swept by us only the hindmost are id
view. Now they are out of hearing and
presently are lost to sight
Absolute silence, save for the rustic
of the brown grass as the cooling au-
tumn wind stirs it.
Not shot was fred. My finger was
upon the trigger, my arm certain, but I
lacked the power even for the gentle
pressure necessary to send a bullet
straight into the herd. I was under a
spell
[ looked at Pablo. His dark face
seemed almost pale; his eyes betrayed
excitement, not the excitement Of anger
or fear, but of Il tender sympathy.
The same power that had staid my
finger when it would have pressed the
trigger had like effect upon him.
''Senor," he said, ''it is the milk
white doe that none may Stay"
1t was overpowering curiosity that
had rendered my forefinger inflexible,
for at the head of the band was the
most beautiful animal l had ever seen-
milk white doe She seemed fleeter,
tour than any Of the herd She was the
perfection of animal grace and beauty.
l fancied I heard soft, sad moan as
she passed before the muzzle of my rifle
l was lost briefly i'll pathetic contem-
plation, and the herd was gone.
"Come, Pablo, it is almost dusk, but
we must follow. Come, stir yourself,
you unenthusiastic son of Montezuma
and let us be gone.
''Senor,' % said Pablo, i'll his calm and
impertnrbable manner, yet with q sol
emn inpressiveness, sit is death to all
who follow the milk white doe.
Nonsense; I must have her. Let us
follow quick. -
''Have patience, senior, and tonight
when we smoke by the campfire [ will
tell you the legend Of the milk white
doe.
And this is the legend he told me:
Before the white man knew there was
a western continent, before the Span
iards came, even before the reign Of the
ancient Quetzalcoatl, lord of the Seven
Caves of Nayatlaques and king of the
Seven Nations, out of which arose the
splendor of the Montezulman empire, the
powerful tribes lived III the north. They
were as the sands of the shore washed
by the great ocean of the rising sun, and
the numbers of their arrows were great
er than the twigs III the forest.
Their queen was Maxtella.
Her skin was as white as the snow on
yonGer mountain peak, her lips were as
scarlet as the flaming loco blossom, hel
ewes We're as blue as the chalchuites III
She Minas de las Perdidas, and from
their liquid depths beamed truth and
purity Of soul
She was virgin queen. Her courtiers
wooed her III vain. The richest Of them
all laid his wealth of chalchuites and
beautiful shells at her feet. The might
lest hunter brought her trophies of the
chase. 10 all she spoke words Of wis
dom and beauty, but her love was for
no one man; it was for all her people.
Her virtue ard her beauty were the mar
yels of those days.
generation. Many things they knew that
were unknown to the subjects of Queen
Maxtella. They knew Of the eastern
ocean, Of a great country beyond tC
which their ancestors had gone years be-
fore.
The northern hordes We're at peace.
So powerful We're they that the tribes in
i ,ntf 11pa TO 10
chem, nos would the queen suffer hel
subjects to make 4yar upon those weaker
horles who lwelt il. rocks and caves,
iligh up il9 the cliffs that bordered OIL
the green canyons. There was vassal
chief. Azul, of lowly birth and evil
ways. He saw the beautiful Maxtella,
al:d tbs sight Of her touched his black
heart. He loved s!aztella not for hel
virtue 10. her wisdom. he loved Lel
that he might rule the land, ana that
from. his blood and hers might come d
race Of savage kings, and that the north
err nordes might make war upon Tx
tribes Of the south and despoil them o.
their treasure
A2ul knew the black magic alt. H
brought his richest treasure to Maxtei
las court. lie used his black art that h
might appear pleasing i'll her sight. Hi
arms and throat Were bare. On his heat
was a snowy white helmet, and hi
dress was Of green feathers. His breast
plate of feather work cleaned like jew
els when the sun shone npon it. Tai
and straight was this yassal chief an(
mighty was his stride. Great blue an(
blood red stones eIlone in tte middle O
his sword.
But the counselors were wise meli
They cGaald see his black heart and rea(
his evil mind, and they spurned hin
with scorn. They would have driver
him from the court The yassa: chic
held III his hand Il wand sharp pointed
like a knife. by which he worked hi
magic ant.
When the queen appeared, he looked
at her and turned pale. Azui's eyes
pierced her, but his magic was no
strong enough to make her love him
Until then che knew hot fear, but nov
the evil spell WAS upon her. All 0
Aznls power was exerttaa to subdue he
gentle heart.