The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-09-20
A Griugo Lotharlo.


Far out in the wilds of the Mexican
sierras, about one days travel west of
Guadalupe Calvo, the trail leading to
Morales leaves the ridge along which it
climbs, ana plunges down into the
depths of the Canon de Muerto, there
winding in and out amid the pines and
boulders until it reaches the ford of a
stream, the Rio Chico, which rushes
through the gorge and on in it's wild
flight for the sea.
Down this trail, late in the afternoon
of day some few years ago, rode a
young man, Jack Rawlston, the new
manager of the Alta Mining company,
then on his way in to take charge of
their mines near Morales. He was
wrapped close in an oilskin slicker, for
the rain was falling as 1t falls only in
the mountains of Mexico. Reaching
the ford he drew his mule in under the
shelter of an overhanging bluff ana i'm
patiently awaited the coming of his
men, whose shouts and curses could be
heard in the canon-side above as they
urged to greater speed some half De-
en- pack animals, slowly picking their
way down the slippery trail
AS they drew near, one of the men,
Pancho, who acted as a guide, hurried
to Rawlston's side and, pointing TO the
stream, now rushing torran cried:
NValgame Dios, the Little River is very
great his day! The is much water,
senior. and deep. We no can cross: not
urtii to, morrow, when il VII be well
81. senior, en- 10 manana sta 'ueno."
yes, but tonight, man. We can't
camp here; there is not enough level
ground to raise a tent on. Get us out
of this" exclaimed Rawlston.
Senior" replied the man, as he drew
his wet serape closer about him, "a lit
tie rancho lies down the river short
way, where lives Juan Montana. Will
the senior go there?"
will the senior go there!" shouted
Rawlston. Yes, confound you, hom-
bre, the senior will. Move onp'
With cry of "Ad-e-lan-te! vamon-
os!' and swearing great mouth-filling
Mexican 'oaths to his assistants as well
as the mules, Pancho started the train
down the canon ON its way to little
valley of just few hundred acres,
nestled there where the gorge widened
out as either wall spread away in great
broken ridges, sweeping grandly off to
the south.
1t was hardly a rancho, this place of
Juan Montano's, only a few patches of
growing maize and frijoles, amid which
in a grove of pines, rested house of
logs with a wide portico roughly
thatched with bundles of corn stalks,
while a jacal-a rooted palisade of
poles, chinked and covered with adobe
mud-adjoining the house on one side,
served as kitchen.
AS Rawlston, leading the way APP
preached from across the valley, a dog
gave the alarm, and an elderly man,
Juan himself, muff1ed in a serape and
slowly putting a cigarrito, came out
into the portico, while the low doorway
of the jacal, amid the whiffs of smoke
within, appeared brown-faced wo-
man, and behind her three girls, shyly
peeping forth at the stranger, as he
drew up and asked for accommodation
for the night.
Isl, senor," replied Juan, in response
to his request. "Dismount and come in
from the rain. My house is at your SER
vice; entrar, senior, entrar," and he
took the Winchester that Rawlston
handed him, giving it a lingering
glance as he placed it carefully against
the wall.
"And supper, senor," he continued
twill you have supper? ST? sta
'ueno," and, reaching up he seized one
of a number of chickens perched be
meath the roof, wrung it's neck, and
~
s'For the senior; and coffee and milk
pronto! And give to- the mozos of tor.
tillas and frijoles plenty
Turning, and with Permit me, sen
orr to Rawlston, who was engaged Ii
removing his wet slicker, Juan drew
the Winchester from its scabbard ant
critically examined it, exclaiming as hi
did so: "Muy bonito carbino. senior
Once possessed one; not like this, sen
ora carbine-but caramba! an Indiar
stole it--may the devil take his soul
and I am too poor to buy another.
miss 1t much, senior, for it furnished
ME meat. Why, only yesterday morn
ing two deer stood just over there eat
ing the corn, but" He paused TO
an instant, then called: "Chonita, mia
come here"
girl clad in a simple garment o
rough material passed from the jacal
a girl whose supple, rounded form pos
sessed perfect grace, and as she cam
forward Rawlston started as he gaze,
on her Latin-Indian beauty.
my daughter, Chonita, senor," sal,
Juan. The girl raised her dark eyes t
meet his, and her clear, olive-browl
skin became suddenly tinged with he
southern blood. 'She can shoot" con
tinued Juan as he handed her the rifle
''si, senior. even better"
A flock Of chattering parrots passin
overhead caught his eye. CHANGING a
them, then at Rawlston, he cried
zone shot, senior, permit her"
Rawlston nodded; then watched tn
girl as she raised her gun, saying
"See!--the one in the lead''-a report
and the bird fell, mangled mass q
flesh and feathers.
She handed the rife to Rawlston, he
EAH HAEE~N.R n ~R