Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1895-06-14
4 MILK WHITE DOE.

The sound was so faint that only
the ears Of the skilled huntsman
might hear it.
Il came from hundreds of tiny hoofs,
mulIled by the grass in the mountain
park.
antelope"
Together we lay face downward
l and my Indian guidc-with our long
rifles at easy rest, and awaited the
coming of the baud. 1t dashed over u
hogback and into full view-a wildly
leaping, struggling, undulating mass
Of rcddisll-brown, white-tufted bodies
stretched to the fullest speed. XIII.
Nervous? Yes, for a moment more
the band would pass us within easy
range. We lay with foretingers on
the triggers as the timid animals
Wild with fear, skinned along rs II
waited by the spirit of the wind.
Now they are directly opposite; we
will never have such another shot.
onward they dash, and pass SO
closely by that it seems we can near
their heartbeats. Their great Hq-
uid eyes are wild with terror.
Another moment and the herd has
swept by us, only the hindmost are
in view; now, they are out OF nearing,
and presently are lost to sight.
Absolute silence, save for the rus
tie Of the brown grass as the COOLING
autumn wind stirs it.
Not a shot was fred. My finger was
upon the trigger, my aim certain, put
lacked the power even for the gentle
pressure necessary to send bullet
straight into the herd. l was undef
spell.
I looked at Pablo. Hs dark face
seemed almost pale. his eyes betray.
ed excitement, not the excitement OF
anger OF fear, but of a tender SYM
pathy.
The same power that had stayed
nv finger when it would have preSseu
the trigger had like effect upon him.
.ssenor," he said, ''it is the mix
white doe that none may STAY
II was overpowering curiosity that
had rendered my forefinger infieM pc
for Mt the head of the band was the
most beautiful animal had ever
seen-a milk-white doe. She seemed
f1eeter, more timid and Of more sra ce
FIJI contour than any of the hero:
she was the perfection OF amman
grace and beauty. fancied ! heard
3 soft. sad moan as she passed before
fine muzzle of my rife. l was lost
briefly in pathetic contemplation, ana
the herd was gone.
"Come. Pablo. it is almost dusk,
bnt we must follow; come, stir your
self. YOU unenthusiastic son OF Mon
.ezuma, and let us begone."
aSenor," said Pablo. in his calm
and imperturably manner. vet with
a solemn impressiveness. 1T is death
to all who follow the milk-white doe;
Nonsense, l must have her; let us
follow quick.
"Haye patience, senior, and tonight
when we smoke by the camp fire !
will tell you the legend of the mix
white doe"
And this is the legend he told me:
BEFORE the white man knew there
was a western continent. before tthe
Standards came, even before the reign
Of the ancient QuetzalcoatL Lor0 OF
the Seven Caves of Navatlagues ana
King of the Seven Nations, out OF
which arose the splendor OF the Mon-
tezuman empire, the powerful tribes
lived in the north. They We're as me
sands of the shore washed by the
great ocean of the Rising Sun ana the
numbers of their arrows We're greater
than the twigs in the forest.
Their queen was MaStella.
Her skin was as white as the snow
on Wonder mountain peak, her bps
were as scarlet as the flaming loco
blossom. her eyes We're as blue as the
chalchuites in the Minas de las Perdl-
das and from their liquid depths
beamed truth and purity OF soul
She was a virgin green. Her cour-
tiers woed her in vain. The ncnesr
of them all laid his wealth of chal-
chuites and beautiful shells at her
feet. the mightiest hunter brought her
trophies Of the chase. To all she
smoke words OF wisdom and beauty,
h,1t her love was for no one man; II
was for all her people. Her virtue
and her beauty were the maryels OF
those days.
Her counselors were wise beyond
their generation. Many things they
knew that were unknown to the sub
iects of Queen Maxtella. They knew
of the eastern ocean. of great coun-
try beyond to which their ancestors
had gone years before.
The northern hordes were at peace.
So powerful were they that the tribes
in the south did not dare to make war
with them, nor would the queen suffer
her subjects to make war upon those
weaker hordes who dwelt in rocks and
caves, high up in the cliffs that Dor
dered on the green canons. There
was a vassaI chief, Azul, of lowly birth
and evil WAYS. He saw the beauteous
Maxtella. and the sight of her touched
his black heart. He loved Maxtella,
not for her virtue nor her beauty nor
her wisdom. He loved her that he
might rule the land and that from his
blood and hers might come a race of
savage kings, and that the northern
hordes might make war upon the
tribes of the south and despoil them
of their treasure.
Azul knew the black magic art. He
brought his richest treasure to Max
tella's court. He used his black art
that he might appear pleasing in her
sight His arms and throat were
bare. On his head was a snowy white
helmet, and his dress was of green
feathers. His breast-plate of feather
work cleaned like jewels when the
sun shone upon it. Tall and straight
was this vassal chief, and mighty was
his stride. Great blue and blood-red
stones shone in the handle of his
sword.
But the counselors were wise men.
They could see his black heart and
read his evil mind, and they spurned