The Opelousas courier., 1896-05-23

est, making 1t cool and pleasant t.
travel, | babe the doctor and Pickwicl
adien, but before they left I intrustc(
Pickwick with $4,000 in bills to tax.
to La Chola and to exchange for silver
to send ME by a messenger. The raya
or pay roll, of the men, fell due next
day, and bills were entirely beyond thu
comprehension or use Of a people t.
whom a dollar was a small fortune.
The doctor looked very slum and
uneasy, and it seemed to me that he
was watching something about his
hand. Was it possible that he believed
in the old Peruvian superstition, and
that the signs We're inauspicious ::
As l babe them good-by his face bright.
ened and he said, in as CHEEKY a voice
as he could commands: swell, old man.
good-by, and | hope your revenge will
not be put off too long" then, waving
a graceful adios, the two rode away.
That evening Pickwick's messenger
arrived IN camp, but instead of the
money he was to bring, he brought
81 ,0GO and the following note:
DEAR HERBERT: 1 lave been able to ex-
change no more than one-half nle amount
OF your bills, and now a messenger comes
from the mines asking me to start for them
Immediately. The large Cornish pump is
broken. The lower level is flooded, and !
must go Immediately to see if ] cannot
remedy matters. l send you what money
l could get. L cleaned out the town of ready
cash, and have intrusted the balance of
the bills to Moses, who will go over to
Anaya's ranch this vening-[Anaya was
something Of a banker]-exchange the
money and send 1t to you by noon to-
morrow. In haste, PICKwICK.
The turn affairs had taken did not
| please ME. ] vas not willing to trust
the doctor, but there was no alterna-
tive.
The morning dawned and the sun
reached the zenith, but the messenger
with the money did not arrive. The
day ran on; noon passed; the sun shone
in the surfmen's eyes as they worked
in the frothing breakers, but the froth
Of the breakers did not por,end money,
as does the froth on a cup of tea, for
none came.
AS 1 sat at the table we had used the
night before, making up the log list
from the measurers' tags, my hand hap
p%ned to stray underneath and I felt
something smooth. Investigation
proved it to be cards-thrce kings and
an ace, held there by a little watch
spring arrangement screwed to the soft
redwood. They were underneath that
part of the table occupied the night
before by the doctor.
l was dazed. So this was the reason
he won, and l had been fool enough to
believe that he played a straight
game. Calling Theodore, / showed him
the hold out" He was greatly sur
prised and very angry, and suggested
that we pursue the doctor and recover
cur money. This 1 decided to do, and,
telling the men that pay day would he
put off until Monday, Theodore and 1
set off in a hurry for La Chola.
We arrived in that pretentious village
about five O'Clock in the afternoon, and
Immediately repaired to the Mason de
Guadalupe, the only hosiery in the
place, to leave our horses. Hardly had
we passed through the grand portal of
the meson when Dona ~Carolinarofen-
doza, the proprietress, came toward me
with such a troubled look that 1 asked
her in alarm what allied her.
"Ah, valgame dos! why did l trust
him, the sinverguenza," she walled.
What is the matter, Dona Carolina 2"
I again asked.
"Oh, senior. that picard doctor has
gone away with all his rent and board
bill unpaid, more than $24; and that is
not all, he took my mare, the best
horse in the whole distrito." With this
the poor woman broke down COM
pletely.
This vas interesting but not sur
prising ne"s,to me, and 1 eagerly asked
her when he left.
Il don't know the hour she sobbed:
II learned that he had gone only a half
hour ago, when 1 went to put some
clean clothes in his ROOM"
Ihereupon 1 fastened to the office of
the jefe politico, a police officer with
state and municipal func-
! found him idly swinging in a ham
mock. On my approach he got up and
me warmly by the hand and
offered me a chair. ~Disregarding the
custom of the country of going around
Robin Hoqfs barn before telling a
thing l immediately proceeded to bust
ness, told him all that I have told YOU.
md asked him what course had better
pursued.
1t is as l expected" he replied;
read this" He handed me an official
ooking document, which proved to be
IN official letter from the governor of
era Crdz in regard to a certain Max
'ergstein, who was wanted for two
abduction of a girl and
mbezzle1nent. The description fitted
loses exactly; it was he, without a
.oubt.
Why did you not arrest him at once.
his description is perfect?"I asked.
WIN u snrug of his shoulders:
Well, | thought would do as
'ell to-day, andst1 still think so. He is
one now and1ef my hands. Que le ,
ava bien!" !
but are you not going to try and
atch him?" I asked, in establishment.
Senior Herbert" he answered, with !
ianguld smile, you are not acquaint- {
with the customs of this country.
'e Mexicans never fly in the face of S
evidence as you Americans do. When y
'rt11ne so favors us as to kill for US a t
eater quantity Of trouble, we never c
y to resuscitate that trouble. Be- J
des, in this ease it would be foolish Q
exert ourselves. Moses has, as you "
y, bona Cardinals mare, the fastes@ h
orse in the district. He nrobahlv d