Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-05-14


object which 1 will explain, and the
gold viii be handed over to You by those
of your clan in whose keeping it is.
1T was because of this treasure that
your father and your great GRANDPA
ther were done to death with many
others, since the rumor of it came to
the cars of those who ruled in Mexico,
who, when they could come to it by
no other means, tormented and killed
them in their rage.
Now, this was the message Of your
father to you concerning the wealth
that he and his ancestors had hidden:
Tell my son, Ignatio, should he live
to grow up. that there has never depart
ed from our family the desire to win
at least, to drive out the accursed
Spaniards and their spawn, and to es-
tablish an Indian republic. To this
end we have heaped up wealth for gen.
erations, that it might serve US
when the hour was ripe, and because
of this wealth. by which the secret
could not altogether be hid in land
which is full Of spies, some of us have
come to cruel deaths, as am about to
do tonight.
Nevertheless, say to him that lay
no commands upon him as to these mat
tiers, seeing that he must follow his
own will about them. for I cannot for
those who went before him have reaped
nothing but disaster in their struggle
against the white devils, whom, because
of the sins of our forefathers, it has
pleased God to set over us
''Those were your fathers words, my
son, which he spoke to me in the hour
before his murder. And now you will
understand why said you must wait
before you determined to be priest. If
that is still your wish it can be fulfilled,
for your father lefs it with you to fol-
low the life you might DESIRE"
When he had finished speaking I
thought for awhile and answered.:
while my fathers blood is unavenged
l cannot become a priest
with sigh. THAT cursed talisman
which lies about your neck has begun
its work with you, Ignatio, and you
will tread the path that the others trod,
perchance to die in blood. as they did"
Within week from this day some
Indians came to Tiapa disguised as
me to the mountains among which rny
father had lived, and where his treas
ures still lay hidden.
On the third day Of my journey we
reached a narrow pass in the noun
tains, beyond which lay an Indian vii
house of one Antonio, to whom the
padre 1gnatio had given me letters. an
old man of venerable aspect, who
greeted me warmly and introduced me
to several caciques who were staying
with him, l did not know why.
So soon as we were alone in the house
one of these caciques, after addressing
me in words that could not under
stand, asked me if I had a heart. To
this l replied that I hoped so, whereat
they all laughed. Then the man An
tonic, coming to me, unbuttoned my
shirt, revealing the talisman that had
belonged to my father, and at the sight
of it all the company bowed.
Next the doors were locked, and, SEN
tries having been posted before them, a
ceremony began which even now it is
not lawful that I should describe in de-
tail, wherein I was first initiated into
the mysteries of the Order of the Heart,
and afterwards installed as its heredi-
tary chief, thus becoming while yet a
boy the absolute lord of many thou
sand men, brethren of our order, who
were scattered far and wide about the
land.
On the day after had taken the
final oaths Antonio handed over to me
the treasure that my ancestors boarded
in a secret place, which my father had
left in his Keeping. and it was a great
million dollars in value.
Now 1 was rich, both in men and
money, still, following the counsel of
Antonio, abode for awhile in the vii
1age, receiving those who came to visit
me from every part of Mexico as Holder
of the Heart, and as first in rank among
the fallen peoples Of the Indians.
Some three miles from the village
where 1 6welt lived two sisters, Indians
of noble blood, though poor, one Of
them n widow and the other very
beautiful girl, younger than myself.
It CHANGED that 1 was riding past their
house upon a certain Sunday evening
when most of the Inhabitants of the
valley were away at a fiesta, and heard
screams coming from it..
Dismounting from my horse ran in
at the door. which was open. and saw
one Of the sisters, the widow, lying
dead upon the ground, while two ban
dts MeNicans, were attacking the
Younger woman. Drawing my ma
chetc, cut them down.
Now after this the girl whose life I
had saved came to dwell in my village,
whore saw much of her. So lovely
was she and so clever that soon she won
my heart, and the end of it was mar
ried her, against the advice OF Antonio
and others of my brethren Of the order.
The more thought on them the
more the wrongs of my countrymen,
the real owners Of the land, took hold
of my mind, till at length they pos
sessed it utterly, and became an en-