Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-01-02

since the senior wills IL l command
YOU" answered. I'VE must save the
man and take our chance
He commands, whom we must
obey shouted the boatswain again.
put back, my brothers"
Sullenly, but submissively, the In
dians backed water till they lay almost
beneath the counter of the vessel that
wallowed in the trough of the swell be-
fore she went down.
On the deck, clinging to the stays of
the mast, stood Don Jose, his straight,
oiled hair beat about his face, his
gorgeous dress was soaked and disor-
dered.
Save me- he yelled hoarsely, save
mel"
"Throw yourself into the sea, senior,
and we will pick You up"
~ dare not" was the answer, come
aboard and fetch me-"
"Does the senior still wish us TO
stayP' asked the boatswain calmly.
Listen, you cur" shouted the senior,
''the ship Is sinking and will take us
with It. At the word three, give way,
men. Now, will you come or not?
One, two
II come said the Mexican, and
driven to it by despair he cast himself
into the sea.
With difficulty the senor assisted by
an Indian with boathook, succeeded
in getting hold Of him as he was
washed past ON the swell. There,
however, the matter rested for the pres
cnt, for Just then the deck Of the Santa
Maria burst with rending sound, and
she began to- 60 down bodily.
"Row for your lives shouted the
bontswain. and they rowed, dragging
Don Jose in the wake of the boat.
Down went the Santa Maria, bow
first, making hollow in the sea that
sucked MS back toward her
So soon as this great danger had
gone by the sailors lifted Don Jose into
the boat, where he lay gasping but
unframed. Then arose the question
Of what we could do to save our lives.
Asitwas, we must have been swamped
many times over but for the stanch-
ness OF the boat, which, fortunately,
was u new one, and the seamanship
and ceaseless vigilance of the Indian
boatswain who commanded her For
hour after hour he crouched In the bow
Of the cutter, staring through the
sheets of rain and the darkness with
his hawks eyes and shouting directions
to the crew as he heard or caught sight
of n white-crested billow rolling down
upon us, when we would be flung up
toward the sky to sink deep into the
trough on the further side sometimes
half full Of water, which must be balcd
out before the next wave came.
was very thankful when, at length
overcome by cold and exhaustion,
sank into Inconsistencies or swoon.
How long remained in this mcrciful
state of oblivion | do not know, but |
was reused from it by Molas, who shool,
me and called into my ear with 4 voice
that trcmbled with cold or JOY, orboth'
Awake, awake, we nre saved"
"Saved?" said, confuscdly what
from?'
From death In the sea. Look lord
"Where are we?' asked.
I'm the Usumacinto river, thanks
be to God.' answered Molas. "Wt
have been driven across the bay in the
dark and at the dawn found ourselves
Just outside the breakers. Somehow
we passed them safely and there be.
fore us Is the blessed land"
As for the Indians, the men to whom
we owed our lives, they were utterly
worn out. Two OF them appeared Ia
have swooned where they sat, three
others lay gasping beneath the seats,
but Molas held the tiller by my side,
and the boatswain still sat upright in
the bow, where he had faced death for
so many dreadful hours,
Say lord he asked, turning his
face that was hollow with suspense and
suffering to speak to me, 'can you
row? If SO, you take the oar and pull
us to the bank, while Moas steers, for
our arms will work no more?'
Then | struggled from my seat, and
with great efforts, for every move
mcnt caused me pain, pulled the cut
ter to the bank
Some Indians appeared belonging TO
u rancho, or village, halfa league away,
and, on learning our misfortuncs and
who we we're, these men hurried home
to bring us food, having first pointed
out to us a pool Of sweet rain water,
Of which we stood in great need, for
our Threats were dry. When they had
been gone nearly an hour women ar
rived from the rancho, bearing with
them baskets laden with tortillas or
meal cakes, frijole beans, a roast kid,
and a bottle Of good aqua ardientc. the
brandy Of this country, On these pro-
visions we fell TO thankfully, and be-
fore We had finished our meal the
alcalde, or head man of the village, pre-
scented himself to pay his respects and
to invite us to his house,
Now whispered to Molas, who had
some acquaintance with this man. to
take him apart and discover my rank to
him, and to learn If perchance he had
any tidings Of that stranger whom we
came TO visit, DR., Xibalbay. llenodded
and obeyed, and after awhile rose
and followed him behind some trees,
where the alcaldc, who was Of our
brotherhood, greeted me with revcr'
ence.
81 have news, my lord" said Molas.
"Ths man says that he has heard OF
the old Indian and his daughter, and
that but this morning one who has
travelled down the river told him that
some five or six days ago they were
both Of them seized by Don Pedro Mo-
reno, the father Of Don Jose Wonder,
and imprisoned at the hacienda Of
Santa Cruz, where, dead or alive, they
remain"
Now thought awhile, then sending
for Senior James | told him what we
had learned.
but what can this villain want To
do with an old Indian and his daugh.
ter?" he asked,
1.-THE senior forgcts," said Molas,
shat Don Pedro robbed mo of the 0old
wnlcn the DOCTOR gave me, nnd ti-aJ ~
my folly | told him who II was that
gave II me. Doubtless he thinks TO win
the secret Of the mine whence II was
dug, and Of the mint where It was
stamped with the sign Of the heart
Also, there Is the daughter, whom somt
men might value above all the gold in
Mexico. Now, lord. fear that youl
Journey Is frniilos9 since those whole
come Don Pcdro's guests are apt to stay
with him forever.
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