The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-05-02

upon us. when we would % 1ung up
toward tho sky TO sink deep into the
trough on the further side. sometimes
half full of water. which must be baled
out before the next wave came.
was very thankful when, at length
overcome by cold and exhaustion, I
sank into Inconsistencies or swoon.
How long remained ia this merciful
state Of oblivion l do not know, but
was reused from Il by Molas. who shook
me and called into my ear with q voice
that trembled with cold or joy, or both:
Awake, awake. we are sayed!'
"Saved?" said, confusedly. What
from?"
sFrom death In the sea. Look lord. I"
Where are we?" asked.
"In the Usumacinto river, thanks
be to Godr' answered Molas. I'VE
have been driven across the bay In the
Just outside the breakers. Somehow
we passed them safely and there be-
fore MS 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 TO
have swooned where they sat, three
others lay gasping beneath the seats.
but Moias held the tiller by my side,
and the boatswain still sat upright In
the bow, where he had faced death for
30 many dreadful hours.
''Say, lord" he asked, turning his
face that was hollow with suspense and
suffering to speak to me, "can you
row? IL so, you take the oar and pull
us to the bank, while Molas steers, for
our arms will work no more?"
Then l struggled from my seat, and
with great efforts, for every move
ment caused me pain. pulled the cut
ter TO the bank.
q rancho, or village, half a league away,
and, on learning our fnisfortunes and
who we were, 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 n bottle of good aqua ardicnte. 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-
sented himself 10 pay his respects and
TO invite us to his house.
Now whispered 10 Molas, who had
some acquaintance with this man, TO
take him apart and discover my rank to
him, and to learn II perchance he had
any tidings of that stranger whom we
came 10 visit, DIR. Zibalbay. He nodded
and obeyed. and after awhile / rose
and followed him behind some trees,
where the alcalde, who was OF our
brotherhood, greeted me with rever-
ence.
II have news, my lord" said Molas.
''This 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 yonder,
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 forgets." said Molas
tnhU Ion Icuro roDDeu me OF tne ROlu
which the doctor gave me, and that In
my folly 1 told him who IL was that
gave IL me. Doubtless he thinks TO win
the secret OF the mine whence II was
dug, and of the mint where IL was
stamped with the sign OF the heart.
Also, there is the daughter, whom some
men might value above all the gold in
Mexico. Now, lord, fear that your
journey Us fruitless, since those who be-
come Don Pedros guests are apt to stay
with him forever"
THAT, think, we must take the risk
of, said the senior.
"Yes," answered.; "having come so
IA 20 And this stranger we cannot turn
back now. AT least we have lived
through worse dangers than those
which await us nt Santa Cruz"