, 1896-03-18

rough table, upon which were several
pans and one large pail, with a huge
iron spoon. With Il sharp knife he cut
into a round of beef at his side, dipped
the strips of meat into the large pail be-
fore him and, laying them within the
several pans around him. called out:
Here Juan, Jose, Pedro, Chapo. We
day. l should like to see the grin with
which he and his brothers will receive
this generous gift. All, but his jaws will
grow too stiff to close upon our fat
young ducks again! Nothing like a dose
Of cavalonga for Senior Coyote. eh. mu-
Chacos?'
Thus, with merry jest, he passed
around the fateful poison aud dispersed
his dusky helpers.
As the sun sinks westward the shuck-
ing party energies and passes out to the
kitchens and ~corrals. At sunset Don Ii
burcio's band of helpers return, singing
III old mission hymn, Domingo, who
has been mendinS the sheepfolds, at the
head. The little procession winds round
toward the alamazen, when. with one
accord, they all stop. Their song ends in
a shrek! As if turned to stone they
stand and gaze!
There sits Don Tiburcio upon the low
bench, his eyes staring and CLASSY, his
jaws tightly locked, the whole figure
horribly upright and rigid. With a cry
like a wounded animal Domingo falls
forward upon his master. "Mi senior,
mi senor!' he calls i'll harsh, choking
strong arms around the rigid form. In
stantly the others leap forward, and they
bear him through Marianita's grove,
around to the veranda. Slowly they lay
him down, and at that moment the jaws
unlock-a shiver. a gurgle, the head
falls back-the CLASSY eyes stare upward
to tho p%itiless heavensl
Light footsteps sound down the wide
hall, a gay voice calls out, "Papasito.
papasito!" The Indians start with appre-
hension one muscular youth springs for
ward. He will hold her by main force
if he must from the sight of that awful
horror! Too late! Marianita bounds for
ward; one inarticulate cry, she sways
and falls! When Domingo creeps for
ward and lifts the arm that lies stretch
cd across her fathers breast, it falls back
Tiburcio's priceless blossom rests safe
against his heart.
1t is many days after. The relatives
there arc many of them-have all de
parted, after having filled the house
with loud lamentations and laid their
kinsman and his lovely daughter i'll
their double grave with all the solemn
pomp of church ceremonial.
Don Tiburcio's legal friends have
come, and they search for all hat ru
mored gold. They find buried gold and
silver, but still they are not satisfied.
The amount is not adequate to their ex
pectations. There must be more.
Then some one remembers that Do
mingo was the confidential servant of
Don Tiburcio, and they go out o'him,
staring straight before him, always
staring, staring. He lifts his head and
looks stupidity at them when they qucs,
ton him. At length he understands,
and in dull, monotonous lone and man
ner he tells of that journey to Los An
geles, Of the metal box, the picks and
shovels in the carreta, of the separation
at Ell Encino del Tinaje, of the meeting
on the outskirts Of the wood.
"Why had not you told us all this be
fore, Domingo?" they exclaimed impa.
tiently.
ut was all for Marianita that he
did it. I know. l knew it was a secret.
My master knew l would keep his S.
cret. 1t was a secret. 1t was a secret. -
So they left him muttering. his head
upon his breast. The cold wind blew
about him. He felt nothing, no saw
nothing, and SO no passes out of onr
story.
They have burrowed like molos for
Taria's treasure. Miles have Eeen
throi'n upward all nround lei Encino
del Tinaje to tho very edge Of the wood.
The old adobe house at C~ucAlnonga,
squattsd at the feet Of the fiowning
sierra, is in ruins. Lizards crawl in and
out its gaping doors. Black, winged
creatures make hollow, ghostjy echoes
in the silent rooms. The mocking birds
that nest among the thicket of orange
trees sing to ruin and decay. Half a
century has gone by, and men, still Won
dering, ask:
"Where lie Tapia's treasures?"
The old encino guaris its secret we'll.
San Francisco Call.