Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-05-07
THE GOLDEN HAND.

The gold is there, that's certain, and
I'm determined to make trial for it. =
"You're counting too much OH the
word of an Indian. Old Zapetl is a noted
liar-like all these Spanish speaking
aborigines.
"Ah, Jack. You do him injustice.
He's a deeper liar than you gave him
credit for. Don't you remember that he
told us Of the legend in his tribe that
there was treasure hidden by the an
Gent keeper of the mint Oh the first
news of the coming Of the Spaniards to
Central America? Oh, yes. You re-
member that of course. But don't you
remember that he afterward trotted out
that ridiculous yarn about the mysterl-
GUS golden hand that guarded the hid
ing place and struck down the venture
some seeker for the wealth? It's ridicu-
lous to believe that the ancients had
enough mechanical knowledge to con-
trive a machine that could prevent one
from getting at the gold. Ten to one it's
out of order anyway. Old Zapetl simply
invented the wives tale Of the golden
hand because he didn't want to go on
the trip that might mean death Or pri-
walton. I'm resolved to 60 if have to
start without you.
This was long speech for my old
comrade, Tom French. We were in the
interior of Central America when the
foregoing conversation took place. 1t
was the end Of many long debate we
had had on the subject of search for a
treasure. From love Of adventure | had
left comfortable home in the states.
Tom French and had met as rustlers
on the cattle ranch in Montana and we
became firm friends. When the dearth
struck the cattle ranch business, we
took a herd across the country south OF
Texas, where they could feed OIL the
deep alfalfa. Then we drifted into Mex
leo and into the employ of railroad
company in the capacity of surveyors.
For want of capital the company sus-
pended operations, and Tom and found
ourselves stranded in the City Of Mex
leo. We had saved some money, and
when there came proposition to JOIN
some pioneers who thought they saw
fortune in building up coffee planta-
ton in the unexplored lands far to the
south in the state Of Chiapas we accept
ed the offer.
| Life was pleasant in Mexico, though,
and would have willingly remained,
but Tom was eager, as always, to grasp
the first opportunity that seemed to pre-
sent itself for new adventures. Tom had
bus one object in life--to make q for.
tune quickly. Poor fellow, he had a
heavy heart most Of the time. He was
in love, in love with heartless coqnette
SO far as could learn, and had been re-
iected. She could never have been worthy
Of him, yet he blindly believed that the
girl would marry him il he could lay {
fortune at her feet. As remember hi
buoyancy and courage in the face Of OBJ
stacles that would have discouraged 9th
ers my sympathy brings tears to N.
, eyes; but this is anticipating my story.
TO reach the highlands from the east
ern coast it had required two weeks
+ hard toiling up the hills, cut by cleft
. and gullies and traversed by mountain
streams. We had cleared away a trac
and set out coffee plants, with the ali
, Of the good natured, lazy Indians, an
Tom revived again the legend OF tn
!. treasure farther up in the mountain fast
: ness as he had heard it from one and an
other Of the Indians in their soft accent
in broken Spanish and Indian. The leg
), end was briefly that deep in the cente
,, Of crater Of worn out volcano tn
ancient Indians Of that country had ex
cavated a vault where they had piled u
Il countless bars of virgin gold. There wa
above this planted bowlder, the onl
indication Of the hiding place. The pc
!. culiarity Of the crater was that 1t wa
!. four square, half mile each way, an
4 from the summit to the floor distanc
b Of 500 feet. To reach the floor there wa
Il a hidden path, and this was guarded b
q a mysterious golden hand. Tradition
: the Indians said, made it possible to Il
cate the mountain in only one way
That was by climbing the peaks in til
. barren region far above us to the soutl
eastward until one should be found frol
: whose lofty crest there were three othe
peaks forming straight line. In til
central mountain was the treasure.
q Few burdens could be carried with I
= in that high, rare atmosphere, and "
were soon on our way with old Zape
. shaking his head, as If in prediction (
: disaster. Hardened as we were by OF
. out Of door life. the strain was terrible
We lost our way repeatedly and foun
= ourselves confronted by vast crevices !
= our pathway up the mountain sid
:. Wide detours, costing rs half day an
\ sometimes day Of valuable time, wei
o perforce made, only to find ourselves {
il the top Of a precipice that barred OF
t. progress. We had with infinite troub
# climbed two lofty mountains only
e find ourselves at the summit out I
n range Of the mountain tops, as deman'
= ed BY the legend, when l finally refuse
y to 20 farther. It was suicidal. Half Of
: provisions and water were gone. b
y Tom pleaded for one more chance. IT
y you Gee that long rangef" he crie'
TITS In one Of those. Let's make ~