The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-01-03

.r,vuu, VIC .-ngiisn gentleman, ~ lis
action on my behalf. However well
born you may be, my descent Is nobler
and more ancient than yours, and
therefore it should be no shame to you
to sit at the table with me, and least of
all should the Don Jose Moreno, whose
father is murderer, a highway rob-
Der and a man without shame, and
whose mother was a half-breed NEST
tia slut, dare to be insolent to me who,
as any Indian on board this ship can
tell you, am a prince among my own
people"
Now every eye was fixed on Don Jose.
His sallow complexion turned to a
whitish green as he listened to my
words, and for moment he sank back
in his chair overcome with rage. Then
he sprang up once more, gripping at his
knife.
You dog" he gasped. ''let me but
come at you and I'll cut your lying
tongue out"
You will do nothing of the sort.
Don Jose Moreno" answered, fixing
my eyes upon his face; what have
said about your father is true; more,
there is a man on board this ship,
whom, not three months since, he
robbed with violence If the gentle
men, your companions, would like to
hear the story l can tell it to them. l
am we'll able to defend myself. More
over, this vessel is manned by Indians
who know me, and should any harm
come to me or to my friend, Senior
Strickland, l warn you that you will
not reach your home alive. Gentlemen,
/ salute YOU" and | bowed and left the
cabin.
Friend, thank you," l said to the
senior when he came upon deck after
dinner was ended. knowing who l
am and seeing how l, in common with
my race, am accustomed to be treated
by such dogs as that, can you wonder
that am not fond of Mexicans?"
No, Ignatio," he answered, but all
the same | advise you to be careful of
this Don Jose. He is not a man to kiss
the stick that beats him, and will make
an end of you, and me, too, for the
matter of that, if he can"
do not be afraid, senOr," answered,
laughing; besides the steward and
MOlas there are twenty Indians on
board, and they will watch that man
day and night, so that he can never
come near us without finding them
ready for him. Only we shall do well
to sleep on deck and not below"
That night we spent, wrapped in our
serapes, upon two coils of rope on the
forecastle of the Santa Maria, with
Molas sleeping close behind us. 1t was
a lovely night, and we whiled away the
hours in telling tales to each other of
our adventures in past years, and in
wondering as to those that lay before
~ f,l1
nothing, for we knew that our safety
was watched over, to be awakened by
the sudden StOppage of the vessel.
Fearing that something was wrong,
Senior James went to the captain and
asked him why they had stopped.
because the engines won't go any
more and there is no wind to sail
with" he answered, politely.
Presently the engine began to work
again, though uncertainty. Toward
three o'clock in the afternoon Molas,
pointing to low coast line and a spot
on the sea where the ocean swell was
tipped with white, told us that yonder
was the bar of the Grijalva river, and
that beyond it lay the village of From
terra, our destination.
Good" said the senior, then | think
that | will get my things on deck, " and
going to his cabin he brought up sack
some wraps and food.
why do you bring your baggage?"
asked the captain. presently. You
may want it tonight"
That is why | brought it up" he
answered. Il do not wish to land at
Frontera with nothing"
Land at Erontera, senior? No one
will land at Frontera from this ship for
another six or seven days. We pass
Frontera and run straight on to Cam
peche, which by the blessing of the
saints we shall reach tomorrow even
ing"
But l have taken tickets for From
terra, said the senior. The agent gave
them to me, and insist upon being
put on shore there"
That is quite right, senior. All be-
ing we'll we shall call at Frontera this
day week, and then you can go ashore
without any extra charge, but before
this my orders are to put into no port
except Campeche, that is unless a
nOrthcr forces me to do So"
That evening we dined together upon
deck, for neither of us was in any mood
to descend to the cabin and meet Don
Jose Moreno, of whom we had seen
nothing since the previous night. As
we were finishing our meal the light
faded and the sky grew curiously dark,
while suddenly to the north there APP
peared a rim of cloud. 1t was an angry
red and glowed like the smoke from a
smelling furnace at night.
Another two hours had passed with
OCt much change, except that the night
grew darker and darker, and stiller
md Stillcr.
Then a vivid flash IF lightning
pierced the heavens above us, followed
Oy deafening peal of thunder BY it's
fierce and sudden light we could see the
roast some three or four miles away,
and almost ahead of US the holder out
inc OF Point Xicalango. The sea about
our ship was dead calm. \ mile or so
% windward, however, was Il different
sight, for there came the norther, rush
ng upon US like u thing alive, in front
If it q line of white pillows torn from
he quiet surface of the sea. and behind
u, fretted by little lightnings, dense
vail OF black cloud stretched from the
face OF ocean to the arc of heaven.
A few more seconds and something |
white and enormous could be seen |
coming up above our bows. and the |
sight of it caused the captain, whose /
lace looked pale as death in the glare |