Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-06-11

est is gilt, not gold he answered.
Il know the art OF 1t. though with us 1t
is not practised, except to keep from
corruption the spears and arrow heads
that fowlers use upon the lake Then
he added:
ss.I wonder what that leaden-eyed,
greedy-faced white thief would say If
he knew that in a single temple we
could show him enough of the metal he
covets to fill this place five times over
from floor to ceiling?'
50 'Hush!' she said, ears may be list
ening even in these walls; let us risk
nothing, seeing that by seeming to be
ignorant alone we can hope to escape :"
s'WeH, asked the senior eagerly, land
that Won said that the old mans name
was Zibalbay." he added, trying to re-
cover the slip.
'.Zibalbay! No. never mentioned
that NAME" Don Pedro replied suspie-
iously, and with sudden change of
manner. HE answered nothing at all.
Next morning when came to question
them the birds had flown. 1t is a pity
for otherwise I might have asked the
old man if his name is Zibalbay. l sup
pose that the Indians had let them out,
but could not discover"
''Why, Don Pedro you said just now
that they were still in the house"
did l? Then I made mistake, as
you did about the name; this wine is
strong, it must have got to my head;
sometimes it doeS-a weakness, and n
bad one. 1t is an old tale, but there it
ended so far as l am concerned. Come,
senior, take a cup of coffee, it is good. !"
''Thank you, no. answered the senior.
ST never drink coffee at night, it keeps
me awake
''Still, beg you to try ours, friend;
we grow it ourselves and are proud of
its flavor"
sit is poison to me, I dare not he
said. ''But pray tell me. do the gentle
men whom 1 have the honor to see at
table cultivate your plantations@
Eyes, yes, they cultivate the coffee
and the cocoa, and other things also
when they have mind. I daresay you
think them a rough-looking lot, but
they are lxind-hearted, ali! SO kind
hearted. Feeble as am they treat me
like a father. Bah! senior, what is the
good of hiding the truth from one of
your discernment? We do business of
all'sorts here, but the staple of it is
smuggling rather than agriculture.
1.-The trade is not what it was, those
sharks of customs officers down on the
coast there want SO much to hold their
tongues, but still there are a few pick
-.
not ask questions, it was otherwise. for
| then men of pluck were ready for, any
! thing, from revolution down to the
strin ging up of coach load of fat nler-
chants, but now is the day of small
profits, aud we must be thankful for
such trifies as providence sends US"
''Such as the two Americans who got
drunk and killed each other" suggested
| the senior, whose tongue was never of
| the most cautious.
Instantly Don Pedro's face changed,
the sham geniality b9yn of drink we1t
out of it, and was y/placed by a hard
| and cunning look.
must be also, and, if you will excuse
me, will light another cigar and take
| a nap in my hammock. Perhaps you
will amuse yourself with the others,
| senior, till yoA wish to go to rest" And,
rising, he bowed and walked somewhat
unSreadily to the hammock that was
i suspended at the far end of the room.
When Don Pedro had retired to his
hammock. whittier the Indian girl
LuiSa, was summoned to swing him to
sleep, 1 saw his son Jose and the Amer
| lean outcast, Smith, both of whom, like
the rest of the company, were more OF
| less drunk, come to the senior and ask
him to join in game Of cards. Guess
ing that their object was to make him
show what cash he had about him, he
also affected to be in liquor. and re
piled noisily that he had lost all his
money in the shipwreck, and was, more
over, too full of wine to play.
''Then you must have lost it on the
road, friend,' said Don Jose, for you
forget that you made those sailors q
present from belt of gold which you
wore about your middle. However, nc
gentleman shall be forced to play in
this house, so come and talk while the
others have their little game
''Yes, that will be better" answered
the senior, and he staggered to an empty
chair, placed not far from the table al
which I remained, and was served with
spirits and cigars. Here he sat watch
ing the play and listened to the CONVEX
sation of the gamblers.
All this while I sat at the little table
where my dinner had been served. say
ing nothing, for none spoke to me, but
within hearing of everything thai
passed. There I sat quiet, my arms
folded on my breast, listening atten
lively to the tales of outrage, wrong
and murder practised by these wicked
ones upon my countrymen.
Presently Don Smith called out:
s'Look at that Indian rascal, friend
he is as proud as turkey cock IN spring
time; why, he reminds me of the fig:res
of the king in that ruin where we laid