Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-04-23

p6dCOOk neCk ana thousand times
more variegated. The padre forgot his
fatigue and fear and gazed enchanted.
The utmost that he had imagined of the
glories of the lost mines was realized
in the appearance of the objects about
him. His delight was increased when
his guides led him to side of the cavern
where be saw imprisoned between walls
Of rock wide vein of crumbling silver
ore Of great richness. Then one of the
Indians pointed to pile of massive
bars stacked up like cordwood, and
handing him knife motioned him to
scrape one of them. He did so, and be-
meath the tarnish and discoloration was
revealed the glittering surface Of true
silver.
"El orc, said Pablo, pointing to
where lay, retaining still the shape of
the box that had rotted from around it,
a pile of gold bullion that to the priests
eager eyes seemed like kings ransom.
Padre Ambrosio lifted one of the bars
that had lain there so many years in
undimmed brightness, admired its
weight and color and held it, reluctant
to let it 60 But the Indians were un-
easy and eager Tn get away from the
place The PADRES gloating over the
gold came to sudden end, for Pablo
motioned him to drop the bar, and put
ting the bandage about his eyes shut
from him the sight of the grotto and its
alluring treasures. The poor priest
sighed grievously at the thought Of leav
ing the place empty handed, and, most
unwilling, he was led back along the
passage to the shaft.
If anything could have been more
dreadful than his descent into the mine
it was the dragging of his corpulent
person out from it, and pitiable indeed
were Padre Ambrosio's slips and strug-
giles as he CROPPED his way up the un-
steady notched pole in such mortal ter
ror of fall that for the time being he
forgot the scratches and contusions that
be had sustained and the rheumatism
that his nights ride and his wetting
would probably give him. At last he
gained the earth's surface, and once in
the upper air he flung himself down in
mingled exhaustion and relief.
While the Indians covered the en-
thing about it to its customary appear
ance, the priest had time to collect his
thoughts and prepare to put into effect
cunning plan that he had matured be-
fore leaving his house. When the Indi-
ans came to him and the party moved
down the mountain, Father Ambrosio
In an absent manner loosened the end
of his rosary and let fall bead, then
another and another, and so on down
the mountain side he marked the
route by beads. When he had remount-
ed the burro, he continued to lose his
beads so indusrriously that when he
was set on the ground al his own door
and the bandage removed from his eyes
he had not one left.
In the daylight-for the eastern sky
was red when they re-entered Santo Do
mlngo-he looked eastward over toward
the Cerlllos mountains and eXultingly
thought Of the line of beads which
marked the route back to the mines and
planned how he should in day or two
follow il back accompanied 10y force
OF 20 Mexican attendants and u train of
mules with which to secure the treasure
that he had so shrewdly rediscovered
He first wanted to get inside the house,
to laugh all by himself at the success
of the scheme by which he had outwit-
ted the simple Pueblo Indians.
Old Anita, who was always early
astir, was baking tortillas under the
open shed matched with cornstalks
which in summer served as kitchen.
She looked up, saw the padre standing
by the door and nodded her head more
positively than she had done the night
before when she had noted his prepare.
tions to depart
well, WELL, ;" she said to herself,
what can the padre have been doing
and where has he been? Oh, dear, how
dreadfully splashed, muddy and torn
his gown is, and he looks ready to drop
with WEAKNESS. Why wouldn't he stay
and be conf ortable vt home? And what
has become Of his fine rosary? Oh, dear,
OBJ, dear. "
T.. 'r.th, the good padre was a dis
mal sight after his riding and climbing
and bllndfold cropping in the damp re-
cesses of the buried mine. Hat, face,
gown and boots were impartially plas-
tered with mud, and his appearance
was tattered and unkempt to the last
degree. He realized the fact in the day
light and was in haste to get indoors.
The three Indians stood by the burro
patiently waiting for the padre to bless
and dismiss them. Now that they were
back pnder the shadow of the church,
they had resumed their submissive man
ner, and their faces We're as grave and
imperturbed as if they had Just returned
from an everyday excursion. AS Padre
Ambrosio, having made the sign of the
cross above them, turned, slyly smiling,
to go into the house Pablo stepped for
ward respectfully, touched his elbow
and handed him wallet
'The father will need these at his de-
votions, " he said with perfect soberness.
"They would have all been left by the
roadside, but we picked them up and
have brought them to him."
The wallet contained the beads of his
rosary, TO the last one.
Poor Padre Ambrosio This was the
result Of his hopes and scheming of
nine years. With every bone and mus
Gle in his frame a racking reminder Of
that long night of riding and climbing,
OF fears and fatigues-he had got back
his rosary
Dazed and speechless, he blankly con
templated the beads and thought of the
treasure which he had beheld only to
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