Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-11-26

Don jose, an old Indian, and a girl.
/ On either side Of the altar then, as
now, rose two carven pillars of sapote
wood, the tops of which were fash
ioned into the figure of angels, and to
these columns the old Indian and the
women were tied, one to each column,
their hands being joined together at
the back of the pillars in such a man
ner as to render them absolutely help
less. My eyes first rested upon the
woman, who was nearest to me, and
seeing her, even as she was then, dis
hevelled and worn with pain and hun
ger, with her proud face distorted by
agony of mind and impotent rage, no
longer wondered that both Molas and
| Don Pedro had raved about her beauty.
She was an Indian, but such an In
dian as had never known before, for
in color she was almost white, and her
dark and waving hair hung in masses
to her knee. Her face was oval and
small-featured, and in it shone pair
| of wonderful dark blue eyes, while the
| clinging white robe she wore revealed
the loneliness of her tall and delicate
shape.
Bad as was the girls plight, that of
the old man. her father, who was none
other than the Zibalbay we had come
to seek, seemed even worse. He was.
as Molas had described him, thin and
| very tall, with white hair and beard,
hawk-like eyes, and aquiline features,
nor had Don Pedro spoken more than
the truth when he said he looked like
q king.
What shall we try him with now?"
said Don Jose. addressing Don Pedro;
shot steel or cold? Make up your mind,
for am getting tired. Well, if you
won't, just hand me that machete, will
you? Now FRIEND" he went on, adj
dressing the Indian, "for the last time
l ask you to tell us where is that tenn
pie full of gold OF which you spoke to
your daughter in my fathers hearing?"
"There is no such place, white man"
he answered sullcnly.
Indeed, friend. Then will you eS-
plain where you got those little ingots
which we captured from the Indian who
had been visiting you, and whence came
this machete?" and he pointed to the
weapon in his hand.
1t was sword of great beauty, as /
could see, but of hardened copper, and
having for handle female figure
with outstretched arms fashioned in
solid gold.
'The machete was given to me by
friend" said the Indian. ~ do not
| hAOW WlcIc i1e SOG IT,
Really" answered Jose with bru-
tai laugh; perhaps you will remember
presently. Here, father, warm the
point of the machete in the lamp, will
you, while tell our guest how we are
going to serve him and his daughter"
Don Pedro nodded, and taking the
sword held the tip of it over the flame,
while Jose, bending forward, whispered
into the Indians ear, pointing from
to time to the girl.
care you white men, then, devils?"
said the old man at length, with a
groan that seemed to burst from the
bottom of his heart, land is there no
law or justice among you?"
"None at all, friend" answered Jose;
1--WE are good fellows enough, but times
are hard, and we must live. Now, once
more, will you guide us to the place
whence that gold came, leaving your
daughter here as hostage for our
safety?"
"Never!" cried the Indian "Better
that we two should perish hundred
times than that the ancient secrets of
my people should pass to such as YOU"
"Soyou have secrets after all! Father,
is the sword hot?" asked Jose.
Zone minute more" said the old man,
turning the point in the flame.
This was the scene that we witnessed,
and these We're the words that as
tonished our ears.
1T is time to interfere" muttered
the senior, and, placing his hand upon
the rail, he prepared to drop into the
church.
Now thought struck me, and drew
him back to the passage.
Perhaps the door is open" said.
care you going in there?" asked the
girl Luisa.
Certainly" replied: We must res
cue these people or die with them.
"Then, senior, farewell have done
all can for you, and now the saints
must be your guide, for if l am seen
they will kill me, and have child for
whose sake l desire to live. Again,
farewell, and she glided away like a
| shadow.
Now we crept forward and down the
stair. AT the foot of it was little door,
which, as we had hoped, stood aiar.
For moment we consulted together,
then we crawled forward through the
gloom toward the ring of light about
the altar. Now Jose had the heated
sword in his hand
Look up, my dear, look up he said
to the girl, patting her on the cheek.
II am about to baptize your excellent
father according to the rites of the
Christian religion by marking him with
cross upon the forehead" and he adj
vanced the point of the sword toward
the Indians face.
AT that instance Molas pinned him
from behind causing him to drop the
weapon, while did the same office by
Don Pedro, holding him so that, struggle
| as he might, he could not stir.
i J,lr Il ~,
are dead" said the senior, picking up
the machete and placing the hot point
of it against Jose's breast, where it
slowly burned its way through his
clothes.
"What are we to do with these men?"
he asked
"Kill them as they would have killed
us, answered Molas; "or, if you fear
the task, cut loose the old man yonder
and let him avenge his and his daugh-
ter's wrongs"
"What say you, Ignatio?"
! II seek no mans blood, but for our
own safety it is well that these wretches
should die. Away with them!''
Now Don Pedro began to bleat mar
| ticulately in his terror, and that hero,
Jose, burst into tears and pleaded for
his life, writing with pain the while,
for the point of the sword scorched
him.
You are an English gentleman" he
groaned; you cannot butcher help
less man as though he We're an OK"
"As you tried to butcher us in the
chamber yonder, us, who saved your
life" answered the senior. "You are
right. / cannot do it, because, as YOU
say, am u gentleman Molas, loose
this dog, and if he tries to run put a
knife through him. Jose Moreno, you
have sword by your side, and l have