Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-11-02
CHAPTER /.
HOW THE PLOT Failed.

all that district my father was the
hereditary cacique, and the Indians
there loved him much.
When was lad perhaps nine years
old troubles arose in the country and
my father was made prisoner. l re-
memlAr that he was shut up in a dirty
place, so hot that it was difficult to
breathe, and that there were some
drunken Mexican soldiers outside the
door, who now and again threatened to
make an end of us Indian dogs.
My godfather, the priest Ignatio, con-
fessed my father in corner of the cell,
and took something from his hand.
Then my father called me to him and
kissed me, and with his own fingers for
few moments he hung about my neck
that thing which the priest had taken
from him, only to remove it again and
give it to Ignatio for safe keeping, say
ing: ''See that the boy has it, and its
story with it, when he comes of age"
Now my father kissed me again,
blessing me in the name of God, and as
he did SO great tears ran down his face,
Then the priest Ignatio took me away,
and never saw my father any more,
and threw his body into the hole that
why AAehS SutS w ASSSANS I've
After this my godfather, cousin and
namesake took me and my mother to
the little town of Tiapa, Of which he
was priest, but she soon died of a
broken heart.
When | was about fifteen years of
age, of sudden desire took hold of
me to become q priest.
On the morrow l went into my god
fathers room, and told him of my de-
sire. He listened to me attentively, and
answered.: 81 would that it might be
so, my son, holding, as ! do, that the
things of the world to come outweigh
those of the present earth ten thou
sandfold, but it cannot be, for reasons
that you shall learn when you are
older. Then, when my trust Is ended,
you may make your choice, and, If you
still wish it, become priest"
Five more years passed away, during
which time | grew strong and active,
and skilled In all manly exercises, and
studied much underline teachings of my
godfather, who sent even to Spain to
buy me books.
At length, on my twentieth birthday,
my godfather, who was now grown very
old and feeble, called me into his cham
Der, and, having locked the door, he
spoke to me thus:
my son, the time has come when !
must deliver to you the last messages
Of your beloved father, my cousin and
best friend, who was murdered by the
soldiers when you were a little child
and tell you OF your descent and other
matters.
"First, then, you must know that you
are of royal and ancient blood, for your
forefather was none other than Qua
temoc, the last of the Aztec emperors
whom the Spaniards murdered, which
descent can prove to you by means Of
old writings and pedigrees: also it is
known and attested among the Indians
who, even now, do not forget the stock
whence sprang their kings"
Mexico" said, proudly, for in my folly
it seemed fine thing to be sprans
from men who once had worn crown
Alas! my son. the old priest an
swered, sadly, Sin this world might is
the only right, and the Spaniards ended
that of your forefathers long ago by
the aid of torture and the Moose. SaYt
that it will earn you reverence among
the Indians, it is but barren honol
which you inherit with your blood.
"Yet there is one thing that has CONF
down to you from your ancestor, Qua
temac, and the monarchs who ruled be
fore him. Perchance you remember
that on the night before he died YOU
father sat an amulet upon your neck
and, removing it again, gave it to me t.
keep. Here is that amulet
And he handed me trinket made O
the half of heart-shaped emerald
smooth with wear but unpublished, tha
II joined t1 its missing section wn'''
have been large asa aoy"'- .nr III ~
stone was not Nm oxen but cn sg Yyon In n
~ 70 the bottom, the line of the cut
ting being SO epnningly sawn that n
one, unless he had one half before him
could initiate the other. This CHAIR
was bored through so as to be wor
upon a chain, and engraved upon it
surface were some hieroglyphics an
the outline of half a human face.
what is it?" l asked.
The old priest shrugged his shoulder
and answered:
"a relic that had to do with thei
wicked heather magic and rites, 1 sur
| pose. know little about it except tina
your father told me that it was tn
most valued possession of the Ate
Kings, and that the natives believe tina
| when the two halves of this stone cam
together the men of white blood shaI
be driven from Central America, an
| that an Indian emperor shall rule fror
sea to sea-"
"And where is the other hal.
father?"
u am a priest, and therefore you
| father told me little of the matter, sine
it is not lawful that should belong t
secret societies. Still, some such societ
exists and, in virtue of the ownership {
that talisman, you will be head Of il
as your ancestors were before yol
though, so far as can learn, it ha
brought them but little luck.
VI know no more about it, but
will give you letters to a.certain India
who lives in the district of which you
| father was cacique, and, when 70
show him the stone, doubtless he wi
initiate you into its mysteries, thong
counsel you to have nothing to
with them.
Listen, Ignatio, my son, you are
rich man; how rich cannot tell 70,
but for many generations your for,
fathers have hidden up treasure for a
object which will explain. and til
| gold will be handed over to you by thos
of your clan in whose keeping it is.
ut was because of this treasure thu
your father and your great grandf,
ther were done to death with man
others, since the rumor of it came {
the ears Of those who ruled in Mexic
who, when they could come to it +
no other means. tormented and kille
them in their rage.
Now, this was The message of yor
father to You concerning the wealt
that he and his ancestors had hidden:
"'Tell my son, Ignatio, should he liz
to grow up, that thel has never depar
ed from our family the desire to wi
back the crown that Guatemoc lost, o
at least, to drive out the accurse