Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-04-23
PADRE AMBRosIO's BEADS
ny Clarence PuIIen.
copyright, 1896, by the Author. ]

y
twinkling. He smiled blandly to him
self, and more than once with a mys-
FERROUS air he placed his forefinger be-
side his nose, as if to make it the conf
dant Of some pleasant secret The sun
had long ago gone below the mountains
beyond the Rio Grande, and the mid
summer evening had become agreeably
cool. About the doorways and upon the
terraced roofs Of the compact, populous
little New Mexican town groups of peo-
pie sat silent or gossiping in low tones.
Except for the ftful tiny glow of
cigarette here and there, not a light
showed among the houses.
The padre was more fully dressed
than might have been expected of
priest who had said vespers and pre-
sumably had nothing further to do that
night than to get comfortably cool and
go to bed Stout riding boots showed
below his black gown, and a broad
brimmed sombrero lay on the bench at
his side. His ample rosary, closely
strung with beads, passed thrice around
his neck, hung in folds on his chest,
and the last loop. with the pendent cross,
dangled below his rotund waist
Old Anita, his Mexican housekeeper,
evidently had theories of her own CON
corning the reasons of her masters OBJ
vious preparations for an outing, and
as she looked from the small, square
window upon her master she nodded her
head, showed her two or three lone yell
low teeth in smile of mysterious
meaning and recalled her girlhood, 80
years back, as she smoked her cigarette,
which at each inhalation illumined for
a moment a wrinkled, parchmentlike
face that would have beftted one of
"Macbeth's" witches.
The dusk grew deeper, and the people
almost with one movement drew into
their houses to their slumbers. But the
padre still sat before his door, His good
humor had begun to be invaded by
something like impotence, the effort to
control that feeling led to drowsiness,
and he was nearly asleep when three
Indians of the village, one of them lead
ing burro, or ass, silently emerged
from the shadows of the house walls
and approached the nodding priest.
They were attired after the manner of
their tribe in white cotton tunics, buck
skin leggings and moccasins, and about
the long black hair of each was bound
red fllet Padre Ambrosio opened his
eyes and was wide awake in an instant
In low tone he accosted the corners:
"Ha, Pablo Nicholas, Miguel, see
you are here as you promised, and you
have brought the burro for the saving
OF my weary steps. Well, lead on. l am
ready"
The padre approached the ass, but the
foremost Indian, whom he had called
Pablo, stood by the saddle and barred
the way. His face was set and stern and
he addressed the priest in "A voice which,
though respectful, was grimly deter
mined.
Father" said he, you know the
conditions under which we are to make
our journey"
The priests countenance fell, but be
answered in a manner that seemed some
what forced, though it was cheerful:
at is well, my children. Your eau
ton is excessive, but l will respect it
and do your bidding. Proceed with
what you have 10 do, and 1 absolve you
for laying profane hands upon the sa-
cred person of priest"
The Indian who had spoken unrolled
from his waist long, closely woven
sash, with which he thoroughly band
aged the eyes Of the priest, drawing
each fold tight and strongly securing
the ends in place. The world was an
abyss of darkness to the padre, when the
Indian spoke again:
Father, we will now fulfill our COM
pact and take you to the place you have
DO long desired to see. But bear this in
mind. ounquestioningly what we tell
you; do not speak, and remember that
If You make one effort to release this
bandage about your eyes we are all
sworn, our priest though you be, to
plunge our knives at once into your
heart and leave your body in the caverns
Of the earth "
Whatever inward qualms the padre
may have felt, he only answered heart.
lily:
"My Sons, will conform in all re-
spects to our agreement and your com
mands. Take me now to the appointed
place.
Helped by the Indian, he silently
mounted the ass. Pablo took the head
of the beast, turned him thrice around,
and then, holding the bride, with his
Indian comrades following, one on
either side of the animal, he threaded
his way among the houses, passed them
out into the open country, and the par
ty took its course toward the distant
mountains.
Padre Ambrosio found it anything
but pleasant or easy to keep his seat on
the swaylng, JogPI.- mluu-
tive burro which be CuuIu not see or
control. AS the Indians, increasing
their pace, urged the ass into trot and
then a gallop, the priest, who dared not
speak, could only cling to the pommel
of the saddle and console himself with
the reflection that he was on the road to
the fulfllment of a long cherished de-
sire.
Several persons already know the
story of the lost Spanish mines Of New
Mexico In that region, as in other
parts of Mexico, the Spanish conquerors
Fnslaved the peaceful Pueblo or village
Indians and put them cruelty to work
III mines The Indians rose at last in
sanguinary revolt, destroyed or expel-
led all Of the Spaniards and effaced ev-
cry vestige of the mines which they es.
pecially associated with their Cypress
ors. When in time the Spaniards ro-
f1ruad ~ Nox1 Mawioo nc sbao, a,5 ~.