The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1898-01-06
CHAPTER VIII.
THE SUPPER AND AFTER

that in which the old monks imprisoned
such as were suspected of heresy and
others, and close to il is a secret place
there are many such in this house,
scnor-where spy may lie hid, and
both see and hear all that passes in the
cell
in this place | ensconed myself, and
lay there for hours, with the rats run
ming over me, so anxious was l to get
to the truth. In the end was not dis
appointed. for they began to talk. A
great deal of their conversation
could make nothing of, but at length
the girl said, after examining a gilt
cruciix that hung upon the wall,
Look, father, here also they have
gold
"'It is gilt, not gold he answered.
q know the art Of it, though with us it
is not practised, except to keep from
corruption the spears and arrow heads
that fowlers use upon the lake. Then
he added:
az wonder what that leaden-eyed,
grcedy-faccd white thief would say if
he knew that in single temple we
could show him enough of the metal he
covets to fill this place five times over
from floor TO ceiling?'
''IIush! she said, ears may be list
ening oven in these walls; let us risk
nothing, seeing that by seeming to be
ignorant alone we can hope to escape. ,"
well asked the senior eagerly "and
what did Iibalbay answer? think
that you said that the old mans name
was Iibalbay,' he added, trying to re-
cover the slip
"Zibalbayl No, never mentioned
that name Don Pedro replied suspic-
iously and with sudden change of
manner. "Tfe answered nothing at all.
Next morning when came to question
them the birds had flown. 1t is pity
for otherwise | might have asked the
old man il his name is Zibalbay sup
pose that the Indians had let them out,
but I could not discover"
"Why. Don Pedro. you said just now
that they were still in the house"
Ibid 1? Then l 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 a
bad one. 1t is an old tale, but there it
ended so far as / am concerned. Come,
senor take cup of coffee, it is good. "
"ThanlS you, no" answered the senior.
II 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"
1T is poison to me, dare not" he
said. "l3ut pray tell me, do the gentle
men whom have the honor to see at
table cultivate your plantations?"
Yes, yes, they cultivate the coffee
and the cocoa. and other things also
when they have mind daresay you
think them rough looking lot, but
they are kind-hearted, all so kind
hearted. Feeble as | am they treat me
like father. BAIL senior, what is the
good Of hiding the truth from one OF
your discernmeDt? We do business of
all sorts here, but the staple of it is
smuggling rather than agriculture.
"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 few pick
ings. In the old times, when they did
not ask questions, 1t was otherwise, for
then men of pluck were ready for any
thing, from revolution down to the
stringing up of a coach load of fat mer.-
chants, but now is the day Of small
profits, and we must he thankful for
such triies ms providence sends us"
"Such us the two Americans who got
drunk and killed each other" suggested
the senior, whose tongue was never of
the most cautious.
Instantly Don redro's face changed,
the sham geniality born of drink went
out of il. and was replaced by hard
and cunning look.
81 am tired, senor," he said, las you
must be also. aud, IL you will excuse
me, will light another cigar and take
a nap in my hammock Fer haps you
will amuse yourself with the others,
senior, till yoa wish to go to rest" And,
rising, he bowed and walked somewhat
unstcadily to the hammock that was
suspended ut 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, | saw his son Jose and the Amer
lean outcast, Smith, both of whom, like
the rest. OF the company, were more or
less drunk, come to the senior and ask
him to join in IA game of cards. Guess
ing that their ob jcct 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 shipwrcck, 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 a
present from belt of gold which you
wore about your middle. However, no
gentleman shall be forced to play in
this house. so come an talk while the
others have their little game"
Eyes, that will be better" answered
the senior, and he staggered to an empty
chair, placed not far from the table at
spirits and cigars. Here he sat watch
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 that
passed. There l 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:
Look at that Indian rascal, friend;
he is as proud as n turkey cock III spring
time; why, he reminds me of the figures
of the king in that ruin where we laid
up last year waiting for the sonora and
her party. You remember the sonora,
don't you, Jose? / can hear her squealSs
now" and he laughed brutally, and add
ed: Come. King. and have a drink"
Gracious, senor," l answered, ~
have drunk"
Then smoke a cigar, o king"
Gracious, senior, do not smoke to-
night"
My lord cacique of all the Indians
won't drink and won't smoke" said
Don Smith, so we will offer him in
eense,N and taking q nlnte he filed IL