The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1899-07-29
A FORTUNE IN GOLD.

truth. I drove my hand into the heaps
Of gold, seEor up to the shoulder. 1t was
the lost treasure Of San Leon without
the slightest doubt. We sat there in the
silence of the cave surrounded by wealth
and the bones of martyred robbers, for
hours and planned to get the treasure
out. / have a. pistol-here 1t Is, senior
you see, the hammer will not stay cooked
Well, in handling the piece there the pis-
toll went off and shot poor Paolo through
the heart. Dumb with terror seized my
hat and staff and dashed fTsm the cave,
hurrying below u ~. - 81
For five days there was no search for
poor Paolo. Then my aunt came to me
and said: francesca, you have on Pao-
los hat. You must have seen him last.
Where is hep I was speeches. with
fright. Moreover she continued, ''here
are some strange coins found hidden I'M
his blankets. Whose are they?' I con-
ifess that I could have snatched them
from from her hand, but I restrained MY
self. Two Of the coins were sent to the
City of Mexico and Immediately govern
ment officials were out there with the
news that these coins we're part of the
lost treasure of San Leon. -~''.s. -
F.. The country was in an uproar over
the discovery and my particular town
was shaken to the depths with the mys-
terry Of the lost goat herder. 1t was
thought that Paolo was at the head of a
w
the mountains still with the great treas
ure. A hundred Of the civil military were
ordered to patrol all the mountain passes
of the district. In terror of aDprehen-
sion. senior, fled, and here am
1.-THE mans story was so straightfor-
I to- this day. When he proposed that we
return for the treasure, for he vowed that
he would never dare to do so unless
went ahead Of him and turned poor Pao-
los open eyes to the wall while we gath
cred up the golden store, was with him.
the gamble and danger Of the game fas-
cinated me- I took $500, intrusted it to
him, gave him new suit of clothes and
a rifle, and, equipped with a camping
outfit, started by rail to the south. Near
our destination we left the railroad and
proceeded on horseback, securing good
animals from the ranchers. 49, IL.
I'VE had not penetrated the mountain
district far-our very promised land
when we happened upon three of the pa
trolling soldiers. They halted US and de-
manded to know our mission. Paolo told
them that 1 was from the States and
seeking a purchase of a ranch, that I
could rot speak word Of Spanish and
that he was my valet and interpreter.
We exchanged compliments and passed
on. But only a few miles further they
care after US pell nell, and piled us
with more questions, leaving US a sec
ond time. When this was repeated a
third time, Francesca whispered, Senior,
you DOWN the fat one ahead and I will
kill the other two. I am a dead shot.
We cannot be stopped here on the very
threshold of success
"But demurred. There was to be no
killing for me. I knew the consequences,
and preferred that the gold should be
untarnished with blood. The soldiers de-
manded that we go down to the city
and get permission of the government
to pass into the mountains. This knew
was impossible to do just then, and we
went down in the direction thirty miles
utterly disconsolate, my companion con-
Gnually calling to me to wheel around
and do the trick that would liberate US.
mot daring to enter the city we camped
outside for five days, undecided. Fran
cesco was for fighting his way up to the
treasure trove, swearing that he could
bribe his freedom from the government
afterward. I could not see it in that
light. For three days we argued; then
there came "a woman on the scene. She
was very beautiful creature, evidently
Francesco's former sweetheart. She was
the only one in the country who had
recognized him as new personality.
For day or two they mooned about the
place. and then the girl disappeared.
"F'rancesco was like one insane after
that. What tidings the girl brought or
| whether he told her his secret or not,
never discovered. Once more and for the
last time Frencesco asked me If I would
go up the mountains, killing everything
in our way to success. Still stood my
ground. and the next morning at day
break I awoke. and there by my side
stood Francesco's rifle and belt, all the
money, with a strict memorandum Of ac-
counts, and the clothing I had given
rim even to" the last stitch. When l
hunted about camp for the man, he
was gone. H. ->'sssEts. --f- IT,.
st tracked him toward the railroad and
followed on blindly over the ties. A mile
beyond the curve saw woman on the
railroad bridge, bent down as If weeping.
I came upon her. It was the beautiful
| creature I had seen about camp. I
asked her what was the matter. She
only pointed into the river far below.
There discerned the still form Of Fran
| cesco floating up in the limpid waters.
He was a suicide. 80
What reason? I never discovered
whether It was love or madness. think.
| however, that in his cupidity he really
killed his half-brother Paolo, was insane
with remorse, and the love affair aggra-
| waited him to desperation. Of that do
know, but one thing, Francesca had the
| secret of the great San Leon treasure
which I came within an ace of sharing
| with him. but which will now remain q
secret probably for another hundred, yes,
! 1t may. be a thousand years."
| Mr.. Bell tells wonderful stories of the
strength of Mexican miners He showed
| a photograph of man, a perfect. Apollo
| in form, who easily carries 200 pounds
of ore up a crude ladder, which is the
| sole means of bringing ore to the sur
! face. ..- "a . II ss,- mi