The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1899-07-29
WHICH WAS HIDDEN AWAY DOWN.
IN MEXICO.
Glue to 1t Is Given by an American
Miner, Whose Recital Reads Like
a Chapter From Roberi Louis
stephenson-strange Story. Toll
by Mexican-A Can of Gold Coins
Search for the Treasure-Suicidc
Either From Love Or Madness.as.-.---

trove of the San Leon Church Of Mexico.
He Is J. F. Bell, a recently returned
miner and prospector for gold. His story
reads like chapter from R. l.. Steven.
son, and indeed it is just such plot in
real life as the great novelist would have
delighted In and made immortal.
1T is scarcely two summers ago." said
Mr.. Bell, that 1 was at the head of a
quartz milling establishment near Guada-
loupe v Calvo, in Chihuahua. There were
about fifty swarthy and powerful poems,
or semi-slave half-breeds, working under
me and I had absolute power over them
by kindly treatment I managed to get
more work out of them than any prede-
cessor and was in great favor at the mill
l also had privilege of taking on new
hands. The mill was situated in lovely
valley where semi-tropical fruit abound
ed, and my little cabin was within a. min
ute's walk of the MILL
Zone day a curious little Mexican ap-
pied at the mill for work He seemed to
De a man of Intelligence above the aver
age ana had evidently travelled a great
Instance. He looked very diminutive be-
size the slx-foot 'greasers,' who were able
10 carry 400 pounds of gold quartz on
their backs, but took pity on him. and
hired him. .'10' - =
Il saw that he was, moreover, faint
from hunger, and while he ate of the
food my servant brought him 1 piled him
with questions as he sat in the sand and
dove into the rough meal like a. starved
mountain lion. I got nothing out of him
save That he came from the South, and I
discovered that he was a man of educa-
tlon, speaking French and German as
we'll as some English The small hands
and feet showed him to be a genuine
hldalgo, which means literally the son of
someoody;' and his politeness proved him
TO be man of careful and refined breed
1ng L was greatly mystifed with nv
new discovery, and even after setting him
TO work continued to study him.
:. he worked faithfully and we'll to the
ii1nIt on MS strength. He had nothing to
40 with the 'greasers' who were about
hlm ON every side, and paid no attention
10 thelr J1bes' and impairment leers. He
went on with his work until nightfall,
and spent the night seated bolt upright
on rug before my cabin door, I do not
thlnk ne slept a single minute, and at
dawn, on peering through the lattice I
saw the stranger on the rug as had left
MIN near midnight. This Was raDeated for
thfee nights, and he soon became known
as the man who never slept He was q
growing mystery to every one. partic,1-
larly to myself. I saw that there was
some great secret In the mans heart. and
II was only a question of time when I
would get at it. 49,. - :
"One night I heard. a faint rap on NV
ooor just as l was retiring. I asked the
VISITOR In and found it to be my curious
workman. His face was the picture of
misery. 1 have a great secret to tell you.
he said. can trust no one but you. and
1 cannot longer remain silent. You will
never regret granting me this request,
VIII you go with me over to the water
To- yxr1on q
will surprise you with a great confes.
sion.
II confess that did not care to 20
roaming about through the darkness with
a half-mad Mexican: but buckled on u
belt of revolvers and followed the strang
man in silence out of the cabin to the Sc
clusion OF the water tanks. There the
stranger sat down opposite me, where
could see the whites of his eyes roll in
the starlight f
Look at these, SIR" he said softly. put
ting into my astonished hands some OF
the queerest octagon shaped gold coins .!
antique design that had ever seen. DC
you know what they are? Well, I viii
tell you. They are part of the hidden
treasures of San Leon
my veins tingled at the sound. I knew
the history of the country we'll enough tc
know that in 1856, during a temporary
disturbance of revolutionary nature, sc
ures of San. Leon church, amounting t
some $S,OOO,OOO i'm gold, together with val
liable relics and altar pieces, were stoier
and carried into the mountains, no ont
knew WHITTIER sse.. f---Ss.t5 a 2asA s..A
81 turned the coins over in my hand
feeling queer sense of stepping upol
perilous but fascinating ground. And de-
you know where this treasure is?' asked
The little Mexican placed his hand on hi!
heart as he said, Before God, l swear it!
Then after pause, Listen, senior, while
I tell you little of my history.
my people are, from Toluca,s near tn
City Of Mexico, am Of noble birth, but
got into bad company and have led a yer!
wild life. My father Is dead and, my uncle
have robbed me Of most of my property
but what of that? can earn enough her
to go back soon and lay hands on on
of the greatest treasures of the world
know its exact position in the mountains
could go there with clay over my eyes
Shall tell you how I discovered \?
81 was an only son. A little peol
devil, with some of my fathers blood II
his veins, was brought up with me. H
was Of the lower order and was thrifty
content with little. When he became oil
enough to shift for himself he bought
little herd of goats and tended them hin
self. He followed them about the noun
(, tain passes and was happy, for he love-
them as his children. One day as he wa
gathering them together to drive then
down the canyon out of reach OF tn
mountain lions, he missed one He starte
back, calling for the missing goat.
tile heard faint cries afar. but onl
after great difficulty and in the CLOSING
IF hour of day did he find the beast, whtcl
had wandered in behind q ledge of roc
and could not retreat, AS the herder al
vanced the goat pushed forward till bot
stood in dark and weird cave. Then tn
man struck a match to find hds goal
when he saw a cleaning crucifix In tn
darkness beyond. ,s ,ss &Fs.ss
:. Naturally superstitious, the man wa
struck with terror. He finally mustere.
the nerve to advance, and saw that tn
relic was a, real one and no more appari
ton Of saint or devil to lure him to de
struction. In fact, the cross was studde,
with diamonds and, rubies, and the bas
of it stood In heap of human bones
Along on the lodges about him hung wha
were once leather pouches, but the weigh
of their load had long burst them, an
the floor of the cave was vast heap o
amazement and terror, Paolo seized &
the cave and thence on down the noun
tain side as if pursued by demons.
&. He kept his secret we'll for five days
then he came to me, his one friend an
confidant. When saw the coins Is wa
crazy. We planned to go up..to th
mountain canyon che next day, and 'sw
4 did SO. II raw that the man smoke tn