The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-11-29

St # # tt It # IT
#THE SHADOWS
# OF THE IT
m(0RD|LLERA;# IT.
II Or, The Naunofia Flower. #
ID By VIRGINIA LEILA wENTZ. '!"F
-----f3-
II CoPYRIaHT, 1900. LII
~ By ERWIN WARDMAN.
# # # it t.. H H

m CHAPTER I.
III @M3 PBRLA DEL oCCI-
DENTE" partakes Of

.l.ag the character OF both
sones into which Mexico Is divided.
Merry Guadalajara Is placed on the
boundary line between the hot and
cold lands.
The Cerro del Col, a kind Of extinct
volcano, the peak Of Tequlla, and be-
hind this melancholy looking mountain
q complete chain Of rugged hills hem
ming in the Rio Tololotlan compose
the somber looking amphitheater which
screens the capital Of the state Of ia.
lisco on the north. But upon the banks
Of the Tololotlan prevails another at
mosphere, and the traveller finds him.
self In the region of the terra calicnte,
where citrOn trees and bananas take
the place of oaks and pines and arid
sands are succeeded by fields OF sugar
canes watered by numerous streams.
Before the era Of railways, when the
phrase ferro carril was an uncouth one
anu incomprehensble to oil save the
padres, the Pearl Of the West was the
queen Of the entire rich western coast
OF Mexico. Even today she lifts her
ivory towers, her moss OF shining
domes and moresque minarets with
sweet pride. For the skies toward
which she lifts them are Of such ra-
dance as scarcely anywhere else are
to be seen even In this land Of radiant
skies. Tree arched avenues lead in
every direction from Guadalajara to in
Vulnerable villages that dot the YER
dant plain on which she lies smiling.
And these villages. for all that they
Hf
perfect as types. Low adobe houses
straggle around three sides Of the town
plaza; Oh the fourth side is the quaint
- church (even the pueblltos, the tiniest
settlements Of all. usually have their
churches). Back Of the houses are cor
rales and gardens, and back Of these,
IN turn. are the cultivated fields crosa-
ed and recrossed by acequias through
which the water comes that makes
fruitful the land. Not alone are these
villages typicnl; they possess, more
over, histories that far antedate the
time when the fierce and warllke Nuno
de Guzzman led his army into western
New Spain.
On n smooth, green billow Of the
land, just without one Of these puebll-
tos. are two houses. They are not al
together like the rest; they are larger
and more pretentious, and standing up
there on the knoll as they do they
seem to command the village as a
manse might command seigniory.
One morning, something like q dou-
bic score Of years ago, two horsemen
came up the willow shaded road that
leads past these houses. Their CONVEX
sation was In French. They were dig
cussing mines, intent upon specula-
tions and investments-,at least the eld-
er OF the two was. He was not a man
you would be likely to pass without
observing. There was something in the
restless, wiry, nervous expression OF
his face that made you wonder what
he had done. His companion, on the
contrary, made you question what he
possibly could do. He was the daln-
test golden haired. blue eyed mani
kin that ever stepped out Of n Parinian
bandbox.
At the threshold Of the first house,
the one nearest Guadalajara, from
whence the horsemen rode, was o
young girl busily engaged In stringinG
colored beads. She was seated upon a
mat. her legs crossed in Mexican fash
Ion. and from beneath her dress peeped
two little stockingless feet. Her rebozo
had glided from her head to her shoul-
ders and from her shoulders to tho
reed mat upon which she was sitting.
"Mon Dieul What beautyw ex-
claimed the younger man. And as IT,
midity was not the principal defect IN
the character OF this cavalier he po-
litely took off his hat, caused the row.
els OF his iron spurs to clank against
Che sides Of his steed, and the animal
reared and curveted in his most ele-
gant manner before the porch Of the
house.
: The movement was 80 unexpected
that the girl uttered cry Of terror and
started to her feet. The next moment
the horse had thrown it's rider. he lay
aenBeless on the road, having struck
his temple on stone.
When Berrendo Oajaca, the master
OF the house, had been called, when
ehe unconscious young man had been
brought under cover OF his roof and
everything that hospitality could sug-
gest had been done, Henry Beausoleil
went on his way to San Pedro. His
host had told him OF doctor whom no
would find there, and 1t was nearer
than Guadalajara.
"Bahw he muttered angrily to him
self. "What milksop that fellow isl''
He referred to his whilom companion.
Then he added with q chuckle: "He To-
the one whom his money manipulates.
am the one who manipulates his
poney."
Which was true enough. Beausoleil
was Claude Catou's agent. and he had
cent his fortune out In all directions.
For the most part It came back with
considerable booty IN the way of per-
eentage. 1t dipped into every transac-
zion in the state Of Louisiana (New Or
leans was Catou's birthplace, 1t walk
cd around In slaves, 1t hoated In boats,
and It shaved paper.
Claude was the last representative Of
an aristocratic family who for genera