The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-02-21
first the Indian

"The beautiful Anacaona was be-
ing of purer and loftier type than
any with which Mendoza had yet been
brought in contact, except during his
brief association with Columbus; and
the evil in his nature now recoiled
from all that was fine and noble in
hers, for the same reason that he had
instinctively hated the admiral.
"Though incapable of comprehend
| ing these subtilties of feeling, Pedro
recognized their existence by fire.
quent irritability and peevishness in
tho presence of the Golden Flower;
but all such thoughts were now utterly
cast out by the one strong passion of
his life-the thirst for gold. He could
think of nothing else, talk of nothing
else; and when at last he parted from
the Indian girl, it was with the prom
ise to meet at the earliest dawn; to set
out in search of the flower of gold.
"They had travelled many miles be-,
fore the Spaniard discovered that they
were constantly, but always
at a considerable distance; and by
stealthy watchfulness, in which no.
Indian could excel him, hewas able
at length to satisfy. himself OF the
identity of the spy. '
3'This was stalwart young Indian,
relative of the cacique, who had con-
sidered himself, before the advent of
Mendoza, a favored suitor for the
hand of Anacaona. Pedro had often
noted this mans jealousy, without
giving much thought to it; but now
this espionage connected itself with
his own fever for gold, and it. in
furiated him. He felt a murderous
desire to fix quarrel upon the in
truding Indian that he might put him
out of his way forever; and while he
kept a keen watch he redoubled the
ardor of his devotion toward the In
dian girl. The day advanced; they
had travelled many miles, and had
met with many specimens Of the
golden flower; and once, on pulling
the plant up by the root, Pedro had
seen. the glittering grains OF gold
clinging to it. AnacaonG laughed and
clapped her hands at his delight, and,
pointing to all the rocky hills around,
assured him that gold could be found
there anywhere for the digging.
Transported with Joy, he caught
her in his arms, her hands clung above
his neck and their lips met in pas
sionate kisses. The man forgot every
thing but his love for gold; the wom-
an remembered only her love for him.
It was not the beautiful Indian girl
that Mendoza held in his arms, but an
enchanting embodiment Of all his
avaricious dreams; but to the Goldon
Flower the god she had long wor-
shipped was forevermore the man she
adored. .'..
'"Pedro was entreating her to prom
ise that she would at once, without a
days delay, set men at work to dig
the yellow treasure from the earth |;
and she was promising Yes to every
thing, when they were rudely inter
rupted. The jealous Indian had
reached their side and, with yell of
rage, he preclpitated himself upon
Mendoza. At any time, the sailor, as
strong and agile as his assailant, could
have wrestled with him efectually,
and, at first, he was content merely to
protect himself. But when the Indian
a second time flung himself on the
Spaniard, he was received on the long,
keen blade of Toledo dagger, which
pierced straight through his heart till
the point appeared on the other side.
AS Pedro withdrew the dagger, the
spy fell backward without groan.
The warm current of his life flowed
out on the thirsty ground, a ghastly
stream, and the white mantle of the
| Golden Flower was stained by 1.-THE
first blood of the native shed by the
hand of the white man and the spring
of crimson river that has flowed for
four centuries between the Indian and
his paleface brother!
"4All was over 80 quickly that Men.
doza, willing and desirous as he had
been to rid himself forever of the
spying Indian, scarcely realized what
he had done till sharp cry from
Golden Flower rprsed him to it.
| A1He turned toward her, but she
buried her face in her hands and
shrank from him in horror. He ap-
preached and tried to take her hands
in his, but she thrust him. from her
and cried out,
| TO BE CONTINUED. t.... .