The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-06-01

ne on most urgent business, that I
must come out and speak to him.
Irritated and half asleep. I stun bled
out and was greeted by a gentleman,
who covered we-1Yith a large revolver.
He wore a beautiful SOmbrerO hat a
jacket, with gold lace and other pleas
ing features OF Mexican attire. He
also had a rifle sIung across his back.
He had not intruded into my bedroom
because I might have shot him hastily.
As it was he had me. A cOmrade of
his guarded the stairway
Senior Fernandez wishes. to See you
down at your Office, ne said. But
first hold up your hands while / search
your bedroom.
He took the gold watch which I kept
Under my pillow, the revolver (which 1
kept by my bedside, and my pocket
book containing $50. Then he allowed
me to put on a few[clOthes and guided
me down to the oflfce- There [ found
my six cOuntrynen standing outside
the office with their hands raiseH and
twelve Mexicans covering them with
rifles,
Fernandez. I soon learned had
seized the little settlement with sixty
bTfgands. He had placed q guard over
house of the father of Mercedes, the
only large dwelling near by.
Fernadez stepped forward to meet
me. found him slight, but strongly.
made man, with very intelligent and
determined face. For years he had
plundeFed the rich with impunity.
7 am sorry to trouble you in this
way, senior" he said 'ubt if YOU meet
my wishes reasonably I shall annoy
you IS little as possible. I want
$4,000"
impossible" I said. Ct do not Keep
any money here. The silver is sent to
the bank and I have only a receipt
You must find it, otherwise i shall
destroy the IPine and all the other
property you Nave and make work inn
possible in the future. There is no
help for you, no police to call. In the
meantime 1 will ransack the whole
place.
%You will. ruin me and do yourself
little good. said. BE reasonable.
wen, WELL said the brigand, gently,
''let US see how reasonable you are
could not keep a cent or d thought
ffom this man. had an unusually
large sum Of money SOn hand, including
vases Tor myself and all the men, and
Of bankers 1t amounted to nearly
S2o,000,. and this I was compelled to
bet the brigand have, rather than force
him TO wreck the place, and perhaps
kin all Of US.
Part Of this money IS wages for
pOOr4aYOTkglsn, I said 1T is due to-
plofRsW, and if they don't get it they
VIII be starving
Saints defend us, exclaimed Fer
nandez. Il make no war on poor
wOrkingmen. How much viii suffice
for their immediate neeessities?''
One thousand" 1 suggested.
'''YoU shall have il" he replied.
"Takef what YOU need for your own
use, too You will, however, give me
2. receipt for the whole amount and in
tWo weeks you viii return this sum to
my representative at a designated
place You know the consequences if
You do not keep faith.
eve shall. spend. few days in your
village he went on, cheerfuIIy. ito
relfsH our supplies and to refresh our
seFVes. We shall pay for everything
we need. and NE shall treat everybody
sEifh courtesy. If you hear of any dis
courtesy on the part OF any OF. my
men, pray you let me know, senior
Tt was certainly. more pleasant to be
robbed by a courteous brisand than
~ q rtiffian. I was encouraged to get
what. consolation I could from this
fact
Your assistant who woke me up
this hnefning, Senior Fernandez I
Nentured, took my watch. 1t was a
present TO me from an old friend,
and the only good timekeeper within