Idaho Springs siftings., 1902-05-10
CHAPTER XII.


When he heard what General Barra.
io had to say Jack Overton found some
difficulty in restraining his delight.
Should this enormous fortune fall into
their hands how his sanguine dreams
would be realized, and what wonderful
things he could accomplish.
Barrajo disclosed a rude parchment
map, supposed to have been drawn by
an Indian many scores of years before
Cyerton, with that readiness charac-
teristic of the enterprising American,
at once made a duplicate copy of the
same.
Then they talked over the wonderful
matter in a most serious way, arrang-
ing their plans even down to the most
minute details.
The crisis was coming none too soon,
Jack concluded, for unless something
happened to get him out of the country
there must presently be an explosion.
He had feared it of late, for Dona
Juanita was beaming love upon him
every time they met, and from more
than one quarter he found black looks
bent upon him by the jealous-minded
young gallants of San Juan.
Many conqueror of kingdoms has
met his fate finally through the venge-
full hand Of a woman whose love he
has treated lightly
OVerton cursed the hour when he
first saw this dark-eyed houri Turing
her two rivals to meet in deadly COM
bat so that the public ball might wind
up in it's usual blaze of glory.
Here then came old Barrajo, just in
the nick of time, it seemed, with a
grand project which. if successful,
would open up an avenue of escape.
Thus Overton was doubly anxious to
make a start, having so much at stake.
The general declared two days would
be quite sufficient to make all his prep
arations, for he believed in being ade-
quately armed and equipped for any
emergency.
1t was a moonlight night when they
set out, and as usual San Jose was
given up to music and merry making
Our two fortune hunters waited un-
til near the noon of night, when the
hot time in the old town had in a
measure subsidized. and then. suitably
disguised so as to conceal their exalt-
ed personality from curious eyes, quit
ted the capital, where the electric
lights still glowed and announced the
presence of modern institutions.
When the two men left San Jose and
plunged into the interior they did not
know their movements had been close
ly watched, and that immediate pur-
suit was given. yet such was the case.
Evidently others there were who sus,
pected Barrajo's wonderful plans for
fortunes favors and meant to take a
bid in the same quarter. Perhaps it
would grow interesting before the end
was reached, especially since the two
adventurers carried plenty of arms
and were grimly resolved to fight for
the prize if it came to that point.
Barrajo soon left the main trail, and
they were now trayersing what had
once been path through the primeval
forest, but was so overgrown with
swinging vines that the keen machete
of the general was kept swinging most
of the time in order to hack out a
passage.
Which would naturally make it an
easy matter for those who followed to
keep upon their trail.
Our two adventurers travelled all
day, and at sunset camped for very
necessary rest and refreshment After
hasty meal, only carrying their arms
and pick and shovel between them.
to be used in emergencies, they adj
vanced in the direction BarraJo had
marked out.
His reasoning was sound.
If Jack doubted it at first, he was
presently convinced that the general
had built wisely.
"Madre de Diosi Look, Senior jack"
suddenly exclaimed the dictator, start
ing back, and pointing to some object
beyond.
The white moonlight sifted through
the tangled masses of tropical verdure
above, and at that particular moment
fell full upon what appeared to be a
human form, bent partly over in de-
votional attitude and facing the rising
moon.
Jack was startled at first, but, see
ing no motion to the figure, which was
partly covered by the wild under
growth, he realized that it was a rude
statue. carved to represent a survivor
shipper and placed there hundreds of
years ago by those who fed from tbs
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