The Washington times., 1903-01-25

/ ~. pointed to the white men. then 10
himself anG his companions, and
/ waved his hand to include the sur
/ rounding territory. Keith guessed
/ that he was declaring the fact that
/ he and his people were the only right
/ full pOssessors Of the country there
about, and that the white men were
! trespassers. Possibly he was inquir-
ing as to their business in the noun
I tains. So, as best he could, Keeth
replied in Spanish, hoping that the
old fellow could understand his very
/ pacific speech. But. if ne did, he gave
no sign.
/ Instead, he uttered another long
! harangue, and keeth began to feel
that they might stand there for a
week and talk without understanding
| each other But here the girl came
! TO the rescue When the old man
! ceased she looked to him for permits
/ sion, and as he gravely bowed, she
/ tripped timidIy to Keeth's side. She
laid her hand upon his rife and point
ed to the guns Of his companions.
| Then waving her hand for the watt
/ ing Indians to approach she showed
that he and his friends were to give
up their rifles and go with her peo-
pie.
They want to disarm US: evidently
they know something about the de-
structive power of these guns said
Keeth. speaking TO his comrades.
What do you think about it?"
Hi say don't give hup the guns"
exclaimed Fitch. "Hf they know
hennythiug about 'em they'll shoot
US if they get 'em in their 'ands."
Not if We unload them and keep
the ammunition, returned Keeth.
It's very necessary that we should
not arouse their anger It is likely
there are plenty more of them not far
from here. We do not know this
country and they do. We are in
tieklish position"
Cant we make break for it. beat
them off for a while, and get to that
bridge after dark" asked Ford.
Once across that we could cut the
log off. arr then they, nor nobody
else. couId follow US"
We'll, Kinsale. if we tried to use
our guns, how long do you suppose it
would be before we were spitted on
some of those ugly looking spears?
I for one, don't wish to attempt it"
keeth declared
But it hain't sense for US to give
hup the guns" cried Fitch.
Well. we've got our revoIvers. I
don't believe they know that these lit
tie things in our belts are dangerous.
Their primitive knowledge of firearms
was probably handed down to them
from their forefathers The making
Of firearms was not q fine art in the
days Of Pizarro and his brave con-
questadors. Let's slip the cartridges
out Of the magazines and Jet EN-
have the guns. What say?''
Wei, you're the captain" said
Ford, slowly. "Pocahontas yonder
seems TO have taken i fancy to you,
ana maybe she'll see that the old
craven image, nor her bare legged
countrymen, don't hurt up Here
goes.''
He removed the cartridges from his
rife and held it out toward the saw
ages One Of them stepped graveIv
forward and received it. Keeth fol-
lowed suit; but Fitch gave up his
very unwillingly.
Hi tell you Wen see the time wen
wish we 'adn't done it, he growIed.
When the rifles were in their hands
the Indians fell in behind the three
white men. whom the old man beck
oned to follow him. The girl walked
by his side.
They marched into the forest which
covered the mountain side. There
was a broad path cut through the tim
Der, leading straight up the slope. For
nearly d mile they remained in the
shadow Of the wood. Then they came
out upon broad plateau. Grea ifs
sures opened in the rock in all qirec-
tons, and they had TO pick their steps
with care around boiling springs and
holes from which clouds of suIphurous
steam escaP ped.
Nice country this" said Ford, in
disgust.
But Keeth glanced about him with
appreciative eyes. He saw unmistak-
able signs OF the richest mineral de-
posts.
They were nearly an hour in cross
ing the plateau Then they descended
through a narrow ravine, which
turned ana twisted like a snake, and
suddenly, without warning. came out
INTO a most Iuxuriant valley The
white men could not suppress ex-
carnations Of surprise at the view
which met their eyes.
a long. gently unduIating stretch
Of prairie lay before them. 1t was
surrounded on all sides by unoroken
cliffs As far as they could see. the
opening through which they had en-
tered the miniature paradise was the
only entrance to it. At its widest
point il might have been three miles
broad There We're great patches oe
iuxuriant grass and here and there
small gardens There rvera tJ,r.. 10.