The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-04-22
THE
CHRONICLES
OF DON O.
VII

Time went on for a long period in the
mountains as serenely as of old The
executive had deprived Majada of his
appointment, but otherwise the matter
of dealing with Don c. fell once more
into allegiance.
Thus the usual series of captives con-
tinued to appear in the Boca de Lobo,
but although most of them were sat
isfactory from a financial point OF view
it CHANGED that not one presented any
qualities of interest in the eyes or Don
O., until a certain Mr.. George Nc
COrkadale-whOse fame was emOlaZ-
oned in the bourses of the two hemis-
pheres-blundered into the wide-cast
net of the robber chief.
Though a naturalized EngliShman, he
had been born and bred in Cuba. He
early crossed to Brazil for larger IA
CilitieS of trade; later New York and
London knew him well. There was, in
fact, nothing Scottish about him but
his name and his extraordinary bust
ness instinct. He was one of the few
who, starting we'll equipped in life with
a large banking account and an excel
lent share in profitable business, have
refused to sink back upon the couch OF
ease offered to them by circumstances.
Born rich, at 20 he was hard at work,
and at 35-the age a which he visited
Spain-he had contrived to roll the ball
of his fortunes through so much OF
the mud of the worlds wealth that he
was become one of the money kings
of the day.
Already inclined to freshness, and
Over-swarthy, he yet possessed in
pronounced degree the type of good
looks chara cteristic of the Spanish col
Onies. 1t was commonly reported that
he had never met his match at bar
gain or as a prophet of the weather
changes of the financial world. But
his most salient quality was said to be
the capaciousness of his NAV. Those
who knew him best declared that, If
he had gathered all the wealth of the
universe into his pocket, with the eX-
ception of a single dollar note, he would
know no rest until he had somehow
acquired that last dollar also Under
other conditions of life, or lacking some
share of his prepOnderant cold greed, he
could be conceived a gambler. In fact,
he was a gambler, but with accurate
knowledge, power and pull on his side
"a peril to his generation of the most
modern kind
Such was the man who in an interval,
in a lull in his electric career, chose
to go motoring in Spain. He told one
or two friends that he was feeling the
strain of business and then slipped
quietly away to join his yacht at Vigo
AS a matter of fact, he was in the
position of a hunter who has set a
snare and waits out of sight for his
quarry to fall into it. He had engi-
neered with skill and consummate COM
pleteness q. corner in that human ne
cessity, corn. Never before had he held
so strong a hand in the destinies Of the
world. To be absent While his enOr-
NOUS transactions worked out to their
appointed issue was part of his
scheme. He fOresaw a possible amount
of embarrassment when those most
concerned saw his net closing over
them. He resolved to go away for a
holiday and leave time 20 play his
hand for him. So, having forced even
time to his own uses, he disappeared
to await the moment when he must re-
turn for his final coup and victory.
At the pasOda in the village, one
night a spoken name reused him from
his mOOdiness. The talk had Veered
about to a subject that under the sierra
possessed a perennial interest-the do
ings past or possible of Don Q.
Il have heard many stories of this
fellow" McCOrkadale joined in, with
the half-COntemptuOus manner pecu-
liar to him. Tell me his last ex-
pIOit.''
The inpkeeper,. a thin, dark, wiry
mountaineer, glanced furtively round at
the men gathered in the room and
shook his head
The Cuban smiled unpleasantly.
You have the nerves, patron" he
said. You look as if you knew too
much! Every one warns me of the vul-
ture of the sierra, yet you, who live
under the shadow of his beak, know
nothing of him.
Not So exceIlency," exclaimed the
man. The lord of the sierra dwells
up there in truth''-he waved his hand
toward the nOrth-''but poor folk like
ourselves speak little of him"
II am curious to see him. I wish he
would at this moment enter by your
doOri"
THE saints forbid, senor," put in the
priest You know not what you say
Without ques tion you are a rich and a
great man, but the lord OF the sierra
demands more than a ransom some
times
McCOrkadaIe snapped his fingers
Patron, you shall hire me a mule to-
morrow, and 1 will ride into the noun
tains to look for Don O."
You must, then, buy the mule at it's
fun price, eXcellency," replied the inn
keeper sullenly. for I am a poor man.
and L shall never set eyes on it or you
any more
The Cuban laughed, yawned, stretch
ing his arms over his head
Have no fear, patron; / do not be-
lieve in your brigand. I have met some
in my time a good deal more terrible
I viii but ride back into Malaga"
As he spoke someone struck a guitar
and began to sing. Verse by verse il
fiowed-a pathetic song of love and
parting Then another voice followed.
in an altered rhythm. the singer i'm
browsing as Spaniards commonly do
with witty allusiOn to the stranger
VINO, mistakfng the Observation-Disclosures
Tor a parrot, would go UP into the
sierra to scratch it's head
handsome young man. in the worn
leather accOutrements of a mountain
eer, with scarlet waistband, who
had been doing IN a corner. an ancient
toWnnS-plece prOpped between his
knees, now woke uD. and. Seizina, the
guitar, chanted out a hunting-song in
praise of the wild boar and the JOYS of
bringing him to bay in some deem
thtcket under the mountain spurs
The company was visibly stirred.
.AnN hOarS he had hnrnn t,n,,t- ~,