The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1906-06-01

AS he approached the spot where
the Indian had had his dwelling. his
heart gave a great bound, and SEN
sation of fear come to him.
The hut Of the Carib was gone.
The four posts which had supported
1t were there, having been sunk deep
enough in the earth to make them
firm. But of the house itself not a
vestige was left.
The flood had torn it from its place
and carried it-no one could tell how
far-and the face of Mattazudo reflect
closed lips did not dare to utter.
While he stood gazing ruefully and
anxiously at the bare spot where once
the dwelling Of Namapa stood, he was
startled at hearing chuckling sound
behind him, and his own name spoken
in the Indian voice. He turned. and
beheld the Carib himself coming to-
ward him.
"Namapa," he exclaimed, "You are
safe, then! My heart stood still when
l saw the desolation the flood had
brought. was in terror"
For me?" asked the Indian, with a
knowing leer.
Yes, for you. you old rogue; but
more for-her. What have you done
with her? Trust you for willy Carib
to defeat the flood of the most precious
prey of all. Where is she? Where is
she, ask?"
Slowly" replied the Indian. "Your
tmpatience will get you nowhere"
Curse you! Why do you not speak
and relieve my anxiety? Have 1 not
borne enough? Was it all pleasure,
do you think. to see the beautiful girl
had sworn should be by own lying
as If dead, and Don Juan and Philip
and Gomez-those fools!-sniveling
and groaning over her! Was it all
pleasure to know that she was buried
In the ground to wait for darkness,
and that her fate depended upon you?
II you failed to take her out in time,
she would die Of suftocation, even II
the drug did not kill her. And IL you
bungled or blundered. the sharp eyes
Of one Of Philips men would see you.
and that would end the thing for you
and her and all Of us. Come. tell me
what want to know. Where is the
girl?"
The Garth chuckled.
"Only you and I knew that the body
they thought was useless clay still held
the spirit of the girl, and that IL
alone-had the secret by which she
could be restored. And then at night,
when the crazy soldiers of the pretend
er were drunk or were at their endless
games Of chance, stole to the grave
and dug her up and brought her here.
placed in her mouth the powerful
drug that brought the blood into mo-
ton again, and in an hour she was
living, breathing, beautiful girl, unin-
jured, the same as before, but without
thought Of the grave into which she
had been thrown, and demanding to
know why she had been stolen from
her room while she slept. Ho! That
was good. enjoyed her talk. You
chose well-she is beauty. But you
were to come and take her away. Why
did you not Gomez"
"You know why I did not Gomez"
replied Mattazudo, roughly. "The
flood prevented me. I have been torn
by anxiety to know how you succeeded
whether you saved her from the
flood as well as from Philip and Co.
mez."
"And she is safe?" said Mattazudo.
"You swear it? Take me to her at
once"
"Not yet, my impatient lover" re-
piled the old Carib. "She is safe
enough, I swear; but there is a mat
ter of business between us. I have
kept my promise. How about yours?"
Course you again! You keep me
here at such a time as this to talk
of gold?"
"You promised me gold If got the
girl for you. A man pays for what he
is eager to get. If give you the girl
first, in your happiness you may for
get your debt. Come, where is the gold
that was to be mine if I saved her
for you alone?"
With an impatient curse Mattazudo
pulled a leathern pouch from his pock-
ct and flung it into the Indians hand.
There is your gold,' he said. ''Now,
where is my sweetheart"
Slowly! Slowly" muttered the In
dian, carefully emptying the gold out
into his palm and counting it.
ut is good" he said. "You have
kept your promise"
Hang you!" roared Mattazudo.
"You have your gold, what more do
you want? Where is the girl?"
''Listen!" said Namampa. do you
know the ruin of the ancient temple on
the hill Of the Caribs, where we 60
once every moon to worship the gods
Of our people?"
II know! know! The old stone
ruin on Carib HILL"
"Ths same" same Namampa. 60
there. 90 there ct once. You will ind
the girl there
Safer" asked Mattlxudo again,
starting Of in the direction q carib
HILL 1: