Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-05-10
CHAPTER "

loH
IN the bushes, struck nm tba;r go
s11o,, she awakening of nature was as
splenulo and imposing as it is in all
Anounlalnous countries.
Inc leader of the caravan left his tent
anu gave orders to strike the camn The
tenc was at once folded up. the mules
were loaded, and, so soon as tho boreo.
were saddled, the party started without
waiting Tor the morning meal, for thew
generally breakfasted at the II o,clocI
halt. - oclock
he caravan advanced along the road
Iron santa Fe to the United States at
speed unusual under such circum-
stances. I'LL
when he left the camp, the chief If
the caravan spurred his horse and ioinad
the Indian, who was marching alone in
ifonr' examining the bushes and apparent
y performing all the duties of an expe-
,lenceu GUIDE. Curumilla, though he
neard the hurried PAGES of the Mexfcan's
morse, did not turn round, but continued
trottlng along on his sorry mule.
indian" said the caravan chief in
spanish, L wish to speak with YOU on an
important subject; be good enough to nut
OH your usual silence for a while and
answer ike an honest man. You engag-
ed with me at Santa Fe to lead me, for
the sum or four ounces, safely to the
frontiers OF Upper Mexico. Since you
nave oeen in my service l must allow
that L have only had reason to praise
your prudence; but we are at this mo-
ment in the heart of the Rocky Moun-
n =
the most dangerous part of our Journey.
Two days ago you lifted the trail of
crow Indians, very formidable enemies
OF caravans, and l want to consult with
you as to the means to employ to foil
the snares in which these Indians will
try to catch u.s."
The Indian felt in a bag of striped
calico thrown over his shoulder, and pro-
duced greasy paper, which he opened
and offered the Mexican.
What is this?" the latter asked. "Oh,
yes, certainly; your engagement. Well,
what has this to do with the question I
asked your"
Curumilla, still impressive, laid his fin
gers on the paper, at the last paragraph
OF the engagement.
claimed ill-humoredly. at is said there,
it is true, that L must trust entirely to
you, and leave you at liberty to act as
you please for the common welfare. What
proves to me that you are acting for our
common welfare, and that you are not a
traitor?"
At this word traitor, so distinctly ut
tered by the Mexican, Curumilla gave a
tiger glance at the speaker, while his
whole body was agitated by a convulsive
tremor; he uttered two or three incom-
prehensible cultural EXPLANATIONS, and
ere the Mexican could suspect his inten-
tons he was seized round the waist, lifted
from the saddle, and hurled on the
ground, where he lay stunned. Curu-
milla leaped from his mule, drew from
his belt four gold ounces, hurled them at
the Mexican, and then bounding over the
precipice that bordered the road, disap-
peared.
The situation was becoming most crit
ical for the chief OF the caravan; he
found himself abandoned without guide,
in unknown regions, doubtless watched by
hidden foes and exposed at any moment
to an attack.
The march was continued; no suspi-
cious sign was discovered; and the Mex
leans were justified in believing that,
with the exception of the time they would
be compelled to lose, the fight of the
Indian would entail no disagreeable con-
sequences.
Singularly enough, Carnero seemed
rather pleased than annoyed at the dis
appearance of the guide. Far from com
planning or deploring the delay in the con-
tinuance of the journey he laughed at
what had happened and made an mimi
tude of more or less witty jests about
it. which considerably annoyed his mas
ter, whose joy was merely on the surface
and who, in his heart, cursed the mlshap
which kept them in the mountains ana
exposed them to the insults of the plum
derers.
pray. what do you find so agreeable
in what has happened that you are or
affect to be so merry, No Carnero" he
at length asked.
"Forgiye me, mi amo," the capataz an
svered: ''but you know the proVerD,
What can't be cured must be endured
Hum - said the master.
Ana OeSlu6S, TIC NeAp%l@0AD ~~@' 49,
ba stoopcd down, however bad our po-
sition may be, is it not better to pretend
to consider it good?'
A little before II a. m. the caravan
reached the terrace, and it was WIN
feeling of joy, which they did not at
tempt to conceal that the poems recog-
MED the strength of the position. -.
1--WE shall stop here for the present
tho Mexican said. Unload the mules,
ond light the fires. Immediately after
breakfast we will begin entrench1ng our
selves" ., -
The poems obeyed with the speed OF
mon who have made long journey and
ara beginning to feel hungry; the hres
we're lighted in an instant, and few mo-
-nents later the poems vigorously at
tacked their maize tortillas, their toclna
ond their cecina-those indispensable eie-
mants of every Mexican meal. mnen
+bo hunger of his men was appeaseo the
chief rose.
CHAPTER VI.
rr,o nosition which the leader OF tue