The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1907-08-10
CHAPTER V.

! gold and purple. The birds, cozly nestled
In the bushes, struck up their matin
carol; the awakening of nature was as
splendid and imposing as it is in all
mountainous countries.
The leader of the caravan left his tent
and gave orders to strike the camp. The
tent was at once folded up, the mules
were loaded, and, 50 soon as the horses
were saddled, the party started without
waiting for the morning meal, for they
! generally breakfasted at the IL o'clock
halt.
The caravan advanced along the road
| from Santa Fe to the United States, at
a speed unusual under such circum-
! stances.
When he left the camp, the chief of
! the caravan spurred his horse and joined
| the Indian, who was marching alone in
! front, examining the bushes and apparent
! ly performing all the duties of an expe-
| rlenced guide. Curumilla. though he
! heard the hurried PAGES of the Mexicans
! horse, did not turn round, but continued
trotting along on his sorry mule.
Indian" said the caravan chief in
Spanish, II wish to speak with you on an
| important subject; be good enough to put
! off your usual Silence for while and
; answer like an honest man. You engag-
| ed with me at Santa Fe to lead me, for
the sum of four ounces, safely TO the
| frontiers of Upper Mexico. Since you
have been in my service | 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 Noun
! tains, that is to say, we have reached
the most dangerous part of our journey
! Two days ago you lifted the trail of
Crow Indians, very formidable enemies
of caravans, and | 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 l
asked you?'
! Curumilla, still impressive, laid his fin
! gers on the paper, at the last paragraph
or the engagement.
/
claimed ill-humoredly. 1T 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
Lis 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 a 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 tine they would
! be compelled to lose, the flight of the
Indian would entail no disagreeable con-
sequences.
Singuarly 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 infini-
tude of more or less witty jests about
| IL, which considerably annoyed his mas
ter, whose joy was merely on the surface,
and who, in his heart, cursed the mishap
which kept them in the mountains and
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.
| Forgive me- mi amo." the capataz an
swered; but you know the proverb.
I " hat can't be cured must be endured"
j Hum !" said the master.
\ And BESIDES" the capataz added, as
| he stopped down, however bad our po-
sition may be, is it not better to pretend
to consider it good?"
A little before IL a. m. the caravan
reached the terrace. and it was with
feeling of joy, which they did not at
tempt to conceal, that the poems recog
nized the strength of the position.
I'VE shall stop here for the present"
the Mexican said. Unload the mules,
and light the fires. Immediately after
breakfast we will begin entrenching our
selves"
The poems obeyed with the speed OF
men who have made long journey and
IL 4 e L. -