The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-05-09

, | hhA bhO ShAoS 1NNS o5C NSAA'
awe were to fly next night, but ever
as / stepped from the vestry | wal
, seized and bound by four Indians, wht
| took me before Padre Antonio. One,
my friend, but now the Judge, he TOLD
me that as [ was bewitched he spared
my life, although he condemned me Il
the nitre mines of Baia, California, IN
, til the devil within me had been exor
cised.
And my SON. were his parting
words, you will find that the woman
but played with you'll
.'They carried me away. For month
we journeyed south. At last we stopped
at the lonely Las Animas, on the shores
of the Gulf Of Baja, California. To
one of my Indian guards who had
brought me there I intrusted letter
to 'Nita. telling her that I would re-
gain my freedom within month, and
reioin her before the next full moon.
"There was blood on my hands when
at last left the mines. For days and
days I journeyed through traekless
wastes and over deserts that would have
brought death to another. It was my
love for 'Nita and my Indian ancestry
that enabled me to do it. Horses
stole and men I robbed, but I pushed
on. Before the harvest moon was again
| full, was within sight of the old mis-
| sion walls.
| "That night I crept to 'Nita's hcme.
| There were many people in the hacien-
| da and the sound of song and music
fIoated through the window. In the
soft candle light I saw her dancing with
| Morelos, and for the first time my heart
misgave me, but despite appearances |
/ believed her true. / waited until long
after all the company had gone. Final
| ly when all was silent, 'Nita stepped
| to her window In an instant I was
by her side.
4" 30 'Nital' I cried, for my heart
was too full for more words. But she
drew back from my outstretched arms
with little scream.
!" what, youl' she muttered, Il
thought they had rid me of you for
ever. Bah, you slavish priest who
thought you would not love, go back
to your beads and your books, and
/ leave lovemaking to men, And she
laughed her little silvery laugh which
went through my heart like chilled
steel, aye, worse than steel, for it killed
my soul.
"sPoor Juan, did you really think
I loved yous I didn It, and she laugh
ed again. This place was so dull, and
you were so good! But now go, and
go. quickly before you are dragged back
to the mines. Many women would have
turned you over to the soldiers, but !
have spared you. Now, vamoose!'
"Like flash the words of Padre An
tonic came back to me, She but plays
with you, and it was then that tasted
all the bitterness of life.
90 know this, 'Nita,' / said, 'if
can love i can also hate. / am pari
Indian, so beware. You but jest will
me. l will be here tomorrow night an(
you will fly with me. If you fail t.
come, you de- and / turned and LEFT
her, not before / had seen the red for
sake her cheeks at my threat, for, from
my journey across the desert, / was
gaunt and terrible looking.
tThe next day was lifetime. Ions
before dark hid myself where / coulG
watch the garden, for / feared a trap
Well it was / did So for the soldiers
gathered early and hid themselves In
readiness to take me when / appeared
/ saw that 'Nita had betrayed me and
the knowledge again sent red before
my eyes. / tore up the earth in my
frenzy. But when the paroxysm of rage
had passed my heart was dead; my head
was cold; life held nothing for me
nothing save the desire for revenge
and as time went on this grew. Ar
Indian friend who brought me food told
hot tNifa fo m Don More
los in three days. That filed my cur
of sorrow to the brim, but | showed nc
emotion. / was consumed with the de
sire for vengeance, and my friend, not
knowing this, marveled at my com
posture. The traditions of my IndiaI
ancestors came back to me; my train
ing in the mission was forgotten; the
cloak of civilization dropped from mt
like an ill-ftting garment. / was AGAR
an Indian, and like an Indian / wanted
q revenge that would be fitting to my
crest wrong. My clothing l tore from
my body, and clad only in moccasint
and moocha I turned my face toward
the desert. Why, I know not. Posi-
bly, it was the hand of fate leadins
me. On l went, ever on and on across
the burning wastes with the though
that she was to wed Morelos shooting
through my brain.
eat last fell exhausted in the shad
, of a great cactus that was as old a
the desert itself. Even as | droppe'
/, I heard the hiss of RATHER ready t.
strike, and despite my exhaustion tn
instinct of life was strong within me
and I rolled to safety. Then | saw
snake such as no living man eve
beheld in the desert. 1t was a nobl
sight, but even as / looked the though
came to me, Here is my revenge
l ''With a bit of line made from m
moocha and a forked stick cut from
q sagebrush, | caught this great serpent
Then for a long time | sat and locke
:. at my revenge. and I found it good
n WEAKNESS, hunger, and thirst were fo1
: gotten. 1 gazed fascinated at the pic
: ture | painted as to how / would us
this snake, and then l stretched on
on the sand and laughed a laugh tina
must have echoed the feelings of tn
$ lost souls
"Despite his weight, I carried tn
l great serpent back all the weary mile.
d | had been fainting with exhaustio
when I reached the cactus patch, bu
this was all forgotten I made tn
4 journey back; and | found way t
enter the room in which the brida
d couple would spend their first night.
I eft was a Drpftv I+tla room oye,