The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1909-03-04
. FERRUBY.


Harry opened his eyer and looked
around him like one awaking from a
muddled dream lie was lying ON a
soft bed OF long. serrated leaves that
had been stripped from great tree
ferns that grew near at hand
An old. wifhered. brIght-eyed Indian
woman. who sat beside him. placed a
leather bottle to his lips. from which
he drank eagerly OF pineapple chIca.
The wine stimulated him and cleared
bis head. and he sat up and looked
around him i~nqulrlngly. A short dis
lance from him his burro was brows-
ing among the shrubbery and under a
feather palm lay his pack saddle and
outfit.
As be looked westward he saw that
the sun was halfway down the slope
Of the sky. and. lowering bis eyes, he
saw the burning. shimmering desert.
and shuddered as he remembered all
that remained In his consciousness OF
the terrible journey be had made
across H. Addressing the old woman
In Spanish. he asked: "wI1l the senora
kindly tell me where I amp
-she wiil." vas the reply. The
senor Is at the foot Of the western
slope OF FL Tres Diablos'"
Then she proceeded to tell him that
In a dream she had been appriscd Of
his coming and was there at the edge
OF the desert to receive him. and that
he. and also the burro. had fallen help
less at her feet when they arrived
you are seeking the lost mine near
the little lake In the heart Of Fl Tres
she said. "but / do not think
You Will find Il. But this 7 will tell
Fou: II you can draw the water from
he small, deep basin that contains the
axe. you will find on its rocky floor
more wealth than vas ever possessed
" the Monfezumns. !
lions Of blocks Of gold belonging to
he people who owned the mine were ,
into the lake by them before they T,
Vere slaughtered by the Spaniards. :
there Il has remained undisturbed :,
ntfl this day. l VIII conduct Jon to
he lake when you are stronger. Nay. :
o not ask me how / know this. for I !
lay not tell You. but here I declare to !.
on that ! speak the truth :
Thirty days after crossing that val
Of death Harry had surveyed and 3
apped the little lake and so much v
its enrirons as he cared to possess. p
then took his departure for Mex =
o City. lie
When Harry arrived at III Tres p'
iablos on bis return from the capital. a.
had with him a number OF poems u
n a dozen mules well laden with "
uiDment and supplies. and soon those d
Duntains were echoiDg sounds not be re
re heard there since the Spanish b
inquest 10
In due time his friend Frank arrfv- an
and after n hearty greeting Har-
5 FIRST question was what news an
We you Of Ferruby7- ~
Have you 0 heardYv asked Frank. tn
Tell me-teIl me quickly. SCI
rat has happened to Ferruby7" po'
Frank struggled vainly Z control his
otlon, replied: Shortly after your ves
from Eufaula the general. :
h Ferruby. left for an extended .
r OF Europe. Six months later, in
nation was received that-that- sw'
What-what information was re- "
Fed1" cried Harry. rs Ferruby nal
+"
No-sbe ls-dead. Killed in nm ard
omobiie accident near Florence, "
~ said Frank. gen
'hite as marble, Harry stood for a @
nent like one turned to stone. Then 1"
reeled and would have fallen, but and
NIX put his strong arms about him v
laid him down tenderly upon a ing,
skin. The old woman lowered thr'
him. weeping and uttering weird shaI