Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-10-11

1t was a desolate country which
Clarence Ives was traversing with lag
gard feet. Six weeks before he had
started from Ensenada with two pack
mules and a prospecting outfit. Now
the mules were heaps of bleaching
bones among the ragged Lower Cali
fornia hills, and the vultureS had
sailed away to other banquets. Ives
wondered if they would come back to
quarrel over his remains before long.
Ahead of him was a Golconda of
riches-of course! Had not that half
breed Mexican, Felipe Ordero, filed
his ears with tales of the gold to be
picked up in that canyon down In
Lower California? True it was that
Felipe had not been to the country be-
yond Ensenada, but his story sounded
reasonable, and he had substantiated
his assertions with a rude map OF the
country which had descended to him
from his grandfather, who had been
man of many adventures.
Ives wished success in this adven-
ture. He had been the owner of a
prosperous vineyard and had lost bis
years crop by a mysterious fire which
had swept down and obliterated every
vine on his acres. There was mort
gage on his ranch, and it was held by
the man whose daughter he wanted TO
marry.
"If you can pull yourself out Of this
hole, Clarence" Norman Royce said
grimly, ''I'H cut a carload of orange
blossoms and you can engage the
padre If you can't make good what's
the use OF your marrying Cora now
and ePtangling her in the meshes or
your dificuldes-eh?"
Clarence Ives had thrust out his de-
ternined chin and informed Papa
Royce that one year from that date
he would call upon him to deliver
Cora into his arms. In the meantime
he shut up his ranch house, babe fare
well TO his pretty, loyal sweetheart
and set forth on this expedition into
Lower California after gold-a wild
adventure into n wild, uninhabited
country, undertaken by a man whose
greatest assets were youth and cour-
age and the love of a woman.
The mules. one after the other, had
each broken leg among the crevtces
of the foothills That was why Clar-
ence was trudging along, weary, spirit
less, with now and then a reference
to the old map he had received from
the half breed.
Near nighrfall he came to the en-
trance of rocky canyon. Scrubby
chestnuts and pecans clothed the rim
Of the cuplilIe Enclosure. Across one
end a small stream of sweet, pure
water meandered and was lost among
the rocks. Near the stream was
patch of coarse green grass, and here
Clarence made his little camp.
After supper he compared his map
with the canyon and grew dizzy when
he realized that this must indeed be
the treasure house of which Felipe
had told him. To verify this belief
he searched the beetling rock that
hung over the source of the spring and
was rewarded for his effort by find
ing rudeIy carved thereon the image
of a serpent placed there a hundred
years ago to guard the spring.
"Hooray!" yelled Clarence excitedly,
and the echo was borne back and
forth across the rocky canyon until it
seemed TO fall at his feet in a fright
ened whisper.
When a new day dawned he was
refreshed and set about delving
among the rocks at the head of the
stream where the map indicated that
gold nuggets might be found.
Day after day passed in mOnoto-
nous succession Of disappointments.
At last, after three weeks OF delving
in the rocky soil, he lifted his pick and
threw it far from him with bitter
exclamation. Then, because he recol-
Iected that other treasure seekers had
found gold many times when on the
verge of abandoning their projects, he
sought his pick once more and again
applied himself to the task. but 1t was
only a dying squirt OF ambition, and at
sunset he once more tossed the imple-
ment aside and flung himself on the
ground in bitter despair.
He had staked his future and Cora's
on the rare smile Of the goddess Of for
tune, and she had chosen to frown
upon him.
1--WE paid my tribute 10 labor" he
said grimly after awhile. He surveyed
the turmoil Of rocks and earth he had
tossed up in the canyon. He took stock
Of his scanty store of provisions and
packed them together. Then he turned
his back on the canyon and rounded
the rocky entrance and climbed the
heights to the fringe of chestnuts and |
pecans.
He made his way through the grove /!
Of nut trees and was once more on |
certain rocky trail when It occurred to |
him that night was drawing in and he 1
must make camp until morning. So he /
returned 10 the nut grove, ate a scanty /
meal and threw himself on the warm /
ground and went to sleep, sore at heart !
and bitter with the whole world.
It was Just before dawn that he |
awOke 10 a strange rocking motion. |
Pirds were twittering excitedly among .