The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1914-08-01
CHAPTER v.

CHAPTER v. !
The Journey to Fortuna is a 6cant
fifty miles by measure, but within
these eight kilOmeters there is lapse
of centuries in standards. AS Bud and
De Lancey rode out of battle-scarred
Aqua Negra they travelled a good road,
well worn by the Mexican wood-wag-
ons that hauled in mesquit from the
hills. Then, as they left the town and
the wood roads scattered, the highway
changed by degrees to broad trail.
dug deep by the feet of pack-an1mals
and marked but lightly with wheels. 1t
followed along the railroad, cutting
over hills and down through gulches,
and by evening they were in the heart
of Old Mexico
Here were men in sandals and WON
en- barefoot; chickens tied up by the
logs outside of brush jacales; long
nosed hogs, granting fercely as they
skirmished for food; and half-naked
children, staring like startled rabbits
at the strangers.
The smell of garlic and fresh-roast-
ing coffee was in the air as they drew
into town for the night, and their
room was an adobe chamber with tile
door and iron bars across the win
dows. Riding south the next day they
met vaQueros, mounted on wiry mus
tangs, who saIuted them graVely, TAX
Ing no shame for their primitive wood
en- saddle-trees and pOmmels as broad
as soupplates.
As they left the broad plain and
clambered up over the back of a noun
tain they passed Indian houses. brush
built and matched with long, coarse
grasses, and by the fires the women
ground corn on stone metates as their
ancestors had done before the fall.
For In Mexico there are two peoples,
the Spaniards and the natives, and the
Indians still remember the days when
they were free.
1t was through such land that Phil
and Hooker rode on their gallant
ponies. leading a pack-animaI well
loaded with supplies from the north,
and as the people gazed from their
miserable novels and saw their outfit
they wondered at their wealth.
But If they were moved to envy, the
bulk of heavy pistol, showing through
the swell of each coat, discouraged
them from going farther; and the cold,
searching look of the tall cowboy as
ne ambled past stayed in their mem
ory long after the pleasant "Adios!"
OF De Lancey had been forgotten.
Americans were scarce in those
days, and what few came by were rid
ing to the north. How bold, then, must
this big man be who rode in front
and certainly he had some great re-
ward before him to risk such a horse
among the revoltosos! So reasoned
the sinpie-minded natives of the noun
tains. gazing In admiration at Copper
Bottom, and for that look in their eyes
Bud returned his forbidding stare.
There is something about a good
morse that fascinates the average Mex
Ican-perhaps because they breed the
Efinest themselves and are in a position
ITO judge-but Hooker had developed q
romantic attachment for his trim little
chestnut mount and he resented their
xIde-eyed gapings as q lover resents
glances at his lady. This, and frontier
education, rendered him short-spoken
and gruff with the paisanos and it was
left to the cavalier De Lancey to dc
the courtesies of the road.
AS the second day wore on they
dipped down into a rocky canyon, with
huge cliffs of red and yellow sandstone
glowing in the slanting sun, and sooI
they broke out into q narrow valley
well wooded with sycamores and mes
quits and giant blackberry trees.
The shrill toots OF dummy engine
came suddenly from down below ant
a mantle of black smoke rose males
ticaIly against the sky-then. at turf
of the trail. they topped the last hill
and Fortuna lay before them.
In that one moment they were Sc
back again fifty miles-clear bacl
across the Hne-for Fortuna wa
American. from the power-house OIL
the creek bank to the mammoth COZ
centrator on the hill.
All the buildings were OF stone
square and uniform. First q centra
plaza, fanked with offices and ware
houses; then behind them barrack
and lodging houses and trim cottage
In orderly rows; and over across tn
canyon doomed the huge bulk of the mi
and the concentratoF with its aeris
tramway and endless row of glidin
buckets.
Only on the lower hills, where tn
rough country rock cropped up an
nature was at it's worst, only there di
che real Mexico creep in and assert
seIf In a crude huddIe OF half-India
nuts; the dwellings OF the eare-free n
lives
well. by Jove!" exclaimed De Lal
cey. surveying the scene with an al
praising eye. this doesn't look yer
= much like Mexico-or revolution
either!"
mo. it don't" admitted Bud; lever!
thing running full blast, too. Look 6
That ore train coming around tn
Gee. what a burgI" raved Phil
say. there's some class to this-what
IL l mistake not, wen be able to find
few congental spirits here to help q
spend our money. Talk about con
1pany town. I'll bet you their baEFool
is fall of Americans. There's the CO
ral down belowllet's ride by al
leave our horses and see what's Il
price of drinks. They can't feeze m
whatever it is-we doubled our none
at the line"