The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-10-10
The Temptation Of
Father O'Flynn
BY PHILIP vERRILL MiaHELs

mou from the PEAKS nau
come to the desert mission with q
hstful OF lustrous virgin gold as q
present to Father O'Flynn. in token
OF their gratitude for his many kindly
deeds.
What a beautiful, exciting show II
made-the flakes. the leaves. the won
drous forms, untarnished. cleaning.
fresh from the workshop of the
gnomes of earth! What treasures OF
wealth must lie afar in those mac
cessible hills for the Indians to bring
1t forth so readily! What tales had
been told OF the vastness of the
riches there, denied TO all save these,
the dusky guardians OF its secret
source!
Old Scar-Face, weary with his many
! years; stood smiling in his silent way
as the priest received the gift. For
Father O'Flynn he entertained a
genuine affection, grounded on ten
years of more or less constant ASSOC
citation. He spoke as the mouthpiece
for the tribe.
"These is Injun's present" he said
Heap good"
His eyes twinkled as he watched
the CLEAN reflected from the glinting
gold in the churchman's kindly face.
Beautiful! Beautiful" murmured
Father o'Flynn. Indians all my
good brothers."
For a moment he looked into the
bleary old eyes OF the donor; and then
his glance stole away to the great
slope Of arid land whereon his one
bright dream had always focused.
In imagination he saw the sage
brush acreage transformed by the
magic OF his powers. He saw a huge
church of imposing masonry risen
from the earth. He pictured the low
stone houses of the mission, clustered
near; he fancied the barren waste a
curve OF living greenery. with or.
ohards, vineyards. fields. and lowing
kline, for q mile or more around. He
saw the faint green water-way-the
long canal to bring the precious water
to the land, winding In a tortuous belt
about the hills. He smelled the scent
OF clover in the air. where bees should
hum at their plumber. Across some
inward sense of his soul Their crept
the sweet chimings OF the vesper
bells.
This gold-this wondrously noun
tain hidden gold that lay in some
~rock-vault, far from the white mans
ken-how quickly such a mint as this
could realize his dream upon the
plain! The hatful already supplied by
his friends was nothing but a hint OF
what he needed TO attempt his mighty
work.
Why should the mountains guard
from him the secret of their hoard?
The Indians were his beloved friends,
and in the end would be his bene-
ficiaries. Theirs would be the mis-
sions; theirs the herds, the orchards,
the houses the fields OF waving grain.
What a wondrous exchange he could
give them for the secret Of their
worthless, hidden minel True life,
true godliness, true plenty, true con-
tent-all for the yellow dross lying
useless In the hills!
How sore was the priests tempta-
ton no man may tell. His mouth
vas dry and his voice was hoarse as.
with a new eagerness Of purpose. he
turned again upon old Scar-Face.
My friends have never told me
where they get the gold" he said.
II heap like to see where II comes
from. Indians know I am their
brother. VIII you take me there to
seer"
"Yesh, Injun take um," said old
Scar-Face readily. pursuing up his
mouth as IL TO whistle, but making no
musical sound. Then ne added
quietly: Heap take to see um, but
put UNI blindfolded on the eye, all way
up there all way back"
The good fathers heart gave a
mighty leap in his bosom. They would
take him there-biindfolded, to be
sure, lest he note the devious trails by
which the place was reached; but
they would lake him. That was
enough; FOR the rest he was sure he
could put his trust in heaven.
His breath came fast as his hand
fell upon his rosary.
Tomorrow l go. You take me
there?" he said.
Tomorrow" answered Scar-Face.
With all his gold hidden, and with
many special prayers for celestial
guidance In his quest. Father O'Flynn
made ready for his trip that very
afternoon. AT 4 o'clock young Manuel
rode over to see him from the valley
far beyond. In the heart OF the hand.
some young horseman were much love
and much anxiety: In his purse were
little money and even less Of hope.
MY horse should be named
Despair" he said. for I live so much
In his company. | fear my marriage
with papinta may be presently impos.
sible, since | lack so much of the price
to buy a ranch and her father would
wed her to a gringo."
Then cheer up, lad" said Father