Williams news., 1914-09-17

ID the City Of Mexico, and she ol0 not know that he was an Indian-but she is a very nice lady for all that and never omits to bow to me when she comes up to take the train remem- Der one. time"
 Does Cruz Mendez work for htm r inter5ected De Lancey desperately.
 No. indeed!" answered Don Juan patiently; he packs in wood from the hflls-but as was saying@" and from that he went on to tell of the un- failing courtesy of the Sonora Aragon to gentleman whom, whatever his present station might be, she reoog. nized as a member of one of the oldest families in Castle.
 De Lancey did not press his in Quiries any further. but the next morn ing, instead of riding back into the hills, he and Bud turned their faces down the canyon to seek out the elusive Mendez. They had. of course. bean acting a part for Don Juan. since Kru- ger had described Old Fortuna and the Senor Aragon with great minuteness.
 And now, in the guise of innocent strangers, they rode on down the river. past the concentrator with it's multiple tanks. its gliding tramway and noun tains of tailings, through the village of Indian houses stuck like dugouts against the barren hill-then along . river bed that oozed with slickings un- til they came in. sight of the town.
 La Fortuna was an old town. yet not as old as it's name, since two Fortunas before 1t had been washed away by cloudbursts and replaced by newer dwellings, The settlement itself was some four hundred years old, dating back to the. days of the Spanish con Quistadores. when it yielded up many muleloads of gold.
 {. The present town was built little up from the river in the lee of Q great ridge of rocks thrust down from the hi1l and well calculated to turn aside a glut of waters. It was comfortable huddle of whitewashed adobe build ings set on both sides of 8 narrow and irregular road-the great trail that led down to the hot country and was worn deep by the pack-trains of centuries.
 On the lower side was the ample store and cantina of Don Cipriano, where the thirsty arrieros could get . drink and buy a panoche of sugar without getting down from their mounts. Behind the store were the pole corrals and adobe warehouses and the quarters of the peons. and across the road was the mescal still, where, in huge copper retort and worm, the fiery liquor was distilled from the sugar-laden heads of Yuccas.
 This was the town, but the most inn portant building-set back in tho shade of mighty cottonwoods and pleasantly aloof from the road-was the residence of Senor Aragon. It was this. in fact, which held the undivided attention of De Lancey as they rode quietly through the village. for he had become accustomed from long experience in the tropics to look for something elusive, graceful and femt: nine in houses set back In garden. Nothing stirred. however. and having good reason to avoid Don Cipriano. they logged steadily on their way.
 Some house!" observed Phil, with a last hopeful look over his shoulder.
 "Uh." assented Bud. as they came to fork in the road. Say" he con tinued, Tets turn off on this trail Lot of burro tracks going out-e1psct it's our friend. MT. Mendez"
 "All right" said De Lancey ab- sently; wonder where old Aragon keeps that beautiful daughter of bis the one Don Joo-an was telling about Have to stop on the way back and sample the old mans meecal"
 Nothing doing!" countered Hooker instantly. Now you heard what told you-there's two things you leave alone for sixty days-boose and wom- en- After we cinch our title you can get as gay as you please"
 "Oo-ee!" piped Phil, 'rhear the boy talk!" But he said no more of wine and women. for he knew how they do complicate life.
 They rode to the east now. follow ing the long, flat footprints of the bur ros. and by all the landmarks Bud saw that they were heading straight for the old Eagle Tail mine. At Old Fortuna the river turns west and at the same time four canyons came In
  from the east and south. Of these they had taken the first to the north and it was leading them past ell the old workings that Kruger had spoken about In fact, they were almost at the mine when Hooker swung down suddenly from his horse and motioned Phil to follow.
 There's some burros coming" he said, glancing back significantly; and when the pack-train came by. each animal piled high with broken woo@ the two Americans were busily tap ping away at section of country rock. A man and boy followed be- hind the animals. gazing with wonder at z the strangers. and as Pm bade them pleasant -Buenos diasi" they came to a halt and stared at their industry in silence. In the interval