The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-06-19
"Docs Cruz Mendez work for him -

ihteiJeCteu De AaHCey desperately.
mo, indeed!" answered Don Juan
patiently; 'he packs In wood from the
hills-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 recog-
nized az n member of ono of the Oldest
families In CASTLE.
De Lancey did not press hIs In.
qui-ies any further. but the next morn.
ing. instead of riding back into the
hillp, he and Bud turned their faces
down the canyon to seek out the elusive
Mendez. They had, of course, been
acting part for DON Jnan. since Kru.
ger had described Old Fortuna ana 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. it's gliding tramway and noun.
taino Of tailings. through the village OF
Indian houses stuck ike 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 its name, since two FORTUNES
before It 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 1t yielded up many
muleloads Of gold.
ry,ka -~ooa-A s@,.- y..sya
up from the river III the lee Of great
ridge OF rocks thrust down from the
hill and well calculated to turn aside
q glpt OF waters 1t was q comfortable
huddle Of whitcwashcd adobe build.
lingo set on both Sides OF 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
polo corrafS and adobe warehouses
and the quarters of the poems, and
across the road was the mescal stili.
whcro. 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 i'm
portont building-get back in the
shade Of mighty cotfonwoods and
pleasantly aloof from the road-was
the residence OF Senor Aragon. It was
this. In fact. which held the undivided
attention OF De I.ancey as they rod.
quietly through, the village, FOR Il.
had become accustomed from a lon:
experience in the tropics tn look for
something elusive. GRACEFUL and feYni.
nine in houses ret back In q garden.
Nothing Stirred, However. and having
good reason to- AVOID Doh Cipriano.
they. logged STEADILY on theft way.
r Some house! "to Observed PHI, with
Z a last horerul look over his shoulder.
'"'Uh." assented Bul. as they came
TO fork IN the read. "say." he con.
tinued. Tets turn of on this trail.
Lot OF burro tracks sc!ng, out-expec.
tie our friend. Mfr. Mcndez.".' sitHes
"All right" said De Ldncey ',hh-
sently: wonder .whefe old Artgou
keeps that beautiful daughter Of iiiB-.c
the one Don Joo:an was telling about.
Have to stop Oh the way back and
sample the old mans mescaI,;,, ~
Nothing !doing!" couhtered Hooker
Instantly. Nov you heard what I
fold yoh- there's two thfngss you leave
alone for sixty days--booze and wom-
en-. After We ciheh our title you can
get as gay as you please"
"Oo-oe!" ,p;ped Phil, hear the boy
talk!" But he said no more OF vine
and women, for he knew how they do
ccmplicate life.3 ..
They rode to the east now, follow.
fng the long, ffat footprints OF the bur-
fos. and by ali tie lhiidmarks bud
saw that they We're heading straight
for the old Eagle, Tail mine. At Old
Fortuna the river turns west and at
the; same TING four cnnyons cana in
from the east. and ac- H.. OF these
they had taken the frst to the north
and It waa leading them. past alf the
old workings that Kruger had spoken
about. In fsct, they wore almost at
the mine when 'H0okef swung down
Suddenly from his horse and motioned
Phil to. follow, = -; - itS ;fj ~
"Thsra'si sSii;s buI,r1eA niinsfnk." he
said: &fSncl6k 'bRck afEn|6eantly; dnd
when the pack.train came: by. each
animal. piled high with broken wood.
the two. Americans were busily tap
ping away at section of country
rock. A man And q boy followed be-
hind .heF anlinais. gaaing with wonder
at the STRANGERS. and as Phil hade
them q pleasant "Buenos, dlas!". they
canae 10 o halt and stared at their
industry In: silence: IN ths interval
Phil was pleased to- note that the old
man 'fiad 6fify,Sfie eva - s-f qt