The Ordway new era., 1914-10-16


In the City Of Aexico. and she diA not
know that he was m Indiaa-but she
ID . very nice lady for all that and
never omits to bow to me when she
comes UP to take the train ] rsmsm-
Der one time"
Does Crus Mendes work for hin? :"
interjected De Lancey desperately.
mo. indeedi" answered Don Juan
patiently; he packs In wood from the
hills-but ~ 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-
nixed - . member Of one Of the oldest
famiiiesNn CASTLE.
De Lancey did not press his h
auiries 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. besn
acting q part for DON Juan. since Kru-
ger had described Old Fortuna and the
Senior Aragon with great minuteness.
And now. In the guise of Innocent
strangers, they rode on down the rivse.
past the c0ncentrator with Its multiple
tanks, its gliding tramway and noun
tsins Of tailings. through the village Of
Indian houses stuck like dugouts
against the barren hill-then along .
river bed that oosed with slickings un-
III they came In sight Of the town.
La Fortuna was an old town. yst not
a. old . it, name. sincs two Toftunas
49, n AAA AAA -
cloudbursts and replaced BY newer
dwellings. Thd settlement itself vas
some four hundred yeays old, dating
back TO the days Of tbs sranish con
Qulstadores. whom Il yielded mp many
muleloads Of gold.
Ths present town vas built . little
up from the river in the lee Of . great
ridee Of rocks thrust down from the
hill and well calculated TO turn aside
. glut of watsrA Il was . comfortable
huddle Of whitsWashed adobe build.
inss sst % both sides Of narrow and
Irregular ruad-khe great trail that Led
down % the hot country and was worn
deep BY the e.pack-trains Of centuries.
On the lower side was the amloe
store and candnA OF Don CipsfAnot
vhsrs the thirsty axrseros could get .
drink and buy panochs Of sugar
without getting down from thsir
mounts. Behind The store were The
pois corrals and adobe warehouses
and the Quartsrs Of The psons. anA
saross The road vAs Tie MsseAl san
vhses, IN huge eoppse rstoft aa1
wpen, TIE neey liaunf vas distil1s1
frua a. eaeaEtlAden boadD OF YuceaA.
This vas lie town. ~ the most ~
portant haildins-eee baek n ~
shade e mighty ooesnaWeo1s sd
p,easantly aloof non The road-was
the residence Of esnof Araeou. II was
this. IN fact, which hslA he undivided
attention Of De LAncey ~ they rode
quietly through the village. for he
had become accustomed from . loag
sxps5isncs IN the tropics TO look foe
something elusive, sracsful and fsmf
nins In houses set back IN garden.
Nothing stirred, howsver. and having
good reason 10 avoid Don; C1pF1ano.
they. iogged steadily on their way.
~eone houssi" Observed Phil. with
last hopeful look over his shoulder.
-Uh," assentsd Bud. ~ they CANE
to fork In the road. Say" hs con.
dnusd. Tets turn OF on this tran.
Lot Of burro tracks going out-Upect
It's our friend. Mr.. Nendss.s
~AlI right" said D. LAnosy a.
ssntly; wonder whore old AFasoa
keeps that bee-utiful daushtsr Of his
the one Don Jooaa was falling aboaf.
Have to stop ON the way back and
sample the old mans mseca1"
Nothing doingis countsrsd Hooksa
instantly. Now you heard what )
told you-thsre's two things ycu lsave
alone for sixty days-boose and WON
en. After Ne cinch our titlo you can
get - gay - you please"
'Oo-ee!s piped Phil. ~hss1 he boy
talk!s Bat he said NO moro Of wine
and women, for he knew h0k they DO
complicats life.
They rode 10 the east now. follow
|. ing the long. nat footprints Of the bur.
ros, and By an the landmarks Bud
saw that thsy were heading straight
for the old Eagle Tail mine. AZ oh
Fortuna the river turns wsst and q
the same time four canyons came IN
from the east and south. OF thses
they had taken the arst to the north
and II was leading them past an the
old workings that Kruger had aDoksn
about. In fact, they were almoet at
the mine when Hookef swung down
suddsnly from his horse and moe5onsd
Phil to follow.
There's some burroe coming" he
said, glancing back significantly; and
when the pack-train came By. each
aaimal piled high with broken WOOL
the two Americans wsrs busily tap
ping away at ssctioa OF eoantsy
rock. A man and . boy followed b.
hind ths animals. sAs1ng with wonder
at the strangers, and ~ Pm bads
them . pleasant sDusnos diasi" they
came 70 . halt ~ stared q their
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