The Washington herald., 1915-09-12

down TOUR pack-muleS with red Woollen blan-
kets, wrought-iron pals. jewelled side-combs
for the ladies. glass necklaces, and safety
razors hired a black mozo, who was SUD-
posed to be a mule-driver and an interpreter
too. 1t turned out that he could interpret mules
all right but he drove the English language
much too hard. His name sounded like Yale
key when YOU push it in wrong side up but
called him McClintock, which was close to the
noise
well, this gold village was forty miles up
III the mountains, and it took US nine days to
find it. But one afternoon McClintock led the
other mules and myself over a rawhide bridge
stretched across a precipice FIVE thousand feet
deep. It seemed to me. The hoofs of the beasts
drummed on it just like before George NJ. Co.
han makes his first entrance on the stage
"This village was built of mud and stone,
and had no streets. Some few yeow-and- brown
persons popped their heads out-of-doors look
ing about like Welsh rabbits with Worcester
sauce on 'enl. Out of the biggest house, that
had kind of porch around it. steps big
white man, red as a beet in color dressed in
fine tanned deerskin clothes, with gold chain
around his neck, smoking a cigar. I've seen
and build, also head-waiters and cops
He walks up and takes a look at us, while
McClintock dsembarks and begins to interpret
to the lead mule while he smokes a cigarette.
Hello, Buttinsky, says the fine man to me-
How did you get in the game? l didn't see
you buy any chips Who gave you the keys of
the city?'
'*I'm poor traveller says l. Especially
mule-back. You'll excuse me. Do you run
hack line or only bluff?
"'Segregate yourself from your pseudo
equine quadruped.' says he, and come inside
He raises finger and vager runs up.
This man will take care of your outfit
says he. and I'll take care of YOU
He leads me into the biggest house. and
sets out the chairs and a kind of drink the
color of milk 1t was the finest room l ever
saw. The stone walls was rung all over with
silk shawls, and there was red and yellow rugs
on the floor, and jars of red pottery and An
CORA goat skins, and enough bamboo furniture
to misfurnish half dozen seaside cottages.
In the first place. says the man, you want
to know who l am. I'm sole lessee and pro-
prietor of this tribe of Indians. They call me
the Grand Yacuma, which is to say King or
Main Finger of the bunch. I've got more
power here than charge d'affaires, a charge
of dynamite, and charge accounts at Tifany's
combined. In fact, I'm the Big Stick. with as
many extra knots on it as there is on the record
run of the Lusitania Oh, read the papers
now and then,' says he. Now. let's hear your
entitlements,' he goes on, and the meeting will
be open
"'Well, says I, I am known as one W. D.
Finch. Occupation, capitalist. Address, 541
East Thirtv-second-
"'New York. chips in the Noble Grand I
know says he, grinning. 1t amt the first
time you've seen it go down on the blotter. l
can tell by the way YOU hand it out Well.
explain Capitalist"
''I tells this boss plain what l come for and
how l come to came.
- 'Gold-dust::' says he looking as puzzled as
a baby that's got feather stuck on its molasses
finger That's funny This amt gold-r1in-
ing country. And you invested all your capital
on a strangers story? Well, well These
Indians of mine-they are the last of the tribe
of Peches-are simple as children. They know
nothing of the purchasing power of gold. I'm
afraid you've been imposed on says he.
"'Mebbe so,' says I, but it sounded pretty
straight to me-