The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-06-09
CHAPTER II-contInued.

tizing meal that the trumpeter spread
for them upon the camp table beneath
the solitary live oak that stood before
the tent, they watched the sergeant
help the stranger down the hill. Ia
king the blind man to the fire, he seat
ed him upon a saddle that lay near the
cooking tent, and came forward with
a salute
He's a priest, sir-a padre; and
from what little l can make out of
his lingo he's had a pretty bad time
OF 1t, sir. Shall bring him up?"
Yes"
Kynaston sprang up.
Mrs. Fame, do you and Miss Up
ton object to my asking the old fellow
to take his breakfast here with US?
hardly like to send him down among
the prisoners to eat. He seems a cut
above them. don't you know?"
Why, of course not. Mr.. Kynas-
ton. Please do exactly as you would
If we were not here. am sure he
will be very interesting"
So Kynaston went down to the fire,
where the Old man was explaining in
broken English and Mexican patois
to the prisoners, for them to translate
to the America4s, that he was more
tired than huugry, but that most of
all he desired to hold converse with
the commanding officer. Having in.
troduced himgelf, Kynaston asked the
old man to come to his tent and join
him IN coffee.
They found the two ladies already
at their meal, Kynaston seated the
old man between the two and poured
him a cupful Of steaming coffee that
woke him into speech.
Never before, senor, have l crossed
the line. A Mayan am l, as all my
people were for twelve generations
that stretch their hands back even
unto the days before there were Span
lards in Tenochtitlan
For the space of twelve mems
lives have we lived under the shadows
of El Tlo, seeing always the surf break
on the outlying bars. Two years ago
came north, even as Coronado came,
part of the way on my feet, part on
asses; always with pain, for to the
blind, senior, all paths are hard. And
at last my dream vanished"
Thy dream?"
Aye, senor, my dream, for know
thou that | came not without an aim.
That aim has been to follow and re-
cover what these thieves of the world
have taken"
He pointed his thumb over his
shoulder toward the fire, where the
prisoners still sat over the bacon and
hard bread that were being cooked for
them by the cooks Of the troop.
And art thou really blind?"
so that, senior; for fifty years
have not seer the light of day"
Mrs. Fame and Dorothy murmured
their sympathy
so ! have come, senior. For now
three hundred years | and my fathers
before me kept the shrine where it has |
been deposited since the days when |
Cortez came back from the courts Of
the old world to hold his court at
Cuernavaca, and. finding there in pow
er the evil man, Pedrarias, his enc
my, retired to live upon his estates.
''Ye know senior and ladies, how 1t |
was said that the conquistador poi |
soned his first wife so that he could |
marry a second wife who should adj |
vance his fortunes 1t was to this Sec
ond wife that he gave those wonder
ful jewels, as all the world knows;
the wonderful emeralds that Queen !
Isabella asked for in vain and that
made Cortez the most courted man in
all Madrid. Hast thou heard Of them?"
Mrs Fame and Dorothy looked their
interest. All people are interested in
the mere merton Of jewels or pre-
cious stones-aven those who do not
possess them.
II have heard" said Kynaston
slowly, the same tale all men know.
the tale which Gomara wrote to the
effect that Cortez received as a part
of the ransom Of the Emperor Monte
yuma five great emeralds, and that
when payment was made to the Span
ish king Of the royal fifth part of the
treasure the stones were kept by the
conqueror as part of his own share"
'Dost thou know then, or does any
man know, what afterward became Of
the stones?"
The old man leaned forward in his
eagerness, turning toward the sound
OF Kynastons voice. His interest was
obvious.
Dorothy and Mrs. Fame took no
pains to hide their interest now.
1T was said, Of oourse-what thou
knowest-that the emeralds were ta-
kan home by him TO Spain, and that