The Holly chieftain., 1916-06-02

months my brother. Who had the care
OF the shrine itself. had little trou-
Bile in secreting the wealth that We
had hidden for nigh four hundred
years.
We had the stone-no. senior. not
the FIVE: only one-the greatest and
most valuable 90 rich Il was-is!-
that I am told meas hearts turned to
water at the mere sight oe It. I know
right well that I would have given
much to see II for only one little mo-
ment: but It vas not TO be.
They came. senior. BY night-as
beasts OF prey always coms-and they
looted the temple and burned It after
they had looted. was mot there at
the time. but when returned found
my brother dying Of gunshot wound
and my mother 1t II best not to
90 into Particular. senor.
They had NO fear OF God. It IL
lacking always. they say. In . mob
that knows neither law nor leader.
And the stone was gone-looted-ta-
ken. as everything else was taken.
with the raiders when they ned to the
north.
Always. senior. our raiders have
come from the north, from the days
of old when the Toltecs came down
upon the land. and when following
them the countless thousands of the
red sayages drove the Toltecs In head
long flight. bringing death and DESC
iation upon the land And then the
spaniard came. and-thou knowest the
rest. senior.
Il DO but speak the empty vapor.
ings OF age. am seventy-siA years
OF age. and have tracked that stone
northward-northward ever since that
day when Zapata's men robbed the
shrine.
Those men who ned yesterday
across the line. and who found refuge
with thee have the stone. They took
1t in fair fight from the rebels. who
were moving toward El Paso with 1t
in the hope of selling 1t for gold with
which to purchase arms and ammuni-
tion for their cause.
And they in turn have lost the
stone to thee: for q passing cowboy
told me that these men had surren-
dered to the Americanos and guided
me the greater part OF the way to thy
camp.
II am no rebel. senior. am q
churchman. not = soldier. Butt seek
the st0ne-I. now that my brother il
dead: /. the Blind Priest of Trecante.
am the lawful guardian of the shrine"
Just then the deep voice of tho ser
geant broke in.
Sir, IL the lieutenant Is ready ri
bring up the packs an the lieutenant
can go through EN-"
Kynaston. called back to earth.
looked up and nodded.
Bring 'em all up in front Of my
tent, sergeant"
The three pack mules. tired and IN
groomed. were led up and their packs
decanted In front OF the tent where
Dorothy and Mrs. Fame sat in inter-
ested observation.
There ought to be guns an re-
volvers an ammunition" commented
kynaston. Button! Button! Who's
got the button? l wonder what they've
got packed away In those aparejos."
He soon found out. for under the
quiet orders of the sergeant the guards
slipped the packs and opened them
in front Of the wondering eyes OF the
little group.
Il thought at least we would find
that the arms manufacturers of the
country had shipped rifles and pistols
to them across the border" comment.
ed Kynaston. And find nothing;
absolutely nothing. A petate-sleep-
Ing mat-and lot Of dried red pep
pers. together with a package Of beans
-fritoles- Wait a bit! What's that
under your hand, Miss Upton?"
Miss Upton. startled. looked curl.
ously at the package under her hand
which she had been resting upon the
pack. She gave 1t twitch. and bum
die wrapped in a rough. red blanket