The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-05-09

NONE Ol (neSe. SenOr. are we CON
cerned.
The fifth and the most beautiful
OF all was a great bell, made of solid
emerald, that stood perhaps--so they
tell me, at least. for how can a blind
man sce?-the height Of mans
thumb: carved, mark thee, from the
solid emerald-the tongue is made of
pear.shaped pearl and about the
base, carved and set most probably by
some skilled workman of Seville, these
words, let into the jewel in letters OF
gold:
Blessed is he who created thee
Put, padre, we all know-the world
knows-that when Cortez went with
his lling-Charles--to fight the Moors
he took the stones with him. and when
he was wrecked at sea off the AL
gcciras coast the stones were lost
The old priest sat back clicking his
tongue softly.
Then. senior, IL this be true, / and
my family for ten generations have
been made fools of, for during ten
mems lives some member Of my fam
lily has always kept the shrine of Our
Lady OF Olvidados down in Yucatan,
where the old faith still holds, and
where men have not gone after
strange gods"
But how in the world IL you live
in Yucatan did you ever work your
way so far north?"
When General Zapata rose in re-
bellion after President Diaz had fed
TO France, the whole country rose with
him. Every place was looted. and
what few treasures we had we're ia
ken.
We in Trocanto managed TO hide
the wealth OF the shrine, and for
monChs 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, senor, not
the five; only one-the greatest and
most valuable. So rich il was-is!-
that l am told mems hearts turned to
water at the mere sight OF il. / know
! right we'll that l would have given
much to see it for only one little mo-
ment; but IL was not To be.
They came, senior by night-as
beasts OF prey always come-and they
looted the temple and burned il after
they had looted. / was not there at
the time but when returned l found
my brother dying of a gunshot wound
! and my mother IL is best not to
go into particulars, senior
They had no fear of God. II is
! lacking always, they say, in a mob
I that knows neither law nor leader
And the stone was gone-looted-ta
( ken, as everything else was taken.
with the raiders when they fed 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 savages drove the Toltecs in head.
| long flight, bringing death and desc
lation upon the land. And then the
| Spaniard came. and-thou knowest the
| rest senor.
Il do but speak the empty vapor-
ings Of age. am seventy-six years
of age and have tracked that stone
| northward-northward ever since that
day when Zapata's men robbed the
! shrine.
Those men who fed 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 Dl Paso with Il
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 a 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.
Il am no rebel. senor ! am
! churchman, not a soldier. But seek
the stonp-I. now that my brother is
dead; ], the Blind Priest of Trecante.
am the lawful guardian of the shrine"
Just then the deep voice of the ser
/ geant broke in.
Sir, IL the lieutenant is ready I'll
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 un-
groomed, were led up aI1 their packs
decsnted 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. 'Huttoni Buttont Who's