The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-08-16
CHAPTER V

stared out into the street and Won
dcrcd n any sort OF a breeze would
ever begin 20 blow from old Chiriaui
lagoon and cool the stagnant air. The
street was dusty and flthy hithy be.
cause the only scavengcrs IL had ever
known since the town was founded
centuries before were the carbon
dogs and buzxar,is even then prowl-
ms and hopping about in the debris.
Low. whlte.washcd buildings 90 stone
and adobe made the stress fur
mace.
The white OF 4 all. the dust. was
almost achingly intoierahlc 60 [ h 9
Eyes. and Henry would have with.
drawn his gaze had not the several
ragged mosos. dozing In a doorway
opposite. suddenly aroused n 4
looked interestedly up the street.
Henry could not sec. but he could
hear the rafting spokes OF some We
hiclc coming at speed. Next IL surgcd
Into view. a rattle trap light wagon
drawn by runaway horse. In the
seat a gray.hcaded. gray bearded an.
cient stroyc vainly 10 check the ami
NAL.
AN ODD ACCIDENT
Henry smiled and marveied that
the rickety wagon could hold to-
gethcr. so prodigious were the bumps
and jumps impaired To II by the deep
ruts- Every wheel. half dished and
threatening TO dish. wobbicd and re-
volved out Of line with every other
wheel. And II the wagon held in.
tact. Henry judged. Il was n miracle
that the crazy harness did not ny 10
pi<ces.
when directly opposite the window
The old man made a last effort. half
sanding up from the seat as he
pulled on the rvins. One was rotten.
and broke. As the driver fell back
ward into the seat his weight on the
femaining rein caused the horse to
owerve sharply TO the right.
What happened then--whether a
wheel dished, or whether a wheel had
come on. first and dished afterward.
Henry could not determine. The one
1ucontcstable thing WAS that the
wagon was a wreck. The old man.
draxxing In the dust and stubbornly
hanging on 10 tho remaining rein.
. swung the horse in a circle until II
stopped. facing him and snorting at
him.
by the time he gained his feet a
crowd OF rnosos was forming about
d him. These were roughly shouldared
right and left by the gendarmes who
orupted from the Jail. Henry re
\ manned Mt the window and. for a man
K with but few hours 10 live. was an
muse spectator and listener 70
what followed.
DIVING his horse 10 a gendarme "a
hoId. not stopping to brush the NTH
from his person. the old man limped
hurrtediy 20 the wagon and began an
examination OF the several packiue
onsex. large and small. which com
posrd It's load OF one case he was 81
pecially soiicitous. even trying to III
Il and seeming to listen as he lifted
He straightened up on being ad
dressed BY the gendarmes and mad'
voluble reply.
Me. Alas. senors. am an oil
man. and far from home. l am Leo
poldo Narvaez. Ny father was Bal
tarax Jesus cervallos e Narvaez
oon Of Gen. Waruaiz of martial mem
cry, who fought under the great Boil
fvar himself. And now am hal
ruined and far from home"
Prompted by other questions. In
1eriarded with the courteous expires
SONS OF sympathy with which ever
the humbIest moso Is over-generousli
supplied, he managed TO be politely
grateful and to run on with his talk
II have driven from Bocas de
10ro. II has taken me FIVE days an'
busfness has been poor. My home i
n Colon. and / wish I were safell
there. But even noble Narvae
may be peddIer. and even peddle
must live, Ell, senors: Is II not so
Hut tell me. is there not a Toma
Romero who dwells in this pleasan
city Of San AntonioT'
There ere any Gods number o
Tomas I>6meroe who dwell every
where IN Pan1ona." laughed Pedr
Zurita. the assistant TALLER. "On
would need full description
He IL the cousin OF my secou
rffe.. the ancient answered, hops
4ully. and seemed bewildered by tn
roar Of laughter from the crowd.
"a RAY OF HOPE
"And dozen Tomas Romero
live In and about San Antonio" tn
Assistant TALLER went on. amy one c
Whic h may be your second wife
cousin, senior. There Is Tomas ~
hero. the drunkard. There Is Toma
Romero, the thief. There Is Toma
R0mero--but no, he was hanged
month back for murder and robbery
There is the rich Tomas Romers
who owns many cattle on the hill
There Is
To each suggested one, Leopol
HArvaez had shaken his head doll
FULLY, until the cattle owner was mel
t1oned. At this he had become hop'
1u1, and broke in:
Pardon, me. senior, IL must be h
~ some such one as he. | sha
md him. II my previous stock
trade can be safely stored. sha
6eck him now. II Is well my misfo
tune came upon me where IL did
shall be able TO trust with you, VIII
are. one can sec with half an cy'
Z an honest and an honorable man
A. he talked. he fumbled forth froi
his pocket two silver pesos and han'
"a them 10 the Jailer. 'srhere. wis
tou and your men 60 have som
pleasure Of assisting me"
Henry grInned TO himself as h
hoted the access Of interest In th
bid man and Of consideration II
him on the part OF Pedro Zurita an
The gendarmes. caused by the pre-
rnt OF the coins. They showed tn
more curious Of the crowd roughl