The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-06-14
X-Continued

Dolores cried out in fear-for ]
must have appeared q terrible being
and Pasqual put an arm around her
shoulders. There was no fear in the
Indians face. "What is tit" be
asked.
"Ah, PasquaI," said l. with a hope
less attempt at smiling. sis this Sun
dayT"
"SundayY' his dark eyes bored in
to me.
-Aye-that you should take Dolores
Tor a rider"
"Por Dios." she gasped. 1T is
Pancho!"
"Senor." said Pasqual. "ah-senorl J"
With great labor | tore the damn
ing placard from the tree and, fold
ing II carefully. proffered it to Pas
quail Il have played an evil piece
OF deception upon you, my friend, and
you offered your life in my service
j held to the wheel Of the cart to
keep from falling, for | was very
weak indeed. "You deserve some re-
ward and ! deserve some punishment.
If yon deliver me to Colonel Lama
drid al the Cuernavaca garrison he
will see TO II that you receive a thou
sand pesos"
"And they will bring You up before
the court for murder, senor?'
They will they will hang me, Pas
quail. but il makes nc difference, my
friend. for | am dying anyway"
"0h!" cried Dolores.
But you have been my friend.
senior, and friendship cannot be
bought-nor sold"
Yet a thousand pesos, PasquaI, is
a Thousand pesos, and you might do
much with 1t Besides. | intended to
surrender"
1T is nothing, Pancho," said Do
lores softly, "a thousand pesos is
nothing" Yet that amount of money.
in a land where the wage of a man
is less than half a peso a day. was
a fortune.
do you mean-?" l cried. aghast.
IF you are sick, senior" said Pas
quail. "or wounded. We will take you
in and care for you. because we love
you: but there is not silver enough
In all these hills to make US give yoD
over TO the French"
Now my weakness oyercame me;
their faces disappeared in a mist OF
tears. and. reaching out blindly. l
found their friendly hands and held
10 them as darkness descended I'D
or me.
One morning, when l came back Al
last from that dim borderland where
dreams are made, ! found Dolores
standing by MY bed. tried TO arise
and discovered that the strength thai
has ever been my pride was gone
How long has it been. DoIoresf"
NEARLY a month" Her face bright.
ened. But you are better now: 1901
you will be out again."
So I waited. and later Pasqual
came. His fine eyes gIowed when be
saw that I had awakened.
You have made a grieyous blum
der, Pasqual." said |, "for, in aiding
me, you have put your life in danger.
because the French"
He laughed. 1--WE do not know who
you are, senior, we are only ignorant
Indians. trying to coax a meager Iiv-
ing from this farm; and an old brok-
en- man comes to US in the night. ask
ing for food and shelter and care.
Shall we LET him die?"
Pasqual had rented a little farm of
corn and cane and fruits of many
kinds-that lay along the river q mile
or more TO the south of Cuernavaca
The identifying uniform of mine.
and the printed notice calling atten-
zion 10 my crime. had been hidden
with the greatest care.
The weeks of my co~nvaIescence
went slowly enough. yet they went :
and. one day, I found myself. dressed
as the Indian farmers along the river
are dressed. following a pillow and the
"calico" pony on PasquaI's piece of
land I helped him gather his corn
and I learned 10 swing the cane knife
as deftly as he might swing IL.
My hair was kept purposely long,
and b heavy beard concealed most
VI ny AaNN "a ClufIC "a LlCuIS
covered the lines of my body. and I
had practiced the bent stopped pos
ture and the dragging stumbling walk
of an aged man until that impersona
ton had become a natural thing.
The weeks that ! lived in the home
of this good couple, working day by
day to pay for the fOod that | ate.
were happy weeks indeed. The sub
stantial fare. the simple life. the
steady outdoor employment and the
long nights of sleep broughI hack NV
Strength and added a 1.-THE or two.
Ever the lure OF La Anita held me;
never a day passed but her fair face
came TO me. She walked with me in
spirit. through the forest: in the
fields she talked to me. and in nv
sleep I sometimes heard her calling:
"Francois-Francois y and ! woke up
answering her. for she called as
though she needed me.
Because of my longing to see. and
10 talk TO fellowmen. began to
watch the road. and TO stop a travel
er now and then to chat a while. 4
learned from a passing soldier In the
service of the emperor that the pur
suit of captain de vigny was still!
on. and thai even boats from the yari.
Gus ports were being watched.
One day saw. through the low
zane thai ! was cuffing. a figure ON
the road thai piqnel my fancy. He
WIS bearded. bnwPd. his walk vas
'he dragging walk of age. and ne led
an ever laggard burro with an over
wheImine load ] made my WAY To
fha foneo ana -.fal.aS hf..