Evening star., 1936-03-21

nora PaSS ROAD ana neaoeQ Ior 90
nora. This being ct the time an
area wholly inhabited by Mexican
and Hispano- California miners, they
did not pass single American. Their
own countrymen would glance up at
them, politely don their sombreros and
murmur q greeting.
In Sonora Joaquin purchased food
and saw 1t packed on the mules whioA
served as his transport. The COM
pany remained in Sonora until late
afternoon, drinking. conversing with
the inhabitants, love-making with the
local bellies; at sunset they mounted
and rode out over the hills toward
Sawmill Flat. At dark they crossed
the valley unobserved and rode q mile
up into the timber on the farther
side. Here, in a little clearing, they
made camp and after supper, while
the men gathered around the camp
fire, Joaquin took census Of his
company.
"I am Joaquin Murrieta." he an
nounced. "Juanito, I know you only
by your gringo name-Three- Finger
ed Jack. Name yourself"
II am Juan Garcia, chief"
"And why have you become O
bandit?"
"I love It," Jack replied cheer
fully. when I was a little boy in
Monterey, before the gringos came,
often saw Domingo Hernandez, the
great bandit, ride into the plaza.
It was the custom Of the great Do
mingo to kill first and rob in peace,
and when he had robbed, he cut of
his victims ears. Often I saw him
arrive with new ears for his COL
lection and always very large ears.
Small ears he despised. Meet
ing a peon he knew had not one
centavo in his pockets, he would
stop the man and examine his ears.
II they were small, the man was
spared. If they were large, Do
mingo would cut them of, often
without bothering first to cut the
poems throat. A great Joker was
this Domingo Hernandez, but one day
the people grew weary of his Jokes
and played joke on him instead.
All, 1t was terrible, to see so won
derful man kicking holes in the
air. I wept at the sight and vowed
then to be as great hero as Do
mingo Hernandez"
Joaquin nodded understandingly.
Proceed with your history"
II became a soldier in the re-
volt Of Gems. Jose Castro and Juan
Alvarado against Gov. Mickeltorena
in 1874. But two of the partici-
pants In that rebellion were wound
ed. One was a mule and the other
my unfortunate SELF" and Jack held
up his right hand with It's missing
index finger. "In 1846 when the
Americans took Sonoma, was one
of the force Of Californios and We
captured two Of those gringo swine.
They were turned over to Juan Pa
dilla and myself to execute. What a
fiesta that was. We tied them to
trees and practiced knife-throwing
on them; we cut on little pieces
OF their flesh; We stoned them; we
skinned them alive" At the mem
ory the monster rocked with laugh
ter. $50, he ended, "I got the
habit. kill and rob gringo for
pleasure and their gold; Chinamen I
kill for pleasure and their ears. OF
course, If they have some Gold"
Enough. You are a fiend. There
will be no more killing for pleasure
or for ears. Killing for the gringo
gold I can understand, but If thew
surrender their gold, then there is no
necessity for killing, unless vengeance
is demanded. You will remember
this injunction, Juanito. Now name
these other men"
Stand up as name you," Jack
bawled. joaquin Valuenzela. This
boy is excitable but brave. When he
is older he can be trusted more