The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-09-13
@ Frank H. spearman
wNu Service

lea walking fast, the party rode
south for more than two hours.
Night had now fallen. There was
no moon, but the stars were out.
The horses, as well as Monica,
seemed to know the trail and at
length brought within sight a group
of buildings, one of which was sur
mounted by cross. Bowie under
stood this, at least, and when the
horsemen drew up Monica pounded
for some time on the gate of the
stockade that enclosed the place, but
without results.
She then bethought herself Of
high bellhandle at the side of the
gate, at which she tugged vigorous
ly. A man appeared and, opening
peephole, asked questions. Mont
ca seemed known, for when she had
explained her presence and argued
long and convincingly the big gate
was swung reluctantly open and the
party rode in. The gate was closed
and the man disappeared. After fur
Their waiting light appeared at a
window within the residence of the
padres, and presently one of them
opened a door.
/ Handing the girls to Monica, Bow
lie and Pardaloe dismounted, Sim
ME taking the horses. The two men
followed Monica and her charges as
the padre led them along dark pas
sageway. On one side of it he paused
at an open door and bowed the Wis.,
itors into commodious room mea-
gerly furnished and lighted by two
candles standing on a small oval
table in the middle of the room.
Motioning his callers to seats, the
padre, dark featured, tall and spare,
looked to Monica for explanation.
With expressive gestures and in a
few words Monica told her story,
pointing at times to Bowie and indi-
eating again the little girls, who
chung to her as if afraid she might
escape them.
The padre listened gravely, fol-
lowing with his eyes the recital Of
the Indian woman. When she had
finished he asked a few questions
and turned his gaze across the sput-
tering candles to Bowie.
''No habla espanol?" he asked,
adding in very difficult English,
"You do speak nothing Spanish.
speak POGO English. understand
few. Monica tell me how you
come to Los Alamos with these her
manas. Where from you come?
How you have the children? Who you
are?"
He spoke very slowly. Bowie re-
sponded with more energy. The pad
re, with a smile, raised his hand.
"Pleasei Slow!"
Bowie nodded. "We are Tejancs,
Padre-cannot speak Spanish. We
took these girls from Indians-a war
party in the Sierras. Do you know
these youngsters?"
The padre nodded fast. 81 know
them much, much.''
Haltingly and brokenly he related
to Bowie and his companions the
story of the raiding of Los Alamos
and the burning of the rancho. With
little difficulty the Texan followed
and comprehended just how he and
his men had CHANGED on the fleeing
warriors and robbed them at least
of their human victims. It was
not the first time, the padre said
sadly, that Spanish girls and worn-
en- had been carried away by bad
Indians raiding the ranches. And
rarely had rescue parties, however
expeditions or well equipped, been
able to recover the unhappy cap
tives if the raiders could reach the
high mountains first. And, he added,
these thrice-unhappy victims Of their
savagery had been made creatures
to the chiefs-so it had been learned
from neophytes. The southern In
dams, he added, were even more
warlike and ferocious than the tribes
about the northern missions. These
wretches were Quemayas or Yu-
mas. Both had been scourges Of
their missions and settlers for sixty
years or more.
"And now" he asked in conclu-
sion, raising his hands as he re-
garded the orphans with a world Of
pity, what shall be done? Monica"
he said in Spanish, ''you know the
quarters for the unmarried women.
Take the children and find lodging
for them and for yourself for the
night. In the morning we shall see."
When the three had left the room
the padre explained to Bowie that
he could not speak freely before the
innocent victims of the savages or
disclose that these had murdered
their father. He added that the
mother was at San Diego at the
home of a relative and that her son,
brother to the little ones. was with
her. He suggested that the Tejanos,
supplied with a guard Of soldiers
from the mission, take the rescued
girls to San Diego in the morning
to receive the thanks and gratitude
Of their mother and relatives.
Where, he doubted not. a generous
reward would in part recompense
them for the dangers they had in
CURED in battling the savages and
IL 4