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diff --git a/40546.txt b/40546.txt deleted file mode 100644 index b708f62..0000000 --- a/40546.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8258 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Fortune Hunter; Or, The Old Stone Corral, -by John Dunloe Carteret - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - - - - -Title: A Fortune Hunter; Or, The Old Stone Corral - A Tale of the Santa Fe Trail - - -Author: John Dunloe Carteret - - - -Release Date: August 20, 2012 [eBook #40546] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A FORTUNE HUNTER; OR, THE OLD -STONE CORRAL*** - - -E-text prepared by sp1nd, Mary Meehan, and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made -available by Internet Archive (http://archive.org) - - - -Note: Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - http://archive.org/details/fortunehunteroro00cartrich - - - - - -A FORTUNE HUNTER; - -OR, - -THE OLD STONE CORRAL. - -A Tale of the Santa Fe Trail. - -by - -JOHN DUNLOE CARTERET. - - - - - - - -Cincinnati: -Printed for the Author. -1888. - -Copyrighted, 1886. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - CHAPTER I. - - Nature's Blank Page--The Old Stone Corral--The Lost Treasure - of Monteluma--Camp-fires--The Warlow and Moreland Families--The - Camp on the Cottonwood--A Tale of the Camp-fire 7 - - - CHAPTER II. - - Colonel Warlow's Story--Bruce Walraven--The Heiress of - Monteluma--The Vale of Mexico--Bandits--The Rescue--The - Web of Destiny 19 - - - CHAPTER III. - - Breakfast on the Plains--Colonel Warlow's Story - Continued--Bruce Walraven's Creed--Blood-drenched Malvern - Hill--The Dim Crest of Orizaba--Roses and Thorns--The - Wealth of Monteluma--A Cask of Gold--The Casket of - Gems--The Overland Journey--A Dark Tragedy 29 - - - CHAPTER IV. - - Colonel Warlow's Story Continued--Los Angeles--A Friend - in Need--A Storm on the Pacific--Shipwreck--Under the - Waves 48 - - - CHAPTER V. - - Colonel Warlow's Story Continued--Alone--The Castaway--The - Golden Gate to Home Sweet Home--Acapulco--Roger--The - Isthmus of Panama 57 - - CHAPTER VI. - - Colonel Warlow's Story Continued--The Tropical Groves - of Cuba--The Coffee Plantation--A Blooming Christmas--The - Tomb of Columbus--The Roses and Passion-flowers of - Cuba--The Warm Hearts of Home--Ah! Such a Day can never - come Again--Snow-drifts, Sleigh-bells, and - Sweethearts--Mary, etc. 71 - - - CHAPTER VII. - - Colonel Warlow's Story Concluded--The Wool-picking--The - Squire's Harrow--Wedding Bells--Profit and Loss--The - Spectre of the Stone Corral 79 - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - The Monotony of Frontier Life--New Homes--Voting - Bonds--The Grasshopper Raid--Back to the Land of the - Mother-in-law--Grim Famine's Shadow--The Flood--A - Strange Weird Sight 87 - - - CHAPTER IX. - - A Raging Torrent--The Crows' Nest--An Aerial - Family--"Kansis oR buST" 100 - - - CHAPTER X. - - The Picnic--A Biled Vest--A Dark-eyed Maid with her Sweet - Guitar--Mora Estill--Fishing, etc., but Principally the - Latter--"We have met before"--The Gray Spectre--The - Mystery-wrapped Grave of the Hill-top--Rough as a - Farmer--Transmigration of Souls 108 - - - CHAPTER XI. - - A Western Call--Mystery--The Call lengthens into a Western - Visit--Spring Chicken and Mystery 126 - - CHAPTER XII. - - False Riches--A Young Fortune Hunter--The Santa Fe - Trail--Searching for the Gold of Monteluma--The Serpent's - Warning Rattle--The Stare of Death--The Gray Spectre 144 - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - A Western Wheat-field--A Visit to Estill's Ranch--A - Skeleton in the Estill Closet--An Art Critic who was "Beef - to the Heel"--Very Undairy-like--A Trace of Mystery 159 - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - Phantoms of the Past--That "Unspeakable" Rob Warlow--The - Running-gears, if you please--The Clouds thicken--A - Glimpse of the Past 179 - - - CHAPTER XV. - - The Mysterious Trail--The Secret Cell--A Voice from - the Past--The Journal of Ivarene 194 - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - The Web of Mystery--The Gems of Monteluma--A Scene of - Bewildering Beauty 203 - - - CHAPTER XVII. - - The Red Gold of Monteluma--My Father's Doubloons--The - Phantom--A Million of Treasure 211 - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - The Course of True Love--The Cattle-king's - Daughter--Flirtation and Practicing--"Your Music makes me - Home-sick"--A Dubious Compliment--A Western View of Classic - Music--Schubert's Serenade, in which Rob has the "Cheek" - to assert that he can recognize the very Bar in that - Masterpiece, where the Old Man turns the Bull-dog loose--A - Couple of Idiots--Where Grace's Fingers itch to pull - Cliff's Ears--A Lover whose Lip hangs Very Low--That - Contemptible Thing, a Fortune Hunter 220 - - - CHAPTER XIX. - - A Strange Theory--Our Bodies may be tenanted by Souls - that have lived before--Farewell, my Native Land--A - Glimmering Circle of Phantom Warriors--A Haunted Spot--The - Crossing of the Santa Fe and Abilene Trails--The - Picnic--A Scene that was too Rich for my Blood 239 - - - CHAPTER XX. - - My Long-lost Gold--A Hero who dripped at the Nose like a - Hydrant--An Embarrassment of Riches--The Mirage--The Valley - of the Smoky Hill--The Iron Mound and Soldier's Cap--The - Mennonite Colony--A Gigantic Land-sale--Eagle Beak--The - Wailing Wolf of the Hill-top--A Strange Creed--A Stately - Mansion--The Grave-lights of Antelope Butte--A Comforting - and Seductive Theory--We may be re-born and live again to - enjoy the Happiness lost by Death 259 - - - CHAPTER XXI. - - The Skeletons on Antelope Butte--The Serene Wedding Morn - at the Stone Corral--We Live Again--Wedding - Festivities--The End 285 - - - - -A FORTUNE HUNTER: - -OR, - -THE OLD STONE CORRAL. - - - - -Chapter I. - - -The sinking sun threw its amber beams over the wide valley, rolling -hills, and the dim buttes, wreathed in the blue haze of distance and -looming with vague outlines in the wavering shimmer of the evening -mirage. - -A silvery stream, half hidden by fringing trees, wound through the -prairie valley, but was lost to sight where a lofty butte shouldered -boldly down from the highland on the south, as if to catch a view of the -Eden-like landscape that dreamed below, while far away to the north a -line of galloping hills bounded the vision, their mantles of tender -green dappled by the shadow and sunshine of the fleecy clouds that -floated overhead. On the south the level prairie melted away into the -limitless distance, clothed in the tender grasses and flowers of early -spring-time, while on every hand stretched away the horizon-bound -prairies of the Western plains. - -A wide meadow-land, made perfect by the hand of nature, but lacking that -soul and animation which human occupancy alone can impart to any scene. -No homes are visible; nothing but the blank page of nature, waiting to -be written over with the histories of the people, which, something -whispers to me, will soon invade this peaceful scene, over which now -broods the unnatural calm of utter solitude. - -Out beyond that blue line of hills, which flame up in the east, is -raging the fierce conflict which we call civilization; but the shock and -din, the roar and turmoil of the mighty battle die fitfully away long -before reaching the quivering line of that dim horizon. I stand alone -upon the crest of a breeze-kissed hill, listening to the moan and -whisper of the wind sighing through the grasses at my feet, or the notes -of a meadow lark, thrilling and sweet, as it flits by. - -To the westward, on a lofty knoll, are visible the broken arches and -ruined walls of the Old Stone Corral; rank vines now veil the loop-holes -where once had flashed forth the leaden death-messenger for many a -savage warrior that had tried to storm the impregnable inclosure, which -had been built as a place of refuge for travelers on the Santa Fe Trail, -that here crossed the Cottonwood on a stony ford. A giant elm, centuries -old, stood amid the ruins, its drooping boughs of feathery spray weeping -like a fountain of verdure over the spring that welled out from among -its roots, then went gurgling away, a purling brook, to join the narrow -stream in the valley. - -The river here at the ruins had nearly encircled the hill on which they -stood, and after half embracing the knoll in its timber-fringed course -had wound away down the valley, but where the groves grew in masses of -darkest green, there the stream had widened to miniature lakelets that -flashed like silver in the slanting sunbeams. - -On a low mound near by I see a great stone, like a rude monument, and -drawing near I can barely decipher this dim and weather-worn -inscription, carved on the red sandstone: - - Erected to the Memory - OF - FIFTY-THREE VICTIMS OF THE CHEYENNES, - AUGUST 22, 1849. - NAMES ALL UNKNOWN. - -Here is a dim, dark tragedy, buried within this grassy knoll, but within -these pages all the mystery which haunts the flower-bespangled hillock -will be cleared away. A difficult task indeed; but without those graves -my story would never have been written. - -I stand silent and thoughtful, gazing out over the tranquil landscape, -which had once witnessed a scene of revolting horror here on this quiet -spot; but all is peaceful now, the only sign of life visible being the -long file of antelope that hurry by from the north. Halting on a lofty -headland, they pause a moment, stretching their graceful necks to gaze -back along their pathway, then with loud snorts wheeling and swiftly -fleeing away. - -At this moment the distant sound of hoofs was heard, becoming -momentarily louder; then a group of riders dash up on their sleek, -superb horses, and draw rein at the rude monument. - -"It must be here, Clifford, at this low mound," said one of the riders, -a graceful girl of seventeen, with nut-brown hair and blue eyes. - -"Yes, Maud, I recognize the knoll from father's and Uncle Roger's -description. It was uncle who carved this inscription upon the stone, -little dreaming then that we should all come here a quarter of a century -later to secure a new home," replied a youth of near twenty years; -handsome, golden-haired, and symmetrical, with eyes of pansy blue, and a -look of pride and good birth about him which showed plain through the -dust and tan of a long journey. - -"Ah, dear Bruce and Ivarene! how sad to end their romance with such a -tragedy!" said Maud tearfully, as Clifford dismounted; then, as he -helped her to alight, they stood for a moment in mute sorrow while -deciphering the inscription upon the stone. - -"Maud, it is hard to believe that the heiress of grand old Monteluma, -with her millions of gold and gems at command, who wedded noble Bruce in -the great cathedral before the dignitaries and ambassadors of half -Christendom with a pomp and splendor new to even luxury-steeped Mexico, -is sleeping with her husband in the silence of this lonesome grave," -Clifford said in a tone of deep sadness. - -"Oh! how vivid the picture returns, of the silken and lace-robed -heiress, who threw back the gilded lattice of her window, and with -pearls glinting, and rubies burning in her raven hair, smiled as her -handsome lover, in his uniform of gray and gold lace, swung himself up -to her window by the passion-vines and fuchsias, that rained a shower of -purple, white, and rose on his sunny hair. I can almost see the -love-look in his blue eyes yet," said Maud with a flood of tears, as she -leaned against the rude monument and covered her face with her hands. - -"I have sometimes fancied that they escaped; for there was no one left -but father to inquire, and you know how long he was covered with the -stones of that old wall, remaining delirious for months after Uncle -Roger found him," said Clifford, "and that million of their gold and -gems, with father's store of gold, I have often fancied, Maud, was -hidden near here; for there has never been a search made since the -terrible massacre." - -"That looks so improbable, Clifford. If the savages murdered them for -plunder, as they certainly did, then it is idle to think that they would -have left anything of value behind. Even the jewels would have been -fought for, as savages are very fond of glitter and splendor," Maud -replied. - -"Yes, that very disposition of theirs to wrangle over their booty has -given me a hope that the leader might have buried the gold, for the -reason that it would have been impossible to carry away a ton of coin -without first dividing it. I shall make the search at any rate, though -it does look like a forlorn hope," he added with a sigh. - -"Miss Warlow, there seems to have been a great tragedy enacted here in -the past," said a young man of near Clifford's age, who had been -silently regarding them from a distance, in company with a -flaxen-haired girl, younger than Maud, who still sat upon her horse by -his side. - -"Yes, Mr. Moreland, and it nearly concerns us; for our father, here on -this spot, once lost a great fortune, and at the same time those two -friends of whom we have been speaking. This all was long before Clifford -and I were born; but father has told us so often of the tragedy that the -names of Bruce and Ivarene Walraven are dear and sacred to us all," Maud -replied. - -"Oh, Ralph! I wonder if Colonel Warlow would tell us the particulars of -that terrible affair?" said the younger girl. - -"It would be doubly interesting here upon the closing scene of the -tragedy," the young man replied. - -"Will you ask your father, Maud, to tell us to-night?" the young girl -inquired eagerly. - -"Yes, Grace: it will help to while away our first Sabbath here, which -will be a lonesome day to-morrow," Maud made answer as they remounted -and rode down to the stream to water their horses. - -"What a lovely camp-ground!" exclaimed Grace. "Shall we not stop here, -Ralph?" - -"Yes, sister, if the others are willing. It is not only a fine camping -ground, but it is more: This is a grand home-land, or will be when we -select our 'claims,' Monday. I never before have seen a more beautiful -or fertile valley than this." - -Soon a long line of white covered wagons and a comfortable carriage -appeared, coming down the Santa Fe trail, which wound its travel-worn -course over the hills from the north-east; and where solitude had -reigned but an hour before there now re-echoed the sounds of a busy -camp, and ruddy fires leaped and sparkled, about which female forms -flitted to and fro, preparing their evening meal. But while all was -bustle and animation within the camp, a solitary figure could be seen -standing at the long grave, bowed in an attitude of silent grief. - -As he walked slowly back within the glare of the camp-fire, it was -apparent that he was a man past middle life, of grave and dignified -appearance; the lines of care, on his still handsome face, were deepened -as if by grief as he seated himself by a tree, away from the glare of -the light. - -As he sat thus--lost in reverie--Maud came softly by, and, passing her -hand over his hair in a caressing way, said:-- - -"What a lovely country this is! I am charmed with it already." - -"Yes, Maud, my daughter, it is a fertile and picturesque region; but it -will be hard to inure myself to living on this spot, for it is haunted -by very bitter memories." - -"Oh, it is sad, indeed, to think of the fate of Bruce and his graceful -bride; but we will deck their grave with flowers, and I shall never -cease to grieve for them," she said, dropping a kiss on her father's -cheek, then hurrying away to the camp-fire. - -He was roused from his gloomy reverie, a few minutes later, by his wife, -who came to his side, and, as her hand rested fondly on his shoulder, -she said, in a sweet voice of womanly sympathy, in which could be -traced a sub-tone of strength and resolution:-- - -"George, dear, this is no time for repining; instead we should feel -happy and grateful that we have found such a delightful country as this -in which to select our future home. Oh, this valley is more beautiful -than even my wildest dreams had ever pictured. I had felt apprehensive, -husband, that your impressions of this place had been colored by your -youthful enthusiasm of twenty, and own that I had made ample allowance -for the quarter of a century which has passed since then; but it is -certainly the most charming spot I have ever beheld." - -"My dear, brave wife," he replied joyfully, "you lift a heavy burden -from my heart; we will select a home near here early Monday morning, and -begin building at once. I shall leave the selection with you, Mary, -however." - -"Oh, we are too late," she replied, with a cheerful smile. "Robbie has -found the spot already; he has just returned from down the valley, where -Scott Moreland and himself had driven the stock, and they report having -found a perfect paradise. They are both boiling over with enthusiasm, -and are bareheaded, having left their hats hanging on trees to mark the -location of their respective 'claims,' and when I left the camp-fire -they were inveighing against the injustice of a law that would not -permit fifteen-year-old boys to take a 'homestead.'" - -In a more cheerful mood the couple now sought the camp-fire, which was -surrounded by more than a dozen persons of both sexes, all animated and -happy over the termination of their long and toilsome journey. - -The two who have just entered the circle are Colonel Warlow and his -wife, while the handsome youth of fifteen, with hazel eyes and auburn -hair, which has a faint tinge of red, that accounts for the reputation -he has earned within the Warlow circle, is Robbie, their youngest; while -that golden-haired young Adonis, who, in a fit of grave abstraction, -sits leaning against a tree, his white and tapering hands clasped about -his knee, the firelight glimmering over a small and well-shaped boot -resting on the round of his chair, is their oldest son, Clifford, whom -we have met before; while Maud, their only daughter, is easily -recognized as she flits about, busy and graceful. - -Next we see the family of Squire Moreland, from the valley of the -Merrimac--the squire himself being a representative Puritan, plain and -grave; his wife, a type of the live and thorough-going New England -woman, deeply imbued with the "thingness of is," able to discuss apples -or algebra, beans or baptism, or in fact any subject down to zymology. -Then Ralph, principally to be recommended for being "general good -fellow." Next in their family is Scott, quiet and grave, addressed by -Rob Warlow as the "Young Squire;" and their only daughter, Grace, in -whose make-up there is more than a faint spice of the tomboy. - -Colonel Warlow's family had left their old Missouri home, the tobacco -and hemp plantation on which the children had all been born, and, -having met the Morelands on their rout, bound for that indefinite -region "out West," they had journeyed on together to this spot, -attracted by Colonel Warlow's remembrance of its great beauty and -natural fertility, which had deeply impressed him when he was here a -quarter of a century before. - -Learning, at Council Grove, that the valley was open to homestead entry, -they had hastened on, miles ahead of other settlements, to locate here -on a spot that was beyond the utmost limit of civilization. - -Soon the hungry travelers were seated at the cloth that was spread on -the downy buffalo-grass, and were partaking of the broiled quail and -antelope steak, the appetizing odors of which now pervaded the whole -camp; but as the company ranged themselves about the tempting repast, -Maud and Grace retired to a seat by the fire, declaring as they did so, -that they would not sacrifice their precious lives by sitting at a table -with thirteen other sinners. - -"Give us a song, then," cried some one from the table, at which Grace -sprang up and brought Maud's guitar from the carriage, and soon the -sweet strains, - - "Oft in the stilly night, - Ere slumber's chains have bound me, - Fond memory brings the light - Of other days around me," - -re-echoed through the tranquil valley. As Maud's tender soprano mingled -with the luscious alto of Grace's voice the listeners almost forgot the -tempting feast spread before them, and cries of "Bravo!" "Encore!" -etc., greeted the close of the pathetic song, which was wholly lost, as -to its sentiment, upon the younger members of the company. - -"Pass the hat," cried Bob, whereupon Grace handed her sunshade around -among the laughing group, but after inspecting the collection, she said -with an air of contempt:-- - -"A wish-bone and five bread-crusts! Why, a _prima donna_ would starve on -such a meagre salary. I've a notion to play Herodias's daughter and -dance off your heads;" and when Maud struck up a lively fandango, she -shook her curls in a threatening manner, and then whirled off into an -amazing waltz. - -Jeers and hoots from the boys resounded at her last _pas seul_, and -Clifford's voice was heard in the gay tumult saying: "Mademoiselle dis -Grace must have learned her step at an Irish wake." - -"Let us no longer serve an ungrateful public," said Maud, as they sat -down to the table, where their gayety chased away all traces of care or -sorrow. When the meal was finished, Maud and Grace begged Colonel Warlow -to relate his early history. Their request was eagerly seconded by the -other members of the company, who were anxious to learn the particulars -of that tragedy, hinted at by the inscription on the mound, and how he -came to be connected with the actors in that terrible drama, and to lose -a great fortune on that spot so long ago. Then the colonel, after -sitting for a few moments wrapped in serious thought, replied that it -was a long story, and would require more than one evening to relate all -the particulars of that great tragedy, that would always be fresh in his -memory as long as life endured. - -The company reminded him that it would be rather lonesome on their first -Sabbath, and entreated him so eagerly that at length he consented; then, -as the firelight leaped and sparkled, and the beams of the rising moon -silvered the waters of the stream, moaning and fretting over the stony -ford, they all gathered about the colonel, still and expectant. The -quavering scream of a lone wolf died out on the hills in a plaintive -wail; then only the faint whisper of the wind sighing though the willow -was heard, and the colonel said:-- - - - - -Chapter II. - -COLONEL WARLOW'S STORY. - - -"When a boy of twenty I joined the army that soon invaded Mexico, and -carried victory with its banners into the Aztec capital--the -world-renowned halls of the Montezumas. - -"It was before Vera Cruz--when our ranks were swept by the iron hail, -rained upon our storming columns by scores of cannon from San Juan de -Ulloa--that I first saw Bruce Walraven, whom I was thenceforth to regard -as a brother. - -"An exploding shell had killed my horse, which had fallen upon me in -such a way that made it impossible for me to rise without assistance; -and while I was yet vainly struggling to extricate myself from the -dangerous position, a squadron of cavalry rushed by, charging a company -of Mexican infantry intrenched behind a light breastwork of sand-bags. I -held up my hand with an imploring gesture--a human voice was lost in the -wild thunder and roar of artillery--and the leader of the cavalry saw my -sad plight. He wavered a moment as though struggling with discipline; -but the sight of a fellow-soldier in distress seemed to outweigh all -else, even the pride of leading his men, for he dashed to my side and -helped me to rise; then, as a riderless horse galloped by, he caught its -dangling rein, and by his help, in a moment more I was again in the -saddle. - -"By rapid riding we soon overtook the command, and were greeted by a -ringing cheer from the soldiers, who quickly showed their appreciation -of his humanity. Later in the war I would not have been so fortunate; -but we were new, as yet, to scenes of bloodshed and carnage, which -accounted for the laxity of discipline, but evidence of humanity, shown -in this incident. - -"After the successful storming of the enemy's slight earthworks, which, -with their usual lack of military science, had been but half manned and -illy constructed, I had a long talk with young Lieutenant Walraven, and -in a short time I had managed to be exchanged into his company; and we -soon became inseparable companions, sharing the same blanket at night -and rude fare during the day, or riding side by side through the battles -of that glorious campaign, and finally reaching the valley of Mexico -safely. - -"Here, while engaged in a slight skirmish with the enemy, Walraven was -wounded in the arm, and was immediately conveyed to the old hacienda of -Monteluma, near by. At his urgent request I was detailed to stay with -him as a guard. In the courts of that princely villa he rapidly -convalesced; and one day, while seated by the great fountain, where -myrtle and jasmine, oleander and roses, mingled their fragrance, he saw -two beautiful Spanish ladies loitering near, and being concealed by the -luxuriant foliage himself, he could see and hear all that passed -without being discovered. - -"He always afterward declared to me that at first he had no intention of -playing the eavesdropper; but when he learned from their talk that it -was himself they were discussing, then the temptation became too great -to resist, so he sat very still while the following dialogue took place, -and which, with his usual boyish frankness, he related to me an hour -later. This was in Spanish; but Bruce was now quite proficient in that -language, and readily understood all that was said:-- - -"'But, Ivarene, my dear, it does not become Don Rozarro's daughter and -heiress--last, alas! of the proud line of Monteluma--to become -infatuated with the blue eyes and golden hair of this wounded soldier; -and if he is as handsome as a Norse king, to which you so foolishly -compare him, he still is no less our country's enemy,' said the elder -lady, who seemed to be a duenna, whose sole care consisted in keeping -the younger and more beautiful lady hidden from the eyes of her -unwelcome guests, but with what success you may readily perceive. - -"'But, Labella, cousin dear, he is alone, wounded and ill in a foreign -land--no mother, sister, or sweetheart near to soothe his long days of -pain! (I wonder if he has a sweetheart in that cold Northland!) And -then, Labella, does not the good Book command us to do good to those who -hate us, and to love our enemies?' she replied with a mischievous -smile. - -"'Oh, the command, my darling, does not apply to every sunny-haired -trooper who, invades our country--' - -"'No--no; not every one, true!' retorted Ivarene, archly, to which the -duenna quickly replied:-- - -"'I fear, Ivarene, that your English education, and your much reading of -those Northern books, have turned your head.' - -"Here the ladies passed on through a latticed arcade, and their voices -were lost in the distance; but my friend had seen and heard enough to -lose his heart completely, and in the evening, as we sat on the balcony -without, he was so quiet and thoughtful that I began to realize the fact -that he was deeply entangled in the meshes of love at first sight. - -"Leaving him to his reflections, I walked to the edge of the balcony to -gaze out over the matchless landscape which the lofty mansion commanded. - -"The tropic moon poured a flood of silvery radiance over the Vale of -Mexico, while low down on the horizon burned the fiery Southern Cross. -The bubbling domes of the great capital seemed to float upon the lakes -which environ its walls, and her myriad lights twinkled and flashed back -from their waters like stars on a frosty night. - -"Old Chapultepec, with its castellated walls, towered out on the lofty -headland; and the dark forests of cypress, that had witnessed the -tragedies and pageants of Aztec splendor for a thousand years past, -clothed the base of the hill in a sombre mantle, peopled by the -spectres, I thought, of long dead princes and Montezumas that in the -dim past had lived their lives of inconceivable luxury in those ancient -groves. - -"Over all loomed the old volcanoes, white and ghostly, with their -mantles of eternal snow and hearts of hidden fire. Shrouded in mystery, -they seemed a fit emblem of the Aztec past, whose buried histories still -haunt this ancient land. - -"Near by, at the foot of the lofty terrace, the groves of olive and -orange were sombre in shade. In the soft wind the myrtle rustled -faintly, and on the roses at our feet the dew-drops glinted in fitful -splendor. - -"In an angle of the old wall, where the murky shadows were deepest, the -glow-worms burned in the damp grass, and the fire-flies glimmered -incessantly. There I half fancied that I could see strange forms -hovering; and when a figure flitted out into the moonlight, then was -quickly lost again in the black shade of an aloe, I was startled for a -moment; but concluding it was one of the peons belonging to the estate, -I turned my eyes to again feast on the glorious view. - -"There were numberless fountains pouring down their sheen of waters, -that, after flashing a moment in the moonlight, rippled away in -rivulets, which gurgled and sang as they leaped over the terraces in -mimic cascades, where they joined the waters of the fairy-like lakes -that slumbered in the grounds below. These tranquil sheets of water were -the reservoirs which served to irrigate the vast estate, and were decked -with floating gardens, on which were gilded arbors or lattices of -white, with beds of bright-hued tropic flowers. - -"On every hand lay league upon league of land, all owned by the young -mistress of Monteluma. The long avenue of cypress only ending close to -the walls of the capital, the villages of peons, the pasturages where -the numerous flocks grazed, groves of orange and lemon, and the fields -of wheat,--all these I knew were the undisputed estate of our hostess, -of whom Bruce was now dreaming. - -"I was aroused from my reverie by an exclamation from my companion, who -had now sprung up excitedly and was pointing down toward the entrance, -while he grasped the pistols that hung in his belt--weapons that were -never lost sight of in this turbulent country. As I looked toward the -spot where he was pointing I could see the long line of a hundred -steps--which led up to the only entrance to the hacienda--lined and -thronging with armed men: - -"In a moment the situation flashed upon us: they were banditti or -marauders, emboldened by the unprotected state of the rich villa, and -were now attacking the great iron-studded door. If they effected an -entrance, I shuddered with apprehension to think of the fate of its -inmates; but we lost no time while we were thus speculating, but quickly -barring the door on the balcony we rushed down into the court, and while -I grasped the bell-rope and sent forth a wild alarm from the brazen bell -that hung in the lofty tower, Bruce hurried on through the long hall -toward the door of entrance. - -"As he was fastening the chains and bars across the entrance a crowd of -frightened peons came flocking into the hall, and while we were hastily -arming them with the guns that hung upon the wall and directing them to -guard the upper windows and doors that opened out upon the lofty -balconies, the door of the great saloon was hurriedly thrown open, and -Senora Labella asked in a trembling voice the reason of the commotion. - -"When she learned that the bandits were at the door she fled back into -the room, and as we followed, assuring her of our protection, we saw her -fly to where the young heiress stood, her arm yet resting upon the -gilded harp which she had but just that moment ceased playing, and the -light from the silver chandelier falling softly upon her raven hair and -the lustrous white silk that fell in graceful folds about her slender -form. - -"While the excited duenna clung to the more youthful lady, and gave way -to incoherent cries of fear and moans of distress, we begged them to -retire to a tower of great strength, and we would surely repel the -attack; but Ivarene declared she would stay and help defend her -home--saying she would not have it said that the last Rozarro was the -first to flee from danger. - -"After the senora had been given over to the care of a bevy of badly -frightened maids, Ivarene hurried fearlessly out into the hall and -showed Bruce where several loop-holes were concealed by slides of iron. -These commanded the entrance, and while we rained a galling fire upon -the enemy, she stood in an angle of the thick wall and reloaded the -guns for us, which we as rapidly discharged again with telling effect. -The blows upon the door soon ceased, and we could see the marauders -retreating down the steps; then, as a parting salute followed them, they -could be heard galloping swiftly away. - -"When all was still again, we accompanied the brave young heiress back -to the saloon, where she thanked us earnestly for the rescue of her home -from the hands of the marauders. Of course, we quickly assured her that -the honors and glory of the occasion rested in her bravery and -resolution. When she gave her hand to my handsome, sunny-haired friend, -I think something stronger than admiration shone in his deep-blue eyes -as he gazed upon the beautiful creole face, now suffused with blushes -and lit by eyes of midnight blackness. - -"The senora had now recovered from her agitation, and was voluble and -profuse in her thanks and compliments. At a sign from her the servants -brought great silver trays, loaded with cake of white and gold, with -decanters of ruby wine, glittering in the flasks of cut glass like -liquid fire. For an hour or more the dark-eyed young heiress sang songs -of Spain in a voice of cultured melody, while her white fingers swept -the gilded harp, that vibrated in tones of sweetest harmony under her -skillful touch. - -"As a compliment to us she also sang several Scotch and English ballads, -and we were pleasantly surprised to learn that she had received an -education in England, and spoke our own tongue with remarkable fluency. - -"From that night we were accorded all the privileges of honored guests -in the great hacienda." - -Here the colonel paused, remarking that as the hour was growing late his -hearers would excuse him, which they promised to do providing he would -continue his narrative on the morrow. As the party arose from about the -camp-fire, Robbie said he felt heroic enough to eat several Mexicans, -not to mention such relishes as wine, cake, and peons, at which very -broad hint the tea-kettle was soon humming on the embers; and when the -cups of the soothing beverage were handed around, Grace passed a basket, -which, if not filled with such luxuries as those which had graced the -Mexican saloon, were at least very acceptable to our friends. - -Scott, whose attention was divided between a chicken-bone and reverie, -suddenly inquired if they thought there would ever be another war with -Mexico. As the party broke up with a laugh at his expense, the quiet of -nature once more reigned over the valley, broken only by the hoarse -croak of the frogs in the dark pools and the shrill cry of the cicada in -the grass. - -The moon threw a pale, silvery light upon the row of white tents, where -our friends were soon dreaming of the new homes that they would build in -this tranquil valley; yet no vision of the strange events which fate -held in store for them came to prepare them for the life of trial and -adventure which they were now entering upon. - -One day more of quiet rest, then would begin a life new and strange for -them all. They had left their old selves forever behind; their past was -a blank; new faces and new friends awaited them here in their future -home, which had never been even claimed as the property of any man since -the dawn of creation. - -Yes, fate is both unkind and compassionate in withholding a knowledge of -the blessings and trials that await them here; so they slumber on, while -unseen destiny begins to weave her web, checkered and mysterious as the -veil of moonlight that wavers through the willows. - - - - -Chapter III. - -COLONEL WARLOW'S STORY--CONTINUED. - - -The morning of that Sabbath broke calm and serene. A warm haze brooded -over the valley or danced in lines of quivering heat across the green -prairies of the upland, and the dew had long since ceased to glitter on -the rank blue-stem grass when our friends awoke. - -The breakfast which followed almost caused them to forget the fact that -they were out upon the borders of the "Great American Desert," and they -might have fancied that they were once more but picnicking under the -shade of their native groves; for it was a meal that had exhausted the -culinary art of both matrons. Wild mushrooms, stewed in sweet cream, -deliciously fragrant and hinting of the wild-wood near by, delicate -brook-trout from the stream, mingled their aroma with the elder-bloom -fritters which Maud was preparing; and on the snowy damask, spread on -the grass, Mrs. Moreland's golden honey-comb vied with the Warlow jelly -and crimson marmalade, while the coffee would make one dream of Araby -the blest. - -An hour after the morning meal we find our friends seated under the -shade of the great elm among the ruins, the sunlight struggling faintly -through the verdant canopy and weaving a golden veil over the ashen -buffalo-grass, starred by daisies and violets. The spring welled out -with a sleepy murmur, and overhead an oriole, near its swinging nest, -caroled forth a stream of bubbling melody. - -"A month passed," continued the colonel, "and we still lingered in the -stately mansion, daily and hourly meeting the young heiress, who was -always accompanied by her matronly kinswoman. But one morning, as Bruce -was loitering in the court, he glanced up and saw the smiling face of -Ivarene, framed by the passion-flowers, fuchsias, and jasmine which -festooned the walls within the court and wreathed the lattice above her -balcony. - -"With an impulse which he could not resist our young hero swung himself -up by the vines, and stood, with his sunny hair and smiling blue eyes, -within the balcony. He wore the uniform of a captain of cavalry--soft -gray, with cords and lace of frosted gilt over the breast--top-boots, -embossed with gold, and a hat half concealed by the drooping plumes. - -"She threw back the gilded jalousies which guarded her window, and, -smiling graciously, held out her hand, which he clasped with all the -rapture of an infatuated lover. - -"She was robed in soft, rose-colored India muslin, embroidered in white -lilies, and over her breast and arms fell a cascade of lace, caught -lightly over her raven tresses, in that graceful manner which the ladies -of Spanish America wear the mantilla; gleaming through its filmy folds -could be seen the rubies which burned in her hair. - -"Within that flower-entwined balcony was re-enacted that tender -scene--old as the dawn of creation, still ever new. How he told the -tale, or how she answered, I can not say, but may readily surmise from -the brilliant wedding which followed in the old cathedral a few months -later. - -"Bruce had become very popular with the young officers of our army, and -I have often seen him riding about the city with McClellan, and--" - -"What! not our 'Little Mac?'" cried Squire Moreland, springing to his -feet, transformed into an impetuous soldier by the magic of a name, and -while the others regarded him with amazement, as he paced back and forth -with clenched hands, he continued in a tone of repressed vehemence: "If -there is one name that would cause me to leap from the grave, it is that -of 'Little Mac,' the Giant of Antietam; and, as there is a God above, I -believe it was McClellan who led us to victory at Gettysburg. Oh, can I -ever forget that terrible day when the host of Lee beat and broke in -thunder over the hills like the ocean on a rocky shore, drenching our -ranks in a surf of blood--when reckless Longstreet charged like a -whirlwind through smoke and flame, while our columns staggered under the -shock? The scream of countless shells and the stunning belch and roar of -a thousand cannon mingled with the trample of the Southern cavalry as it -hurled its squadrons upon us like the throes of an earthquake, their -storm of rebel yells rising above the notes of Dixie and all the din of -conflict with the roar of a hurricane. Oh, Heaven! how then we longed -for one hour of 'Little Mac!' That day our Nation's fate trembled in -the balance; a few more shocks and all would be lost; then this fierce -army--another such the world has never seen--would sweep over the North -like an avalanche! Every moment hurried myriads into eternity, wringing -loving hearts and breaking many a home from Maine to Texas. But when the -word, like an electric shock, flashed along our hopeless ranks, '_Little -Mac has come_,' can I ever, ever, forget the shout of delight that burst -from the parched lips of threescore thousand men? the rapid rush of -marching ranks as they hurried to death, shouting, 'Little Mac, Little -Mac!' when squadrons flashed by to the cannon's mouth, shaking the earth -with their thunders of that mighty name? Oh! the wild delight and glory -of that hour, when the fierce but baffled hosts of Lee broke and fled! -But at the battle's close they claimed that it was only a ruse, and that -McClellan was not there. Yet I shall always believe he did lead us that -day; but, unwilling to impair the laurels of Meade, he has kept silent -all these years--only such a man is capable of that grand heroism. I -have interrupted you, Colonel. Please excuse me, and proceed with your -narrative." - -After a moment's silence, the colonel said: - -"Bruce Walraven was descended from a noble English family that had -settled in New York in the earliest colonial days, but their fortunes -had waned until himself and his sword were all that remained of that -once powerful house. He was an orphan, who had graduated with honor at -West Point Military Academy, and was utterly alone in the world, with -no one to love but Ivarene and myself, yet no brothers could have been -more deeply attached than we soon became to each other. - -"I have never yet described him to you, from the fact that--that--Well, -I feel a strange reluctance to say that Clifford, here, is the very -image of that friend who died four years before my boy was born; but as -I look at my son now, I almost fancy that Bruce is with me again, and -that all my manhood's troubled years are only a fitful dream. - -"Since his boyhood I have noticed Clifford's resemblance to Bruce, and -as my boy grew older he seemed to almost take the place of my lost -friend, which has resulted, you perceive, in a sort of companionship -between us which leads strangers to take us for brothers, instead of -father and son. But to my story again. - -"The wedding-day dawned fair and serene, and at noon a company of young -cadets from Chapultepec, all of whom were sons of the highest Mexican -aristocracy, filed out on the avenue of cypresses that led to Monteluma, -their snow-white horses trapped with gold and purple, and their steel -helmets a mass of tossing plumes; their high top-boots of glossy black -were embossed with gilt, and on the breasts of their white tunics the -Mexican eagle flashed in silver, as two and two they galloped out to the -great hacienda. - -"An hour later Ivarene entered her low, open carriage, which was richly -gilded and drawn by four white horses that were almost hidden by -garlands of bright-hued flowers. She wore a robe of white satin, while -a tiara and necklace of pearls glimmered through the filmy veil that -trailed like a mist about her form. Behind her, there rode in separate -carriages, each drawn by two white horses, her seven bridesmaids, who -were likewise dressed in white. Senora Labella sat by the side of -Ivarene, and a grand dame also occupied each carriage with a bridesmaid; -their sumptuous toilets of satin, velvet, and brocade were of purple and -cream-rose, emerald and lilac. - -"As this brilliant company filed out on the avenue, four cadets riding -in double file between each carriage, flowers were strewn in the road by -long lines of peon children dressed in white. At the city gates a double -guard of Mexican and American soldiers, riding white horses and gorgeous -with military trappings, escorted them through the city to the grand -plaza, where the old cathedral was thronged with the proud and great of -two nations, while the ministers and foreign ambassadors of nearly all -of Europe and the Americas, waited in pomp of state with their wives and -daughters, all attired in the extreme of luxury. I shall not try to -depict the splendor of the final scene when the cardinal in his robes of -scarlet pronounced the solemn service, and pale, handsome Bruce, wearing -his uniform of a colonel, received his bride from the hand of Don -Hernando Rozarro, the Spanish ambassador. - -"Haughty Santa Anna was there, and General Taylor looked happily on, -while all around were grouped our gallant officers, graceful and young, -whose names now thunder down the galleries of fame linked with Antietam, -Shiloh, and blood-drenched Malvern Hill. Grant and Lee, those slumbering -lions, that in after years were to shake the continent with appalling -conflict, now stood side by side, each carrying the wedding favor of -their friend. - -"A scene of splendor ensued that recalled the old pageants of the -Montezumas, when a long line of gilded coaches and prancing white horses -filed out in the twilight, along the avenue returning to Monteluma. The -sun had set, but a parting gleam was yet crimsoning the snow on the -volcano of Toluco, while the sombre cypresses were aglow with the green -and rosy light of torches, carried by the double line of peons in their -ancient Aztec garb. Old Monteluma glimmered like a jewel from terrace to -turret with colored lights, while out upon the broad esplanades, where -thousands of the peons were feasting, the fountains flashed white and -misty, like the snow-storms of my Northern home. - -"When Ivarene, leaning on Bruce's arm, walked up the long flight of -steps to the doorway of her old home, the marble beneath her feet was -hidden by the rose-leaves strewn by peon girls in white, while her train -was borne by four small Indian pages in feather costumes, gorgeous as -humming-birds. Within, the halls were blazing with light, and garlanded -by tropic flowers. Tables were loaded with gold, silver, and crystal; -wine flowed like water; while the viol and harp, gay dance and song, -caused the hours to speed swiftly by, and the tired but happy revelers -only sought their homes when the snowy summit of Popocatapetl was -flushed with rose, and bars of pale gold flashed out from behind the dim -crest of Orizaba. - -"After a brief honey-moon, which was spent at La Puebla, Bruce and his -bride returned to Monteluma, and so urgent was the invitation which they -extended for me to make my home with them until I should decide to -return northward, that I immediately joined them in their princely -abode. - -"My friend soon discovered that his rosy path was beset thickly with -thorns, for every day he was made aware of the aversion in which his -Mexican neighbors held him; their cold neglect cut deeper than their -swords. So it was with growing alarm that his wife beheld these -symptoms, for she well knew how the fine speeches and grave courtesy of -her countrymen often covered hearts of hate and tiger-like rage; and -when she saw the covert hostility of her former friends she became -apprehensive, indeed, for the safety of her husband. - -"One day she startled us by proposing that we should all go North to her -husband's former home on the Hudson, and she then proceeded to say that -she had grown to view her native land with something of the feelings -with which it was regarded abroad. She had resided in England several -years, and now longed again for the life and freedom of the -Anglo-Saxons. - -"Although Bruce was overjoyed at the prospect, he still said he would -not insist on taking her from her native land and kindred; but when she -said that her only relative living now was Labella, who was soon to -marry Herr Von Brunn, a merchant of the capital, and that she had -determined to sell Monteluma to an Englishman for seventy thousand -doubloons, or over a million dollars, then he reluctantly consented to -the change, only stipulating that the immediate park, grounds, and -mansion should be reserved, so that if she grew tired of her Northern -home they would find her old mansion awaiting their return. - -"Kissing him tenderly, she declared he was a Rozarro in spirit, if not -in name. It was decided to leave the villa in charge of Labella, and in -a short time a sale of the estate was consummated for the sum of fifty -thousand doubloons, or seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars in -gold--the mansion and park being reserved. - -"Senora Labella was dowered by Ivarene with a gift of several thousand -doubloons on her wedding Von Brunn, after which event we set to work -earnestly preparing for our overland journey northward. A long train of -wagons were loaded with dry-goods for the markets of Northern Mexico. -The price of such articles there had been enhanced enormously by the -war, and Von Brunn shrewdly advised us to pursue this course. When -Ivarene kindly offered to loan me money to invest in this manner, I -gladly accepted fifty thousand dollars, with which I bought linen and -cotton goods at the port of Vera Cruz, which was then crowded by the -ships of all nations. - -"I might be pardoned for digressing a moment while speaking of the -strange belief in a future state which Bruce entertained. There was a -vein of seriousness and grave, quiet religion running through the nature -of my friend, and often, while we were stretched on our blanket with no -canopy but the dewless Mexican sky, studded by the Southern Cross, and -bespangled by constellations that were new and strange to our -eyes--often, I say, he would talk of that weird belief, which then was -very enigmatical to me, but which in my maturer life has recurred with a -sweet solace to my declining years. - -"Bruce believed that the soul was an individual, invisible as air and -imperishable as time itself, and that the spirit was a progressive, -rational being, which could never leave this earth until the great -Judgment-day, at which time our planet would be as unfit for a human -abode as the moon is at present. - -"After death, which, he said, was only a wearing out of the outer -garment of the soul or spirit, the animating principle, or life, would -still inhabit the earth, invisible to human eyes, but yet an -intelligent, observing being; subtile as air, yet powerful as -electricity. Whenever the newly released soul chose to do so, it could -take on a new form by being re-born. He thought that before birth we -were possessed of a life akin to that of the vegetable kingdom, but at -birth a spirit that had lived before took possession of our bodies, and -used us as a habitation until our bodies became either worn through age, -or distasteful to the occupant--death ensuing in either case. - -"His highest idea of heaven, he said, would be to have the power to live -again, and again meet those friends whom he had loved best in the prior -life, guided to them unerringly by the mystic ties of love and affinity. -Memory of the past life, he thought, was that sense which we call -instinct, conscience, or intuition, being only a feeble glimmer, as it -were, of the previous state in which we had lived. - -"I remember well, the night before the battle of Churubusco, how Bruce -and I talked of these things; for he said, as we sat beneath a -palm-tree, while the tropic moon flooded the earth with a dreamy -splendor, that we were to fight the last great battle of the war on the -morrow--a conflict in which one or both of us might perish--and all that -reconciled him to such a fate was the belief that we should live again, -and meet each other in this world, which was the only heaven we were yet -fitted for. - -"I would not have you entertain the thought for one instant that Bruce -was skeptical or irreligious. On the contrary, his fearless piety was -often commented upon; for I have seen him kneel on the bloody fields of -Cerro Gordo and Contreras, and thank God in a trembling voice for his -gracious preservation of my life and his own, while the rude soldiery -stood by with mute respect, remembering his reckless daring and -lion-like bravery in the hours of deadliest peril to which human life -can be exposed. - -"No; his creed was a very strange one, though one that is old as history -itself; he appeared to differ from the general belief only in his -definition of heaven and its location. He often said that if a man -retrograded and became brutal he would meet his punishment in the next -life, for his brutal instincts would seek their affinity after death and -he could only be re-born as a brute, in which state he would remain -until his new life exhausted the brutal element from his soul. - -"I fancy he imbibed his doctrines from his father, who had been an -officer in India. It might have been that the elder Walraven had there -caught glimpses of a belief somewhat akin to Buddhism. When I pressed -Bruce for his proof of this strange theory he referred me to the -Bible--Matthew xvi; 13, 14: 'When Jesus came to Cesarea Philippi, he -asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am? -And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias; and -others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.' All of which goes to prove -how ancient the belief really is; for it is apparent that people -believed Christ to be the reincarnation of a spirit of one of those -people who had been dead many years. - -"Ivarene soon became converted to Bruce's creed, while I often find -myself, even yet, taking solace in this strange belief. - -"Early in the spring of 1848, the long caravan started northward, and -when we arrived at Chihuahua, a ready market was found for the goods, -after disposing of which I found that I had more than doubled the sum -invested; so when the debt was repaid to my kind benefactors, with the -addition of a liberal interest for the use of the money, there was -still left me, as clear profit, fifty thousand dollars in gold. - -"We spent the winter in Santa Fe, but early the next spring resumed our -journey, I having in the meantime bought a few wagon-loads of wool to -take through to Independence, Missouri, which was then the eastern -terminus of the Santa Fe Trail; but the money which I had saved from my -speculation remained intact, and was deposited with fifty sacks of -doubloons (which were the property of Bruce and Ivarene) in a large -iron-bound cask of cypress-wood, each sack plainly marked with the name -of its owner, and the whole tightly packed in wool within the cask. - -"This vast treasure, more than half a million of dollars in gold coin, -only represented a portion of my friend's wealth; for there were chests -of costly silks, brocades, velvets, and priceless laces, all the -accumulation of centuries of luxury and boundless riches; paintings by -Murillo and Velasquez, that for ages had adorned the long gallery at -Monteluma; books of vellum, and richly bound volumes from its -marble-paved library, together with a dozen wagon-loads of carved ebony, -mahogany, and rosewood furniture from the same stately home. - -"I shall never forget that glorious scene, the last evening in -Chihuahua, when the sinking sun lit up the low room where we three sat, -with an open casket before us and the stone table ablaze with glimmering -gems. - -"There were scores of great, pure diamonds, flashing back a quivering -glare of rainbow hues; rubies glowing like fire with rose and crimson -light; white, frosty pearls, glinting beside the baleful emeralds, that -emitted fitful gleams of green and gold. Over all flickered the wavering -shimmer of opal and blood-stones, mingling with the violet, lilac, and -purple rays of sapphires and amethysts. - -"A great many of these gems had been purchased by my friends through the -advice and assistance of Von Brunn; but the most precious of the lot -were heir-looms, of which Ivarene was justly proud, and for an hour she -recounted their histories:-- - -"The great blood-stone had once shone in the war-club of an Aztec -prince, who was slain in battle by the first Baron of Monteluma, one of -those adventurous spirits that came over and shared the glory of the -conquest with Cortez. - -"The carcanet of pearls was a gift from Queen Isabella to the bride of -the same brave knight. - -"A diamond cross that had been bestowed by Leo X. upon a cardinal of the -house of Rozarro. - -"A ruby dragon that carried in its mouth the Order of the Golden Fleece. -This was a mark of the highest honor that a Spanish king could confer -upon his subject, a viceroy of Mexico, also a member of the same -illustrious family at Monteluma. - -"There was a chain of rose-colored coral, to which was attached an -enormous pearl of the same delicate hue; this bauble had been bestowed -by the Doge of Genoa upon Don Arven Rozarro while the latter was -ambassador of Spain at that superb though decaying city, and it was -through this elegant gift that the then all-powerful Spanish sword was -induced to interpose its terrible edge as a shield against the -aggressions of France. - -"A pair of golden spurs, won long ago in the first Crusade by the Knight -of Rozarro, and ropes of pearls that had adorned many a proud but long -forgotten mistress of the great castle. - -"All these were placed within the steel casket, and the only jewel that -Ivarene reserved for her personal use on the journey was a locket with a -long gold chain. This was the most precious _souvenir_ in the whole -collection, so she averred, for it was set in gems with the name of her -mother, and contained the miniature portraits of Bruce and Ivarene. - -"The precious casket was kept in the large carriage, where Ivarene, her -two maids, and Bruce rode on cushioned seats, that were constructed so -as to serve as couches when the inmates of the vehicle became fatigued. -Everything that wealth and loving care could secure was provided by -Bruce to lessen the tedium of the journey. - -"The gold was placed in a large, strong wagon, drawn by twelve mules, -and in addition to the treasure-cask, several barrels of wine and other -liquors were placed in the wagon for the purpose of warding off -suspicion. This vehicle was my special charge, and I carefully guarded -it at night, but spent a portion of the day in sleep. - -"We arrived in Santa Fe in the fall of 1848, and early the following -spring our long caravan started out on the monotonous course across the -plains, by the route to Independence, Missouri, the quiet routine of -our journey only relieved by meeting with great trains of freighters on -the broad trail, or when Ivarene would take her guitar and sit out in -the starry evening playing the sweet airs of her home-land, old Spanish -ballads full of pathos and melody. Thus we journeyed until we reached -this very spot on the 22d of August, 1849. The night was dark and -cloudy, while a strange silence brooded over all nature, broken only by -the dismal howl of the wolf as it prowled on the lonely hills. - -"We had remarked during the day that no teams were met--a most unusual -occurrence on that great thoroughfare, the Santa Fe Trail--and we -vaguely wondered why the corral should be silent and deserted; for it -was a camping place that was renowned all along the trail for its safety -and convenience. - -"The corral was an inclosure of about an acre, surrounded by lofty stone -walls that were pierced by loop-holes on every side; two large doors, or -gates, opened to the north and south, which, after the teams of -freighters had been drawn inside, were locked in times of danger. This -fort-like corral had been built by the government as a place of refuge -for travelers, but our long journey had been so free from trouble that -we had become careless, and, as the night was very sultry and the air -oppressive, we preferred camping outside the walls on the level land, -where we are now sitting, near the bank of the Cottonwood. - -"Ivarene had been feeling unwell that day, and we were all very -solicitous for her comfort and welfare at that time; for it was known -that an interesting event would soon occur, that would give my dear -friend Bruce the title of father. In deference to her condition the -usual noise and hilarity of the camp were not indulged in; but a sense -of coming disaster, a foreboding of some great calamity, seemed to weigh -on the spirits of our party on that fatal evening. - -"How strange it is that when the sky is serene and clear we may feel the -approaching storm! Who can explain that shock of repulsion we feel when -we meet a secret foe? The same Providence whispered, that murky night, -of the danger and disaster lurking near. - -"But each one tried to shake off the feeling of apprehension; and as a -storm was rising in the north-west we attributed our depression to that -state of the atmosphere which precedes the thunderstorm. - -"I did not sleep for several hours after retiring to the wagon, but -remained wakeful and restless, listening to the jabbering of the wolves -and rumble of the distant thunder. The fitful slumber into which I at -length fell was pervaded by hideous dreams, and when I was awakened by -the yell of savages it seemed, for a moment, only the continuation of -the strange phantasms that had haunted my sleep. - -"But I sprang out, a pistol in each hand, and was soon struggling in the -whirlpool of confusion and terror that prevailed around. The crack of -rifles and whistling of arrows, the shrieks of the wounded and dying, -the blood-chilling whoops of the Indians, all commingled with the -bellowing of the frightened cattle in hideous clamor. - -"With a feeling of sickening dread I thought of Bruce and his wife as I -dashed toward their wagon. As I neared it a vivid flash of lightning -from the cloud which had arisen revealed a scene of such revolting -horror that its remembrance causes me yet to turn faint and dizzy. More -than a quarter of a century has rolled by, fraught with war and sorrow, -but that scene of woe is burned deep within my heart, to rankle long as -life endures." - -Here the colonel's voice broke to a whisper, while the sobs of Maud and -Grace mingled with their mother's soft weeping. Then, after a moment of -silent anguish, while his hands hung clenched in an agony of intense -grief, with bowed head and a voice so husky that it was barely audible, -the colonel continued:-- - -"By the dazzling light I saw Ivarene kneeling in her white robe, a look -of imploring agony upon her pale, uplifted face. Over her, with a poised -tomahawk, glared a powerful, painted demon. Bruce, struggling in the -grasp of two hideous savages, was driving his glittering dirk into the -breast of one of his assailants. I fired at the heart of the wretch who -stood over Ivarene. With a dying yell he bounded into the air. Then, as -darkness was once again settling down over the scene, I felt the shock -of a stunning blow--then a long oblivion." - -The colonel was too visibly affected to proceed further with the -narrative, and as he relapsed into silence the listeners slowly -dispersed, some to the duties of camp-life; others strolled out to the -long, grass-grown grave, leaving Colonel Warlow alone, lost in -meditation. - - - - -Chapter IV. - -COLONEL WARLOW'S STORY--CONTINUED. - - -The listeners had seated themselves on the buffalo-robes which Scott -Moreland's thoughtfulness had provided, and the colonel resumed the -thread of his narrative. - -"The blow was followed by unconsciousness, and when I awoke, as it were, -from a long and fevered sleep, I was seated in an easy-chair on a shaded -veranda, and before me stretched the limitless ocean, its restless waves -purling in foam on the sandy beach at my feet. Beside the porch on which -I was seated grew luxuriant lime and orange trees, loaded with fruit and -bloom, and the air was heavy with the sensuous odors of tropical -flowers. - -"A ray of memory gleamed feebly across my confused and cloudy mind, and -I vaguely wondered why my hands should be so wasted and thin. Then a -wavering sensation swept over my mental faculties like a dark cloud. The -glimmer of memory once again struggled and flickered, then flashed forth -with a dazzling light, piercing through the fog and haze which had so -long obscured the light of reason, and I felt as if the sun had just -arisen. - -"As I sat with closed eyes, gently rocking to and fro, I remembered -dimly, like some half-forgotten dream, my long journey across the -continent with Walraven, our camping beside the Kansas stream at the -Stone Corral; and then with surprise I looked out on the ocean before -me. Suddenly the memory of that night of horror came vividly to my mind, -and with a loud cry I sprang to my feet; but a firm hand was laid on my -shoulder, and a kind voice requested me to be calm, and pressed me to -drink the glass of wine which was held to my lips. - -"I obeyed mechanically, and as I drained the cup of its sparkling -contents I glanced up at the bronzed though handsome stranger beside me, -who, with joy and gratification beaming in his blue eyes, said in answer -to my look of inquiry:-- - -"'Old boy, you will soon be yourself again; but you must not talk too -much, nor ask questions just now.' - -"'But where am I, and what does it all mean?' I exclaimed in a dazed -sort of way. - -"'You are near Los Angeles, and this is the Pacific Ocean which lies -before you,' he answered slowly. - -"When he had made this strange statement, I felt a wavering sensation -once more cross my brain, as if madness were about to seize me. - -"'You should not talk, nor think of the past,' said he anxiously, 'but -brace up and recover; then we will go up to the mines, and dig out -nuggets like nigger-heads.' - -"'But at least tell me how I came here,' I entreated. - -"'Well,' said he in a faltering manner, 'if you will be composed I will -do so; but you must not give way to your emotions.' - -"I sank back in the chair, motioning for him to proceed, as the suspense -was unbearable; and he then related the following, in soothing tones, -like one who had long humored and tenderly nursed a suffering invalid:-- - -"'My name is Roger Coble, and my home is near Springfield, Ill., from -which place I started to the gold-fields of the Sacramento River, which -had thrown our quiet rural community into a great excitement by the -rumor of their fabulous richness. Our train had only traveled a few -days' drive westward from the Missouri, when we came to the Stone Corral -on the bank of the Cottonwood. There we found you, wounded and -delirious. I placed you on a canvas bed in one of my wagons, and brought -you on to Santa Fe. - -"'As you were still delirious and in a helpless condition, I could not -bear the thought of leaving you at the latter place, but brought you -along with the train to this place, where we arrived last week, and I am -overjoyed to see you on your feet again.' - -"'But what was the fate of Walraven and his wife?' I cried, in great -excitement. - -"Seeing the wild look again coming into my eyes, he said, with a -saddened expression:-- - -"'Do not ask any more questions, my boy. When you become stronger I will -tell you all. But now, my friend, do try to think of pleasanter themes. -If you do not, you will surely relapse into your former deplorable -state.' - -"Therefore I took his kindly advice, and ignored the past with all its -bitter memories, and listened with growing interest to his hopeful plans -for the future. As he told of the great gold-fields that had been -discovered in the newly acquired California, that were of such fabulous -richness, he said, that all the world was wild with excitement and -wonder, I began to feel the infection of his enthusiasm, and almost -forgot the fact that I was penniless and two thousand miles from home. - -"The next day I felt still stronger; but the ugly wound on my head was -not yet entirely healed, being a painful reminder of the terrible blow -which I had received the night of the attack at the corral. - -"As the days passed by I rapidly convalesced, and erelong was able to -walk through the orange-groves, or sail with Roger out on the tranquil -water; but whenever I had nerved myself up to the point of asking the -fate of my friends, to my horror I would find that same old sickening, -wavering sensation steal over my brain that I remembered so well, and I -would shudder to think that I stood, as it were, upon the brink of -madness. - -"So in our long rambles on the sea-shore or drives on the beach, we -shunned all allusion to the fateful past, tacitly ignoring the -unexplained sequel to that terrible tragedy; but the suspense and strain -were so great that it is a blissful thing that events followed which -diverted my mind from the painful subject, or perhaps my reason may have -been utterly overthrown. - -"Roger had disposed of his teams, and, after consulting me, procured -tickets to San Francisco, a small village that had sprung up on the -coast to the north, and as he gave me my ticket he said with a smile:-- - -"'We will be pards, George, and divide profit and loss up in the mines, -and when you strike it "rich," why, you can repay me; and as for -interest--guess we will smoke that out at your expense.' - -"I replied, through my tears, that all the gold of this earth could not -repay his kindness and generosity. - -"Before sailing on the _Lapwing_ I wrote to my friends in Missouri, -telling them briefly of the disaster which had befallen me, but that I -was with the best fellow alive; and in my letter to sister Amy I told -her how nobly Roger had cared for me in my direst hour of trial and -need, and I hinted that she must wait for me to bring him back, which I -would do when I had regained my lost fortune by working in the mines, to -which we were now just starting, full of hope and enthusiasm. - -"Our first day out on the Pacific proved that body of water to be -woefully misnamed indeed; for the weather was just as vile and fickle as -I ever saw on the much maligned Atlantic. In the evening Roger and -myself were seated on deck, watching the sun set in a pile of black -clouds, which, as the broad streams of amber and violet flamed up from -behind the sombre mass, slowly changed to purple, rose, and crimson, -edged with gold. - -"When the brilliant hues had faded, the dusky clouds rested on a sullen -sea, that was only ruffled by the fitful breeze, which rose and fell, -then died away, leaving a death-like calm, oppressive as it was -foreboding. - -"The frightened sea-birds flew screaming by, flapping their broad white -wings, then fading swiftly away. The captain now came on deck, and, by -his quick orders and restless movements, we knew that he anticipated -danger from the storm which we could see rapidly rising, and the rigging -was soon in order to meet the heavy gale. - -"A fiery moon rose in the pale eastern sky, and out to the south-west -hung the bow-shaped cloud, black as ebony, save when veined by the -blood-red lightning; but as the majestic mass towered to the zenith, it -changed to green, edged by a roll of fleecy white, which rose and fell -as if weaving a shroud for sea and sky. - -"We lashed ourselves to the rigging, so we could get the full benefit, -as Roger said, of our first storm at sea. We had not long to wait, for -soon a wall of waves, like a troop of war-horses, came tossing their -snowy manes on the gale, and when the mad surge struck us the old ship -quivered in every timber. The clouds wrapped us about, and the blinding -spray and rain drenched the deck; the lightning glimmered fitfully -through the mist, or hissed in zigzag streams of molten gold along the -surging waves. A lull, then again the blinding flash, followed by the -bellowing thunder, crashing down, it seemed, to the caverns beneath, the -wind shrieking through the rigging, the tumult of waves, rising in -hoarse clamor and deafening roar--followed again by blinding stroke and -maddening crash. - -"I have stood on old Chapultepec's crumbling wall, when mortar and -cannon hurled their iron hail; when screaming shells and belching roar -mingled with the shrieks of mangled and dying men, and the sullen boom -of exploding mines shocked and dulled the ear; but never had I known an -hour like this. - -"The poor old vessel, like a hunted doe, bounded away, followed by all -the hounds of the gale, climbing the dizzy cliff or leaping the yawning -chasm, and throwing the foam from off her sides; then hiding in the -gorges below, where the glassy wall towered far above with combing -crest, scattering the spray out over the tossing sea. Again, as the ship -climbed the watery hill, she seemed to pause one brief moment on the -foamy height, then plunged into the swishing whirlpool beneath. - -"The night wore on, yet still our vessel staggered along in her wild -flight; but the winds began to abate their fury somewhat, and the -flashes grew more dim and fitful until the storm rolled away to the -east. Then the moon peered with white face through the rift of clouds; -but as her spectral light only served to make more weird and appalling -the waste of heaving billows, she quickly hid behind her fleecy veil, as -if to shut the wild scene from view. - -"Although the wind had died to a gentle gale, the frightened waves still -galloped madly along as though fleeing from a grizzly horror they dared -not face, and the ship labored like some jaded cavalry horse, that -staggers and reels after the fierce charge. - -"The deck had been a scene of great confusion ever since the storm had -abated, and, although the waves and spray broke over the vessel, the -crew were rushing about wildly, and to our surprise we saw them -launching the boats; so we unlashed ourselves and hurried forward--only -to hear the despairing cry: 'The vessel is sinking!' - -"I looked out upon the waves, which even now seemed nearer, and with a -clammy shudder comprehended what horror they were fleeing. Death rode -those cold waters, and every billow was a yawning grave. - -"What a dread alternative--to cast ourselves out on that boiling, -foaming sea, with only a frail boat between us and eternity, or remain -on deck and feel the ship slowly settling under us! - -"But the boats were quickly manned, and into them were thrown a few -casks of spirits and water, with a small quantity of food; then we -pushed off from the fast-sinking ship, and in a moment were riding the -waves. - -"We had left a light burning on the vessel, to enable us to steer away -from it, and thus avoid being run down or ingulfed by the final -whirlpool of the wreck; and after tossing about on the troubled waters -for half an hour, trying to keep the boats together, we heard a loud -report, caused by the compressed air blowing up the deck of the vessel; -then the light on the old ship went out forever, and the sea closed over -her shattered form. - -"It may have been an hour before dawn, when suddenly we found ourselves -among the breakers, and the coast looming dimly through the mist. Before -we had time to realize our situation our boat was capsized and we were -struggling with the waves. - -"I shouted to Roger, but no answer. Then I saw a head appear above the -water, and swam toward it, hoping it was he; but the form was carried -around the headland by the rapid current, so I struck out for the -frowning cliff. - -"Diving under the largest waves, I saw, to my great joy, that I was -gaining and soon was thrown on the rocks with terrible force; but I lost -my hold on the stony ledge that I had clutched, and was being carried -back to sea; but a thought struck me which I instantly recognized as -being the only chance of escape, and to which I am certain I owe the -preservation of my life: I dived to the bottom, and began walking toward -the cliff, which was not more than a rod away. - -"Oh, the horror and agony of those few moments under the sea! The -seconds seemed to lengthen to hours. Brief as the time and short as the -distance may have been, I've traveled many a thousand miles through the -sandy deserts of the West and suffered less than in that one minute at -the bottom of the ocean." - - - - -Chapter V. - -COLONEL WARLOW'S STORY--CONTINUED. - - -"Let me see--where was I?" said the colonel, who had paused to light his -pipe at this critical juncture of the narrative. - -"Twenty thousand leagues under the sea," replied Grace Moreland, gaily. - -"Well, I certainly could not have suffered more in the same time if I -had been," said he with a grim smile. "But just when I had given up all -hope, and thought my lungs would burst, I straightened up, determined to -come to the surface at any risk. Lo! I had been groping along in four -feet of water--and only a step from the shore! - -"I had only time to plunge forward and clutch a jagged rock, when a -mighty wave swept in, nearly tearing me from my place; but this time I -held fast, and when the wave had receded I clambered up out of further -danger, and there I lay, too utterly exhausted to move until dawn. - -"I had hoped that daylight would reveal the presence of my companion; -but the sun struggled up over a lone stretch of rocky, barren -shore--nothing living was visible. I strained my eyes, gazing out over -the long line of breakers. It was a fruitless quest; I was alone. - -"Then I climbed up to the table-land. A sandy plain, broken by patches -of sage-brush and thickets of chapparal was before me, and out toward -the rising sun rose a lofty chain of mountains, as though to shut me out -from all the world. - -"I walked around the promontory and along the coast for several miles, -still hoping I might find my friend; in vain. I shouted repeatedly; no -answer. So with a heavy heart I turned and walked inland. - -"After assuaging my thirst at a cavity in the rocks, where the -rain-water had collected, and satisfying my hunger with the eggs of a -wild fowl, the nest of which I found near a sage-brush, I continued my -explorations inland toward a pass which seemed to open in the mountains -toward the east. - -"As I neared the glen, trees, a brook, and a flock of sheep became -visible. Then, to my great delight, a house showed through the trees; -and when a woman appeared in the doorway, I hurried forward and -addressed her in Spanish, to which she replied in the same tongue. - -"I told my story of shipwreck, and the kind-hearted peasant woman bade -me welcome to the humble dwelling, and proceeded to set before me a -repast of omelet and frijoles. While I was still seated at the table, -her husband, Pedro, came in from herding his flock, and we soon were on -our way to the village to make inquiries regarding my lost friend and -the crew of the _Lapwing_. But nothing could be learned of them; so I -retired to rest, and that night slept the dreamless sleep of sheer -exhaustion. - -"In the morning I renewed the search, but with no better results; and -although I traveled along the coast for more than a score of miles, -nothing could be found but the bodies of three sailors that I recognized -as having been among the crew of the ill-fated ship. At last, weary and -heart-sore, I joined a party of miners, and proceeded to San Francisco; -but as my inquiries there also proved fruitless, I immediately went to -the diggings, where my fortunes soon mended, and I was able to send a -small purse to honest Pedro. - -"During my stay in the mines I had frequent letters from home, and -sister Amy expressed great sorrow at the fate of my noble friend Roger; -but I wrote that it might yet be possible he was living, and we still -hoped on. The greatest comfort to me, however, were the letters from -Mary, who urged me to return and not wait to acquire more gold; and as -my luck was 'jes powerful,' as the miners averred, I found at the end of -two years I had saved $50,000, and deciding to 'let well-enough alone,' -set sail for home. - -"As we were sailing out through the now world-renowned Golden Gate, the -captain, to whom I had just intrusted my money, remarked that I did not -seem to enter into the spirit of joy that pervaded the throng of -returning miners; and in reply to his look of inquiry and tone of -interest, I said that the last time I was on a ship I had witnessed a -terrible storm, in which the vessel was wrecked, the crew and a dear, -kind friend were lost, and I alone was saved; and now the sight of the -ocean, once again, recalled it all so vividly that I was sad and -grieved, even in the hour when I should rejoice that all my toil was -over. I was too affected to talk further, but looked wistfully out over -the cruel sea that had closed over Roger, my best and truest friend. - -"The captain, after a few moments of silence, asked in a tone of -sympathy:-- - -"'What was the name of the vessel that was wrecked?' - -"'The _Lapwing_,' I replied. - -"'But the crew and passengers were saved,' said he quickly. - -"'Saved!--Roger saved!' I shouted, dizzy with joy; then as I sank into a -seat, weak and unnerved, the officer continued:-- - -"'Yes, the crew was saved. They were picked up by a vessel bound for -Acapulco. You can learn the particulars by calling on the American -consul at that port, as I believe he took charge of them and assisted -them on to their respective destinations.' - -"'I'll give you a thousand gold dollars to put me off at Acapulco,' I -cried impulsively. - -"'Agreed,' said he, with a laugh. 'We always do stop there, and take a -day to revictual and water. No, my friend, keep your hard-earned -dollars; but if you find your gratitude burdensome, why, just name your -next boy after me;' then he left me with a good-natured smile. - -"I will say that I found it a very pleasant way of discharging the debt -by naming my oldest son here after the good old sea-dog, Captain -Clifford; and some way I always associate the name with the thought of -that day when I heard the good news. - -"How interminable seemed the long, bright days, as we sailed southward! -I paced the deck for hours, and grew morose and nervous, chafing under -the slowness of the stout craft. 'But all things have an end'--an adage, -by the way, which my dealings and travel in the tropics has led me to -doubt--and when, one evening, we sailed into the long-wished for harbor, -I was so impatient to land that only the thought of sharks prevented me -from swimming ashore. - -"After night-fall, however, I found myself in a crooked, winding alley, -termed a street in the florid courtesy of that tropic land, and offering -a coin to a villainous-looking native--the only guide I could -procure--asked him to show me the way to the American consulate; and we -were soon _en route_ thitherward, I, meanwhile, taking the precaution to -cover my vile-looking guide with a pistol in one hand and a bowie-knife -in the other. - -"For an age, it seemed, we tramped through the murky, unlighted streets, -until at last we arrived before a fortress-like building, at the gate of -which blinked one solitary lamp. - -"At my request to see the consul, the servant informed me that 'his -worshipful master had driven out this morning to dine with the noble Don -Pablo de Zorilla, and that he would remain to the ball at the mansion of -that illustrious senor,' etc. - -"I could barely refrain from kicking the miserable flunky, and the air -grew thick and maroon with the expressions in which my disappointment -found utterance. Telling the porter that I hoped his lazy master would -not stop the 'wheels of commerce' to-morrow to eat garlic and capsicum -with the aristocracy, I returned to the vessel." - -"Next morning I called again at the consulate, and the scowling porter, -after conducting me to a room, said that his master was sleeping, but he -was instructed to say 'to the insolent American' that his excellency -'was too lazy to see me until he had slept off the effect of the garlic, -capsicum, and other kindred delicacies, of which he had been partaking.' -Then, grinning derisively, the servant left the room, banging the door -behind him. - -"Well, I just stormed up and down that room for two long hours, fuming, -raving, and hurling invectives at all the tribe of official sluggards. -At length, hearing footsteps without, I clenched my hands in rage, -vowing wrath and vengeance on the insulting and self-sufficient officer; -but when the servant opened the door and announced, 'Senor Consul,' my -anger was all forgotten, and, instead of greeting that functionary with -a thwack on the ear, I sprang forward with a wild cry:-- - -"'Roger--Oh, Roger--am I dreaming?' - -"'George--George--is it possible? Alive and well? I've mourned you as -dead for years. Thank God--at last!' - -"As I stood there wringing his hand and gazing on his dear face through -my tears, it is needless to say all my belligerent designs oozed -magically away. - -"We were soon interrupted, however, by the porter, who, at the first -strange demonstration on my part, had fled shrieking 'Murder! murder!' -his outcry bringing a whole brood of slipshod servants down upon my -devoted head. They came swarming in, armed with gridirons, tongs, and -gourds. One sallow, emaciated peon carried a crucifix, which he had -evidently snatched as he flew to the rescue. A burly fellow was just on -the eve of disemboweling me with a pot-metal poniard, when Roger -hastened to explain that we were old friends who had not met for years, -and as they retreated in a crestfallen manner, with many grunts and -shrugs, we both smiled at the ludicrous phase of our meeting; yes, I -believe that 'smiled' is a very mild term to apply to our hilarity on -that occasion. - -"Reminding Roger that the vessel sailed at four P. M., and my stay -therefore was limited, I begged him to tell me the particulars of his -happy escape, and when we were comfortably seated on the easy-chairs in -the secluded court, he told briefly how he, with several others, clung -to the capsized boat, and had been rescued by a passing vessel, bound -southward. On reaching Acapulco he had called at the American consulate, -but found the consul prostrated with yellow-fever, and (as Roger had -passed through an attack of that dread scourge at New Orleans a few -years previous to this) he had volunteered to nurse the stricken -officer, who slowly recovered from the fearful malady. - -"While that grateful invalid was convalescing, Roger had been intrusted -with the accumulated business of the post. Having discharged the duties -devolving on him to the satisfaction of his employer, that gentleman had -deputized him as vice-consul, and then returned to the States. - -"Finally the consul resigned, and Roger, on his recommendation, was -appointed to the office as his successor, meantime receiving a hint from -the home government to make himself as agreeable as possible to the -natives. - -"'Which you see, George,' said he with a merry smile, 'meant to acquire -a taste for "garlic and capsicum."' - -"Then, at his request, I related my experience; how I had searched in -vain for him along the coast; had gone to the mines and made my 'pile,' -and on embarking for home had learned of the rescue of the crew and -passengers of the _Lapwing_; the long days of suspense that had -followed, and my impatience to learn something of his fate. I did not -omit telling how narrowly he escaped a sound flogging at my hands after -I had been kept waiting so long, which caused him great merriment. - -"During our brief conversation I had been conscious of an undercurrent -of burning anxiety to learn the fate of Bruce Walraven and his wife. The -suspense and uncertainty which had haunted me for two long years--the -mystery of their fate--would now vanish forever, I knew; but I shrank -with a strange foreboding from asking the truth which my heart had so -long been vainly seeking. My dry lips and parched tongue could only -feebly articulate as I begged Roger to tell me the sequel of that -terrible tragedy at the Old Corral. - -"With a look of pain on his handsome face, he said, in a faltering -voice:-- - -"'I was journeying along on the Santa Fe Trail from Independence, -Missouri, to California. Our large train had been delayed at Council -Grove by a rumor that the Cheyennes were on the war-path; but nothing -having been seen of the marauders, we started out, after a few days, -trusting to our numbers for defense, and when we arrived at the Stone -Corral, on the bank of the Cottonwood, a scene of revolting horror met -our startled sight--a scene that will live forever in my memory. - -"'The stone walls of the corral had been hurled down, and near the side -of the stream were the charred and crisped remains of at least fifty -human victims, mingled with the irons of the wagons, which evidently had -been fired and the bodies thrown into the blaze.' - -"'There were fifty-four persons in our train--How many bodies were -found?' I asked, breathlessly. - -"'We counted the smouldering skeletons, and found that fifty-three -persons had fallen victims to the diabolical fury of the Indians.' - -"'Oh, God--all gone!' I cried, hoarse with the misery of their certain -destruction--'gallant Bruce and beautiful, kind Ivarene! What a terrible -fate!' - -"'We were burying the skeletons on a knoll a few hundred paces westward -from the Old Corral,' continued Roger, 'and were carrying stone from the -confused mass of its ruined wall to place about the long trench, in -which the remains were laid, when moans, like some one in pain, were -heard as if issuing from the earth. - -"'The mournful scene through which we had just passed had so utterly -shocked and unnerved us, that it is little wonder we felt it might be -the spectres of the victims still haunting the scene of the awful -tragedy; but a moment's reflection set us to searching among the ruins, -which resulted in our finding you, wounded and delirious, buried under -the fallen wall. - -"'Several large stones had rested against the lower part of the wall, -and thus, in a providential manner, shielded you from the avalanche of -stone which had fallen when the savages had thrown down the wall by -prying with the wagon tongues, that were still lying about as they had -left them. - -"'We placed you on a canvas stretcher, and put you in one of my wagons. -As there was a physician in our train, you did not lack for medical -attention; but that dreadful gash on your head was very slow in healing. -As your mind was completely shattered, and you remained delirious all -the long journey to Santa Fe, we could not bear the thought of leaving -you there among strangers, but brought you on to Los Angeles with the -train.' - -"'I never before have told you, Roger, that there was more than one -hundred thousand dollars in gold and gems with our train; but such was -the case;' and as he sprang up in amazement, I told him briefly the -history of Bruce and Ivarene, and how I had lost my fortune of fifty -thousand dollars in gold with that of my dear friends on that night of -horror and despair. - -"'It is needless to say,' replied Roger, 'that no trace of the treasure -was found; but it seems incredible that so vast a sum could have been -carried away by the savages! Did you have any liquor with the train?' he -asked in a thoughtful manner. - -"'Yes, several barrels of wine and brandy,' I answered. - -"'Then that accounts for the blood on the grass, near several newly made -graves close by. The Indians had found the brandy, no doubt, and the -massacre ended in a drunken row among themselves, in which several of -them had died a violent death. It is a mystery, though,' he added, 'how -a pack of drunken, wrangling savages could have divided such an amount -of coin without leaving some trace. And, George, I would advise you to -make a systematic search on your return,' he continued; 'for it may have -been that the treasure was buried there.'" - -"Did you ever make the search?" asked Clifford Warlow of his father, in -an eager tone. - -"No; certainly not," replied the colonel; "it would have been folly to -suppose that the band of pilfering, murderous savages would have left -anything valuable behind." - -But the answer did not satisfy his son, who looked out toward the knoll -where the Old Corral, with its broken walls, cast long shadows in the -slanting sunbeams; and as the colonel proceeded with his story it was -noticed, by more than one of the group, that Sabbath afternoon, that -Clifford remained lost in thought, and his eyes roamed from the speaker -out over the scene of that tragedy of bygone years. - -"At the end of that mournful story," pursued the colonel, "I was pressed -by Roger to remain with him until the next vessel passed; but I -declined, thanking him, and telling him that Mary was waiting for me on -the banks of the Missouri, and I could tarry no longer than a few brief -hours, until the craft would sail. Then, as we stood on the ship, -whither he had accompanied me, I told him to remain in the cabin for a -moment until I could return. Then going to the captain, I asked him for -the money which I had deposited with him. - -"The fifty thousand dollars was carried into the room where Roger was -waiting, and when the sailors had retired, I said, in answer to his look -of inquiry, that I was prepared to execute the compact which we entered -into at Los Angeles, to be 'pards,' and divide profit and loss; and I -tendered him there on the spot twenty-five thousand dollars, which was -one-half of my savings in the mines. Roger would not hear to the -proposition; he scouted the idea of 'robbing me of my hard earnings,' -and all my pleadings were in vain,--he was obdurate. - -"I reminded him how I owed my life to his care and kindness; but my -entreaties all were unavailing, as he would only ridicule the offer, -saying that he had now more than enough for an old bachelor. So I -finally desisted, but told him that should he ever need assistance or -the services of a friend, to call on me, for I felt a debt of gratitude -which I could never repay him. - -"I smile even yet to think how I blushed when I showed him Mary's -picture; and while he was looking with undisguised admiration at the -miniature of sister Amy, I told him how she had never ceased to regret -his sad fate, and that in her last letter, which I handed him, she had -written that she still vaguely hoped he might some time return; that he -may have escaped--'such things sometimes do occur--and she could yet -thank him for his care and tenderness to her brother.' When the dear -fellow beamed with such delight, I proceeded to say how delighted she -and my mother would be to have him make us a long visit soon, which he -readily promised to do within the year. As he still held the picture of -my beautiful sister, and seemed so reluctant to surrender it, I ignored -it entirely or pretended to do so, and as we proceeded with our talk, I -saw, with half an eye, that he furtively slipped it into his pocket, at -which I was so gratified, I had to pinch myself to keep from dancing a -jig of delight. - -"It was hard indeed to part with Roger, and not before he again promised -to visit me within a year did I say farewell; then we were again sailing -out on our homeward voyage. We tarried but a short time on the Isthmus -of Panama; for, in fact, I had but an indifferent opinion of that little -neck of land, made up, it seemed, of snakes, centipedes, and bad smells. -Whew! it makes me faint, even yet, to remember how those nasty, vile, -old swamps radiated their bad odors! There had just been an earthquake -to roil up the concentrated filth which was packed away in those slimy -bayous, and as every whiff of wind came loaded with its own peculiar -stench, the variety became so wearying that I grew at length tired of -the 'nasal panorama,' and vainly yearned for the friendly precincts of a -glue factory. - -"It always seemed to me that Nature had aimed to make a sea of the -isthmus, but had taken the flux or cholera, and left her work but half -completed." - - - - -Chapter VI. - -COLONEL WARLOW'S STORY--CONTINUED. - - -"Our ship touched at Havana, and in company with several other -passengers, who lived in the Mississippi Valley, I decided to stop here -until a vessel sailed for New Orleans, which would not occur for ten -days yet; but years might be passed in that beautiful city of -enchantment, the 'Queen of the Antilles,' and we found our stay one -round of perpetual delight. - -"A day was devoted to a sail around the sunlit harbor, environed by -mansions, castles, and palm-decked hills--the sapphire sky bounded only -by the purple mountains or pale-green sea. Then we visited Old Moro -Castle, its portcullis, donjon-keep, and 'sounding barbacan,' its gloomy -grandeur of turret and tower-- - - 'Its loop-holed grates, where captives weep,'-- - -all recalling the feudal days of Scotland and Spain. Next we drove -through the Prado of San Isabel, with its triumphal arches of snowy -marble, its rose-decked alamedas lined with palm, cypress, and magnolia, -its clear fountains foaming amid thickets of acacia and blooming -oleander; and then on to the great theater of Tacon, where the evening -was passed as if in fairy-land. - -"Christmas-day we drove out to visit a coffee-plantation a dozen miles -from the city walls. The dew was still glittering on the foliage as we -whirled rapidly along in our easy volantas, and the air was rich with -the odor of orange-blossoms and a myriad of other tropic flowers. We -halted at the Bishop's Gardens for an hour, and I can but faintly -describe their gorgeous floral wealth. These gardens are centuries old, -dating back to the days of Charles V., when the Spanish banner of -crimson and gold waved around the world. - -"There were palm, myrtle, and mangoe trees growing beside canals where -the clear rushing water rippled along over the bottom of gaily-colored -tiles. Then there were plantations of yucca, the broad-leaved -bread-fruit, lemons, guavas, and figs, with great basins of marble -brimming with water, on which floated lilies white as snow. But, -entrancing as were those avenues of whispering myrtle, orange, and pine, -we drove on through the warm sunlight until near noon, when we arrived -at our destination. - -"The coffee-plantation contained a league of land--three miles -square--and was divided into innumerable plats by long avenues that cut -each other at right angles, like streets, extending through the -plantation. These avenues were lined on either side by palms of a -hundred different species, and in their great width of full fifty paces, -and three miles long, they were set in Bermuda-grass, mown like a carpet -of velvet. The squares, however, were carefully cultivated, and no weeds -were visible in the red, mellow soil. - -"Next to the row of palms grew a line of orange-trees; then lemons, -almonds, pomegranates, and olives, followed by a row of evergreens of -infinite variety, the remainder of the square being planted to -coffee-trees. - -"It was a sight never to be forgotten that unfolded to our view as we -drove down one of those long colonnades of palm, over which the -parasites trailed, linking tree to tree with garlands of scarlet, rose, -and golden blossoms--the snowy orange-flowers contrasting with its -coppery fruit--gloomy pine, spruce, and cypress, with glimpses between -of the coffee-trees loaded with their crimson berries. - -"Thousands of birds flitted about, lending animation to the gorgeous -tropical scene,--gaudy parrots, white doves, orioles, and blue-birds; -while myriads of humming-birds of rose and emerald, gold and purple, -wove and flashed among the trees. - -"We, who live in these dull northern climes, can not fancy the pictures -of life and color that adorn the forests of tropical America; but as I -sat that Christmas-day amid the Cuban groves, and ate the most luscious -fruits, fresh from the tree, the glorious sunlight sifting down through -the feathery, fern-like palm-leaves, and over all the cloudless blue of -the southern skies, I thought of the snow and ice which wrapped the -hills and meadows of my northern home. But a feeling of longing stole -over me for the brooks, bound by their crystal fetters and sheltered by -the oak-clad hills, the merry jingling sleigh-bells in the frosty air, -and, amid all this wealth of bloom and tropic life, my heart turned -back to the memory of rustic joys in my boyhood's home,--the roaring -fire on the hearth-stone, when the frost-rime crept over the -window-pane; the rushing of the storm-king, as he piled the ghostly -drift without, or fled shrieking by, shaking the gables in his wild -wrath. Then fancy came thronging on with dear faces of the home-folk -that I had not seen for years; and when I awoke, with a start, to the -thought that the ocean rolled between me and my distant home, do not -blame me that a tear-drop went trickling down through the sunlight of -that foreign tropic land. - -"After loitering for a few hours among the coffee-trees, we ascended a -mountain to drink of the waters of a famous mineral spring, which gushes -from among the lofty cliffs; and as I stood on the verge of a precipice, -before me there spread a landscape of matchless grandeur,--the wide -savannas with their fields of cane, tobacco, and fruit, the dim city, -begirt with its walls and grim fortresses, and the blue harbor, crowded -with the ships of all nations; while far away to the north, stretching -out, it seemed, to eternity, lay the trackless ocean, dotted with white -winged ships and those gem-like islands, 'The Queen's Gardens.' - -"Driving back to the city, we paid a moonlight visit to the tomb of -Columbus. I stood long and silently by the urn where rests all that -remains of the Great Mariner--all save the Columbian spirit, which will -pervade the people of America as long as this continent endures. - -"Yes; you and I are actuated by the same spirit that guided the -illustrious pioneers out toward the setting sun--enterprise, ambition, -and energy. As I noted the humble monument, I bitterly recalled the -ingratitude and perfidy of Spain; but when there rose to my mind a -vision of the grand and powerful nations, the splendid cities and happy -homes of the thronging millions from Montreal to Buenos Ayres,--these, I -mused, are the monuments befitting the noble hero, and it matters not -that the lowly urn in the old cathedral holds the ashes of mortality. - -"Coming forth into the mellow moonlight, I paused a moment to gather a -spray from the roses and passion-flowers, blooming in dew-drenched -clusters amid the orange and myrtle of the Paseo hard by; and as I stood -drinking, as it were, the odors of that perfume-laden air, afar off -could be heard the sullen boom of the breakers as the sea broke in -thunder on the walls of Moro Castle, while the faint, sweet notes of a -guitar floated out upon the night, mingling with the diapason of old -ocean's roar as it chanted its hymn of eternity on the rocky beach. - -"Two weeks later I drove up to my father's gate, through the snow and -ice of a Northern winter. The white drift wrapped the hills and meadows, -and the gurgle of the brook in the sheltered valley sang faint and -muffled within its crystal prison; the dear old cedars bent low under -their white burden, and from the eaves of the time-worn, red brick -homestead, the icicles hung glittering like spears in the frosty light. - -"When I left home four years before, I was a smooth-faced boy of twenty, -but while in the mines I had grown a beard like a Turk; and although in -San Francisco I had passed under the sway of the barber, who despoiled -me of more locks than Samson ever lost, yet enough remained to complete -my disguise; and I was smiling at the surprise I had in store for the -home-folks, when the door opened, and lo! Amy came flying down the path -with such an outcry that all the family came rushing upon the scene, Amy -saying, between smiles and tears:-- - -"'Oh, George, you thought we wouldn't know you; but I was watching, and -when you paused at the gate and looked so wistfully towards the house, I -knew--oh, it must be you!' - -"Ah well--such a day will never come again! How I followed mother and -Amy about, or sat in the kitchen with father on one hand and Dick on the -other--all of us talking at once! Such a homecoming is known in all of -its keen delight by only the long-absent miner or returning soldier. And -the dinner which followed, where all the culinary treasures of earth, -sky, land, and sea were laid under contribution, was a meal which caused -me to say they certainly meant to stuff me as a curiosity, after the -manner of a taxidermist. - -"'There must be some means devised to keep you at home hereafter,' -replied my mother. - -"I said I was through with rambling; for I had brought enough money home -for the whole family--unless we indulged in such dinners every day. - -"Dick replied with a laugh that 'wealthy people could certainly afford -salt for the potatoes.' - -"'Oh, that is not a luxury, for I find it in both the fruit and coffee,' -replied my father. - -"In the evening I took Dick's grays and sleigh to drive over to Mary's -home, and at starting was charged by Amy to be sure and bring Mary over -to the 'wool-picking' at Widow Hawley's--a semi-festive meeting of the -best society in that primitive but happy neighborhood. Promising to do -my best to meet Dick and her that evening at the designated place of -festivity, I touched the horses, and shot down the drive just in time to -dodge the slipper, which, with a gay laugh, she hurled at my back; and -as I rounded the curve of the stone wall into the highway, she and Dick -cheered me very encouragingly. - -"As I drove along the sparkling, crusted road, the west was still -blushing faintly, and the moon peeped through the snowy tree-tops, that -drooped in feathery sprays of frost and ice, sweeping the drifts below -with their creaking, rattling branches, and the stars winked knowingly -in the clear, cold sky as my sleigh-bells awoke the jingling echoes -among the well-remembered hills that flanked the valley on either side. - -"When I reached the door of Mary's dwelling the windows threw out a -ruddy light from the great fire-place, where the flames leaped and -crackled, and showers of sparks flashed up the wide chimney, while back -and forth in the flickering light tripped Mary, singing as she spun on -the roaring wheel. - -"At my rap the wheel ceased its hum, a light footfall was heard, -and--well, I'll just close the door, as it was only a private -matter--but in a moment I was kissing her mother, who hugged me almost -as hard--that is, she and the old gentleman did--no--no--I mean to say -that Towser and all the rest of the--There--there I go again"--said the -colonel, joining in the merriment of his hearers, who were shouting with -laughter at the absurd flounders of the colonel's narrative; but when -the last giggle of Grace and Rob had subsided, and cries of "hear, -hear," resounded on every hand, then our friend Warlow resumed, as he -cast a fond look toward his wife, who had been busy at the camp-fire -preparing the evening meal while the shades of twilight were thickening -among the trees. - -"I only wished to say that I was highly gratified with my reception on -that happy evening, and Mary and I were soon on the road to the -residence of Mrs. Hawley, where we found a merry throng of old friends; -and, after such a greeting as only one who meets his childhood's friends -after long years of absence can appreciate, we were allotted a quiet -corner, and our share of the evening's labor." - -At this moment a summons to supper was heard, and the party adjourned to -the camp-fire, to discuss the savory prairie-chicken and quail on toast, -with which Mrs. Warlow celebrated the close of that Sabbath-day. - - - - -Chapter VII. - -COLONEL WARLOW'S STORY--CONCLUDED. - - -An hour later the party sat under the drooping boughs of an elm, near -thickets of snowy elder and blooming wild-roses, which filled all the -air with their delicious fragrance; the shallow stream murmured and -gurgled along between its willow-fringed banks, glimmering like silver -under the beams of the rising moon. - -At the request of the group, the colonel resumed, as follows:-- - -"When the wool had been allotted to the captains, in equal proportions, -the leaders divided the company in two parties. It was understood that -the side first finishing its task of picking the burrs and other foreign -matter from the fleeces of wool, should crown its captain and carry her -in triumph around the room on a chair; then she should be awarded the -honor of opening the ball, which was to follow in the wide kitchen. - -"Mary and I were the last to finish, but were helped through our task by -several smiling friends. Then our captain--wild, saucy Peg -Sickle--bounded up with the cry, 'Crown the captain!' which was -re-echoed by her noisy followers, who proceeded, with ludicrous -ceremony, to carry the order into execution. - -"The violins struck up a lively air, and the gay Peg, wearing her -towering head-dress of wool, led off in the inspiriting quadrille; but -the lively dance was watched ruefully through the open doorway by the -other party, who still were at their unfinished task; but our hilarity -was interrupted by cries of-- - -"'Fraud!--Shame!--Peggy has been hiding the fleece!' - -"It transpired that the treacherous Peg had concealed nearly half the -wool allotted to our party, and it had been discovered, in its -hiding-place, under the bed; so poor Peg was dragged ignominiously from -the unfinished set, and made to abdicate her woolly crown, which was -quickly replaced by a diadem of cockle-burrs, with which her irate foes -decked her brow, with the taunting reminder that 'uneasy _lies_ the head -that wears a crown.' - -"We slunk back to our unfinished task, as our opponents finished theirs, -and re-enacted the mummery; but we toiled faithfully, notwithstanding -their jeers, and soon were allowed to join the revelers. - -"I noticed, with gratification, that Amy appeared to still be -heart-free; and as we were dancing together, later in the evening, I -told her of finding Roger at Acapulco, and when she almost cried with -delight at his escape, I began at once to build 'castles in Spain,' but -prudently omitted mentioning the incident of the picture. - -"Dancing and singing continued until a late hour, relieved, however, by -huge baskets of hickory-nuts and apples, with supplementary pitchers of -cider. Of that ride home through the moonlight I'll say nothing, in -deference to that lady by the camp-fire yonder; but suffice it that she -was the heroine of that very happy occasion, and the 10th of May was set -for our wedding, which, in view of my four years' probation, I thought -an age to wait. - -"Next day I bought the 'Nolan farm,' which was only three miles from -Mary's home, and at once proceeded to put the place in thorough repair. -The premises were rather tumble-down, and 'the bildin's a leetle -shackelty,' as the fox-hunting squire remarked; but I put such a force -of workmen on the old stone house and broken-backed barn that the place -was soon completely transformed. - -"The fences were the most demoralized and dilapidated that I have ever -beheld. In fact, brother Dick asserted that the 'Nolan boys, Bill and -Ike, were never known to open a gap,' but rode their horses at the -rail-fence, knocking it down for rods; then half of the next day would -be devoted to repairing the unpicturesque nuisance--said repairs -consisting of a load of brush, dumped where the festive youths had made -the floundering leap. - -"Often I would come upon an unsightly place in the fields--the squire's -'barrier,' a great thornbush, spiked to the earth with brambles and -thistle--and I would smile at the vision of the sport-loving farmer -unhitching his team amid-field to chase the venturesome coon or -stiff-legged deer that had caught his roving eye. - -"My carpenters were finishing a stile and two large gates in front of -the house, which was temporarily occupied by its former owner, when -Master Dave Nolan, a scion of the old stock, came upon the scene. He -viewed the improvements with great displeasure, and, crawling under one -of the large gates, he said, as he wriggled out, lizard style:-- - -"'Gates is all nonsense; aint half as handy as a gap in the fence and a -slick rail!' - -"The 10th of May found the house thoroughly renovated and furnished -newly throughout; so, after the wedding ceremony, when we had discussed -the dinner, Mary and I took a 'bridal tour' by going to our new home, -and in the evening our neighbors and relatives gathered in to give us a -house-warming. - -"Soon after, I wrote Roger an invitation to spend the summer with us, -Mary and Amy adding a feminine postscript, in which they expressed their -valuation of one who had proved so noble a friend in my distress, and -earnestly begging him to give them an opportunity of thanking him -personally. - -"To which he responded that he would 'do himself the honor' of paying -his respects in person the following July--a visit which terminated in a -wedding between my old friend and sister Amy. On their bridal day I gave -them the deed to the Maple Dale plantation, which adjoined our own, and -as I handed the astonished pair the papers I remarked that it was in -fulfillment of the contract which Roger and I had made at Los Angeles, -and they might charge it to 'Profit and Loss.' - -"The newly-wedded pair left the plantation in charge of an overseer, and -returned to Acapulco; but Roger resigned his position after a few -months, and returned home to the quiet life of a planter. - -"We enjoyed a long period of uninterrupted prosperity; but when the War -of the Rebellion began, I raised a company and joined the Southern army. -At the close of that terrible conflict all that was left me was my title -and family, with the wreck of my once comfortable fortune. - -"I shall hurry over the history of the struggling years that followed; -how on returning from the war I found Mary and the children had fled to -the city, and how I gathered them once more together on the farm, where -the dear old homestead lay, a blackened ruin. But earnestly we tried to -retrieve the lost years. - -"The county in which I lived was 'reconstructed,' and from the bonds -issued by the officers, and the taxes levied to run the costly, corrupt -machine, there followed wide-spread financial distress. - -"A treasurer had been appointed to finger our money. He was a -hawk-nosed, black-haired little reprobate, named Toler, and the way he -tolled all the grists which came to his tax-mill led us to believe that -he was well named indeed. It was reported that he had once held the post -of sutler in a regiment of Eastern troops. Whether that was true or not, -he was undoubtedly the most subtle villain that ever sold scabby sheep -or slipped a flag-stone into a sack of bacon. Finally, this 'patriotic' -officer, having stuffed his 'grip-sack' with county funds, one dark -night took an excursion for his health, considerately leaving the -county, which he only refrained from stealing from the fact that it was -not portable. - -"The reckless extravagance of that class of men, cursed and abhorred by -both parties, led eventually to wide-spread ruin and bankruptcy; but out -of the wreck of my once comfortable fortune I saved a few thousands, -and, hearing favorable reports from the fertile Kansas prairies, we -turned our steps westward toward the setting sun. Fate seemed to lead me -here; so I will begin the life-struggle over again on the spot where I -lost my friends and the gold doubloons here, near the shadows of the Old -Stone Corral." - - * * * * * - -When the colonel had finished the long and eventful history of his past -life, a silence fell on the group--a silence tinged with sadness as they -thought of the fate of Walraven and his wife; and as the camp-fire -mingled its flickering light with the pale moonbeams, throwing an -uncertain, wavering shimmer over the tangled vines and milk-white -elder-blooms, a sense of their lone, isolated position slowly dawned -upon them. They were far out on the verge of an untried, mysterious -land, no evidences of civilization for miles around, and all the future, -with its trials and struggles, looming grimly on the morrow. Is it any -wonder that a feeling of dread, awe, and fear stole over the stoutest -heart at the thought of the direful, tragic past haunting the spot with -its painful memories, and the black veil of futurity hovering over -them--hiding the joys and fears, the tears and graves, that lay beyond? - -The colonel sat gazing, sad and thoughtful, out toward the knoll, where, -resting in the moonlight, the victims of that horrible tragedy now slept -their sleep of eternity in the lone, grassy grave. - -The winds whispered softly among the trees; a song-bird twittered -drowsily in its nest; then a long, mournful howl from a wolf on the -distant hills broke the silence of the summer night. Maud, looking -wistfully out to the west, where the great planets, those mute sentinels -of time, kept their watch in the sky, repeated the sweet, pathetic -"Dirge" of Tennyson:-- - - "Round thee blow, self pleached deep, - Bramble-roses, faint and pale, - And long purples of the dale,-- - Let them rave; - These in every shower creep - Through the green that folds thy grave. - Let them rave. - - Chanteth not the brooding bee - Sweeter tones than calumny?" - -A wild cry from Mrs. Moreland startled the group from their reverie and -broke in abruptly upon their musing. As they lifted their eyes or sprang -to their feet in dismay, she pointed, with trembling finger, to where -the uncertain moonlight flickered through the willows, and there they -beheld a sight which froze them with horror, and haunted them with its -mystery for long months thereafter. - -But a few paces from where they sat stood the form of a strange, gray -figure, in a loose, long robe, its locks and flowing beard of snowy -white, its wildly gleaming eyes and snaggled fangs, showing dimly in -the spectral light. With a long, bony finger pointed at the group, the -figure stood for a brief moment; then, with a blood-chilling scream, it -faded away amid the shadows. - -Clifford Warlow and Ralph Moreland sprang after the vanishing figure, -unheeding the wild shrieks of Maud and Grace, who begged them not to -follow the frightful apparition. As the young men disappeared among the -trees, Mrs. Warlow fell prone upon the earth with a low moan; and while -all of the party that remained forgot their terror in their efforts to -restore her from the death-like swoon in which she had fallen, the young -men returned, reporting a fruitless search. - -It was now proposed, as Mrs. Warlow had revived, that the -boys--Clifford, Ralph, Scott, and Robbie--should make a more extended -search with the three dogs; but they could not force the terror-stricken -animals to leave the camp-fire, where they cowered trembling with fear. -So the search again proved unavailing. - - - - -Chapter VIII. - - -Those were busy days which followed--days all too short for the years of -labor that loomed so drearily before the pioneers; but they set to work -bravely, plowing, building, and planning, and the manifold cares of -their new, strange life left no time for repining over the events of the -past, or even to investigate the nature of that strange visitant which -had so startled them with its fleeting appearance. - -Although a hurried search was made near the Old Corral, no trace of the -lost treasure could be discovered; and whenever the subject was -mentioned, or the hope expressed of the ultimate recovery of the -princely treasure, the colonel would discourage it as delusive and -visionary, and would say that the surest way to recover the lost fortune -was to extract the gold from the soil through the medium of the plow and -an application of good "horse sense" to their farming. - -Several masons were employed from the nearest town, forty miles distant, -and, after tearing down the walls of the Old Corral, the stone was -utilized in building, first, a dwelling for Colonel Warlow in the grove -in the river's bend; next, a cottage for Clifford on the site of the old -stronghold, which had been entirely obliterated, save that portion which -had fallen over Colonel Warlow years ago, and which had so -providentially shielded him from death. The entire party had decided -that it should remain as a monument of the past, and accordingly the -stones which had been hurled down by the drunken fury of the Indians, -were replaced carefully; so the wall now appeared as it did a quarter of -a century before, on the night of that terrible tragedy. - -Squire Moreland and his son Ralph also built, from the same confused -stone-heap, comfortable dwellings a mile down the valley, but situated -on the opposite side of the river from the Warlows; and, as all of the -buildings were located near natural timber, they presented a very -home-like appearance when completed. - -But during all the while the plows were kept busily turning the fertile -valley sod, which was planted in corn and millet, thus providing feed -for the stock the ensuing winter. - -Yet it must not be supposed by the reader that incessant toil alone -occupied the time of the settlers, to the exclusion of all pleasure; for -many were the pleasant fishing parties and excursions to the Sand Hills, -far off to the north-west, where the delicious sand-plums crimsoned the -low shrubs which clothed the hills, relieving, on these occasions, their -life of monotony. - -An occasional antelope-hunt on the Flats to the south was indulged in by -the sporting members of the colony, varied by the excitement of a -wolf-chase or the sight of a stray buffalo. - -Then the ceaseless tide of travel on the Santa Fe Trail, thronging with -settlers bound for the rich prairies to the south, was in itself a link -to the past and an endless source of interest to the colonists. - -One of the first moves of the Warlow and Moreland families was to -organize a school district, a proceeding which is never omitted by the -first settler of the western prairies, who, the very day he "files," -begins planning more or less secretly, to secure the location of a -school-house on his "claim." - -So, according to pioneer traditions, the district was organized, -consisting of a territory ten miles square, and a meeting was called at -the house of Colonel Warlow, at which assemblage of the settlers it was -decided "to vote bonds to build a school-house immediately." - -All the voters present agreed, with perfect unanimity, that "bonding" -was the only feasible method of accomplishing the object which they had -in view; but when it came to specifying the time for which the bonds -were to run, or, in other words, were to mature, then a stormy scene -ensued, and with varying degrees of eloquence the subject was hotly -discussed by the local orators. - -It was proposed by one embryo politician--whose speeches were said by -Robbie to be longer than his furrows--"that the bonds be made payable in -one year," in which event the entire amount would have to be met by a -direct tax on all the assessible property in the district; and as the -lands of the settlers would not be subject to taxation for the period of -the next five years, the burden would fall upon the railroad land, which -constituted one-half of all the territory embraced within the limits of -the district; and the aforementioned "political economist" proceeded to -demonstrate to his hearers the beauty and fitness (?) of making a -company of friendly capitalists, who lived, as he averred, over in New -England, not only pay the two thousand dollars which was to build their -school-house, but, in addition to this, be taxed to maintain the school -for the next five years; and he closed his brilliant peroration by -asserting "that his policy was to make all bloated bondholders and -corporation scamps squeal when he had the _chaince_." - -The squire and colonel both opposed the measure, the latter replying in -a speech of some length, in which he vigorously attacked the principles -advocated by the "_chaince orator_" saying that it would be both immoral -and unwise to take such a rascally advantage of a company that were -doing so much to help the State and develop its resources. Then he -warned his hearers of the consequences of so unjust a course, telling -them plainly it was little better than highway robbery, and the railroad -company would retaliate by raising the rates of shipping, whereby all -would suffer alike. - -But his appeal was disregarded by the rampant majority, and, although he -pleaded with the audience to make the bonds payable in thirty years, -which, he said, was but equitable, the motion to make the bonds payable -in one year was sustained, and one ardent supporter of that _iniquitous_ -measure, a man in a coon-skin cap, was heard to remark, as he mounted -his mule, which had one crank leg:-- - -"Good enough fur them railroad fellers; they just haint got no business -a-comin' out hyur with their bulljine a-spilin' of our freightin'." - -Although the free discussion at the meeting led to a feeling of -animosity, the work of building was begun and rapidly pushed forward to -completion, soon as the bonds which had been voted for the purpose could -be disposed of to those same "bloated bondholders" of the East, and by -the middle of August, the large stone school-house, with a bell-tower -and rose window, crowned a knoll just across the river from the Old -Corral. - - * * * * * - - -THE GRASSHOPPER RAID. - -A short time after the day on which the new school-house had been -dedicated by a public dinner, in which all the colonists participated, a -peculiar haziness was noticed in the air, and, on looking up at the sun, -swarms of gauzy-winged insects were seen floating southward on the light -breeze; but they were too high for Clifford and Rob--who stood in the -barn-yard wondering what they were--to conjecture the terrible import of -the phenomenon. - -Thicker and more dense became the haze, now almost obscuring the sun, or -again thinning out to a silvery mist, which quickly changed to fleecy -clouds again, drifting overhead like the scud of a summer storm. - -Mrs. Warlow, who stood on the latticed balcony that ran along the -eastern front of the dwelling, and on which there opened glass doors, -instead of windows, from the long range of dormer gables in the upper -story of that picturesque homestead, was looking out to the north, and -as she saw a dark, strange cloud quickly rising, she called to the boys -to come in at once as a storm was almost upon them. - -As the boys glanced out towards the north-west they could see the -unnatural, black cloud stretching across the northern horizon, but -momentarily growing nearer, like a dense shadow on a summer landscape. - -Their father, who had been reading on the porch, laid aside his paper on -hearing the unusual commotion, and stepped out in the yard. - -"What can it be?" said Clifford anxiously. - -"A dust-storm, probably," replied the colonel, as the weather had been -dry and parching hot for several weeks past. - -On came the threatening cloud, filling the air from the earth to an -incredible height, and a low muffled roar grew louder every moment; -then, as the startled family sought the shelter of the dwelling, a -seething mass of insects filled the air. - -"Grasshoppers! grasshoppers!" cried Rob, dancing about in wild -excitement. - -"Locusts!" exclaimed the colonel in great consternation; but even then -no one but himself realized the terrible disaster and wide-spread ruin -which their visit portended; but as he said, gravely, that they were the -dreaded locusts or grasshoppers which often laid waste whole nations of -Spanish-America, devouring every vestige of the growing crops of those -countries and in one day leaving the land like a desert, then the -meaning of the appalling calamity slowly dawned upon them. - -It was truly an awe-inspiring scene that met their sight, as they stood -by the wide windows and looked out on the storm of insect life that -raged by, darkening the sun itself as they swarmed along in countless -billions. - -One who sees the feeble "hopper" spring aside from his path through the -Eastern meadows can but dimly comprehend the terrible sight--the cubic -miles of winged pests that rush by with a hurtling roar, filling the air -all that day like the drifting snow-flakes, through which the sunlight -dimly glimmered, or rolling by like the rack of some fierce storm. - -As the dew-drop that glints quivering in the morning may be a thing of -beauty, but when multiplied by the waters of old ocean becomes grand and -imposing, so it was with this feeble insect when re-enforced by his -multitudinous kinsmen; and when our friends saw his hordes darkening the -sun, and earth and sky swarming with his hosts, they realized, as -Clifford said, "that neither corn nor cotton, but 'hopper,' was king," -and thenceforth that once reviled insect was held in great respect, -though still regarded as an unmitigated nuisance by all the members of -our colony. - -Next morning every tree, shrub, and building was covered by the insects -in huge, dark masses, which flew up in disgusting swarms as the settlers -walked along, and the fields of sod-corn were soon stripped clear of -every ear and blade by the winged pests, and all the vegetables, also, -fell victims to their rapacious appetites--save, perhaps, the warty old -radishes, that stood bravely up in the ruined garden, rejoicing in their -"strength." The woolly stems of the millet, likewise, defied their -insatiable appetites. - -The grasshoppers hung about until late in the fall, as if loath to leave -such hospitable friends; and when it became apparent that the pests were -depositing their eggs in the ground, honey-combing the roads, fields, -and banks of the streams with their cells, then the outlook became truly -discouraging; for it was known that the young brood, which the next -summer's sun would hatch out, would work greater havoc and ruin than -that which the settler had just witnessed,--all of which disheartening -prospects only served still more to weaken the vertebrae of those -settlers not endowed by nature with spines like an oak-tree. - -Accordingly, near the end of September, this faint-hearted class -inaugurated an hegira back to the Land of the Mother-in-law, and by -their haste it was to be inferred that the much-maligned lady of story -and song had changed her traditional spots, and now stood waiting to -receive them with open hand, on the digital members of which no longer -were visible the "claws" of malicious metaphor. - -The long caravan, as it wended its eastward course, was headed by the -"chaince" orator, and the coon-skin cap and crank-legged mule, of -"bulljine" memory, guarded the rear of the retreating host. - -It appeared as if the exodus of the settlers was regarded as a signal -of departure by the grasshoppers also; for one fine morning they rose up -in darkening swarms and departed to the south-west. - -The Warlow and Moreland families, who had preferred to remain when their -more faint-hearted neighbors left, now proceeded to sow their fields in -wheat and rye, and the autumn rains and warm sunshine soon clothed the -fields with a rank growth of the cereals, which, with the millet, -prairie-hay, and the pasture the wheat-fields afforded, served to keep -their stock in good condition during the mild winter that followed. - -Our friends devoted the early winter to building stone barns and -corrals, or pens for the stock, and so busy, indeed, were the energetic -settlers that they could scarcely realize that March was with them -again; but the way in which that wayward jade proceeded to demonstrate -the fact left no doubt in the minds of those who tried to withstand her -windy arguments. Although the weather was very dry, the wheat and rye -fields were green and rank; but when April passed, and had neglected to -shed the customary tears over the frolics of her wayward younger sister, -and the drouth still continued, even the stoical colonel became alarmed -and fearful for the future. - -To add to the gloom of the outlook, the warm sunshine had so operated as -an incubator that the earth fairly squirmed with the newly hatched brood -of young grasshoppers; and as May came on still warm and dry, and the -young pests began their dread ravages on the tender young vegetables -and fields of grain, then grim famine, with all its horrors, stared the -settlers in the face. - -But on May 16th, a change was noticed in the atmosphere. The barometer -denoted a rain; and as Rob limped about, he said that he could feel a -storm in his bones; but Clifford thought that was owing to his tight -boots. - -A north-east wind began to blow, cold and chilly, and a mist wrapped the -earth in its foggy folds until all the hills grew faint and dim; then a -fine, drizzling rain followed, which before noon merged into a perfect -deluge, and the rivulets as they poured down from the highlands, mingled -their gurgling songs with the river's low bass, raging and roaring over -its rocky bed, all making sweet music to the ear of the anxious -colonist. - -The Warlow homestead stood, as I have heretofore explained, in a grove -that grew in the river's bend; and as the house was situated on low -ground, some apprehension was felt by the family lest the river should -reach the dwelling; and as the barn was on still lower ground, on the -bank of the stream, it was suggested that the stock should be taken to -the upland pasture; a field that was inclosed with a fence of barbed -wire, and connected with the barn-yard by a lane. - -Accordingly, Clifford and Rob drove the horses and mules, with the -cattle, up to the pasture, and after closing the gate started on their -return through the pouring rain; but when they reached the margin of -what was, but an hour before, a shallow, grass-bedded brook, babbling -away through the meadow, they found now a wide glassy stream, to wade -which they knew was impossible; so divesting themselves of their -superfluous clothing, they tied their boots up in bundles to throw -across. - -Clifford's budget landed safely; but Rob was not so fortunate, he having -undershot the mark, and he cried:-- - -"There go my Sundiest boots!" - -At the rueful outcry, Clifford turned, just in time to see the bobbing -bundle disappear in the muddy water. - -The boys swam over safely (but Robbie's bundle was not recovered until -several days had elapsed, but then found to be sadly water-logged), and -as poor Rob stood shivering in the rain, Clifford gave him his overcoat. - -"Oh, a fellow only needs a pair of sandals and a plantain-leaf to keep -off the dew in this dry region," said Rob, as he buttoned the welcome -garment around him. - -The boys, after changing their wet garments when they reached home, went -down into the parlor where Maud sat, twanging her guitar and singing:-- - - "Oh, gentle, gentle summer rain! - Let not the drooping lily pine;" - -But Rob interrupted, and with an air of tragedy, sang:-- - - "Oh, cats and pitchforks cease to rain - And trickle down my chilly spine." - -Then, his mother coming in, he proceeded to tell about their "cruise," -and the sad fate of his bundle. - -"Oh, you might have been drowned in that horrid stream!" said Maud, -dropping her guitar in consternation. - -"About the only way a fellow can escape such a fate out-doors to-day is -to jump into the river," said Clifford, in high good-humor. "Talk about -the 'dry belt,'" he continued; "I hope that geographical girdle will -soon prove all too short to span this western 'waste.'" - -The colonel, who had just come in, said with an anxious face:-- - -"I am afraid the only dry belt left by morning will be the upstairs, -unless this flood ceases soon." - -At this announcement Mrs. Warlow and Maud flew into a panic, saying they -would all be drowned; to which gloomy predictions the colonel and -Clifford replied with arguments to the effect that the house being of -stone would resist any flood, and all that was necessary to insure their -safety, would be to retire to the upper story of the dwelling in case -the water rose into the house; and the feminine portion of the household -was soon reassured, and busied themselves preparing an early supper, -while the stronger members of the family were busy carrying the -furniture up to that place of refuge. - -The books, pictures, carpets, and other "household goods," were soon -beyond danger; but the old rosewood piano was a load which nearly defied -their united efforts, though it, too, was successfully drawn up the -stairway with the aid of block and tackle, and finally the store of -provisions--a very slender store indeed--was carried to the upper rooms. - -After the hasty supper, Clifford and Bob went to the stream, lantern in -hand, to take a survey of the situation. They found the river lacked now -but a foot of reaching the upper bank, and as it was still raining in -torrents they realized the gravity of their position. - -It was a strange, weird sight--the sullen, roaring stream; but yesterday -a silvery chain, scarce linking the shallow pools where pebbles and -shells had shown in the clear, quiet depths--now a mad, dark river, -boiling and swirling along in the red glare of the light. - -When they had returned to the dwelling and reported the situation, the -colonel looked very grave, and they began to canvass the prospect of a -retreat. There was Clifford's dwelling, they remembered, at the Old -Corral, situated high and dry; but to reach it they would have to cross -a stream that was a foaming torrent, and the wild, swift river on the -south completely cut them off from retreat in that direction; while away -to the north stretched the limitless prairie, with not a habitation for -more than a score of miles to shelter them from the cold and driving -rain. - - - - -Chapter IX. - - -But when they thought of the wide valley and the vast quantity of water -necessary to raise one foot after the river left its banks, they -dismissed the thought of danger, and retired to rest. - -The rain now poured down with greater fury than ever; the wind lashed -the roof with the limbs of the old elm that drooped over the chimneys -and gables of the dwelling; and the groaning and creaking added a -gruesome feeling to the drowsiness which the plashing rain-drops caused -to steal over the inmates of that danger-threatened household. - -"It makes me think of spectres and shrieking ghosts," said Robbie, as he -drew the cover up closer, and cuddled down by Clifford. - -"Yes; it recalls the lines of 'Tam O'Shanter,'" replied his older -brother, repeating a verse from that masterpiece of Burns:-- - - "The wind blew as 'twad blawn its last; - The rattling showers rose on the blast; - The speedy gleams the darkness swallowed; - Loud, deep, and lang the thunder bellowed. - That night a child might understand - The devil had business on his hand." - -"If the Old Gent ventures from his fireside to-night, he'll get his tail -wet," said Rob; then rolling over, the lad was soon in the "land of -Nod." - -But Clifford lay for hours listening to the hoarse roar of wind, river, -trees, and pelting rain; but finally he was lulled to sleep, though even -in slumber he was weighed down and haunted by a sense of danger; and -when the clock chimed the hour of twelve he arose, and stole down the -stairs. As he reached the next to the last step his foot plashed in the -water. He knew at once that the river was now out over all the wide -valley, and had risen in a stealthy flow, invading the house, where it -was at least two feet deep. - -Watching the water by the light which he had returned and procured, he -saw it was rising in an alarming manner; so he hastily dressed himself -and went to the window, and opening the sash, which was all in one piece -and hung on hinges, he looked out on the glaring, boiling flood below. -As he stood thus, looking down on the terrible, raging whirlpool, he was -rapidly revolving in his mind plans of escape from their perilous -position; but every avenue of retreat seemed closed. As he cast his eyes -about in despair, he started joyfully at the thought of the "Crows' -Nest" up in the great elm--a place which could be reached by a flight of -steps springing from the window ledge and leading far up into the forks -of the tree. - -Smiling at the fact that he had not thought of it before, he sprang up -the stairs into the fanciful retreat, which Robbie in his boyish fancy -had planned and built in the top of the lofty tree, and which, on warm, -sultry days, had proved to be an aerial lounging-place as comfortable as -it was novel. It was a stout platform about eight feet square, railed -about, and provided with seats, hammocks, and even a rocking-chair. It -was with a feeling of relief that Clifford stood on the floor of the -lofty perch and glanced down at the glare of water. - -Springing down the steps, which were also safely railed, he went to the -mark which he had made on the wall and found the water had risen a full -step, and, knowing there was no time to lose, he ran to the bed and -awakened Robbie, telling him of the situation, and in a few minutes that -resolute young chap was dressed and ready to lend a willing hand in the -plan which Clifford unfolded. - -Taking a wagon-cover from one of the stow-aways which flanked the room, -and a piece of scantling from the same catch-all, the boys cut the ropes -from the wagon-sheet, and after tying the scantling securely to the -limbs above the platform, at a distance of six or seven feet overhead, -they next drew the canvas, tent-fashion, over it, then brought the ends -down in such a manner that the rain was excluded from the "Nest," and -tacking the sheet to the floor and making a flap for the doorway, the -interior was quite impervious to the rain, which still raged without. - -Some blankets were next carried up and spread on the floor, and then two -beds were made hastily, and the busy fellows did not omit the pillows -and sheets; so the place wore a very cozy appearance. Then, when all was -complete, they awakened their parents and Maud, telling them of the safe -retreat into which they would be compelled to remove. - -In a few moments they were all safely up in the "Nest," and then the -provisions and a few valuables were carried thither, Rob cautioning them -not to forget a jug of water. Then the boys went down to the hall -stairway and found that the water lacked but two feet of reaching the -upper floor. - -Alarmed and in great suspense, Clifford stood watching the flood, and -was relieved to see that the water crept more slowly up the stair; then -Robbie, coming up, said that the rain was about over and the stars were -twinkling through the rifts above. - -As the boys gazed at the water; a faint wet line became visible on the -wall just above the flood. Breathless with suspense, they watched until -the band widened; then Clifford shouted in wild excitement, -"Falling--falling!" - -"She's falling, falling!" shrieked Rob as he flew up to the "Nest" with -the joyful news. - -Yes; it was a blissful fact that the water was subsiding, and, that too, -at a rate which soon promised relief from the danger which had -threatened them with total ruin. - -Clifford, ever thoughtful of the comfort of others, now built a fire in -the warming stove which stood in his room, and proceeded to make coffee -for the weary and chilly party that still remained up in their "Nest;" -and as the young man remembered Rob's caution regarding the water-jug, -he hastily tied a rope to a bucket, and reaching over the window-ledge, -soon secured a supply of the necessary fluid. A steaming hot cup of the -fragrant beverage was declared by the nestlings to be "prime and -delicious" in the extreme. - -Warmed and refreshed now, the family looked out upon the strange scene -which began to emerge in the dawning light. The valley was submerged -from hill to hill; but they could see the cattle patiently grazing on -the highlands, and the poultry on the accustomed trees were roosting -serenely, far above the danger-line. - -The surrounding country was quite rolling, and the stream headed among -the hills on the west, only a few miles distant; so after the rain -ceased, the flood subsided as rapidly as it had risen--a peculiarity of -all Western streams. - -The family watched the water subside until all the old land-marks were -once more visible. The fields were still covered in shallow water; but -soon the wild river shrank back into its narrow channel once again. - -There had been great anxiety felt for the safety of the Moreland family, -although it was known that their dwelling was situated on higher ground -than the Warlow house; yet no sign of life was visible at the homestead -of their neighbor, and when a loud halloo was heard from Ralph Moreland, -who had ridden over to the top of one of the hills which shouldered down -to the opposite side of the river, a glad cry in response was raised -from the inmates of the "Nest." - -It was amusing to see the bewildered way in which he peered over, trying -to discover their whereabouts; and when he finally discovered the aerial -family, he eagerly asked after their welfare. - -When he learned of their safety, he laughed in a relieved and hearty -way at their "elevated station in life." - -In answer to their inquiries regarding his father's family, he said that -the water had not reached the dwelling; but he was too uneasy thinking -of their danger to wait longer than daylight to ride over, and, although -he did not mention the fact, they saw that his horse was wet to the -saddle-bow, and knew that he had swam a dangerous side-stream to gain -the hill. - -Maud begged him not to return until the water subsided, and she kept -shouting their experience across the river, while the equally noisy -youth replied in tones like a fog-horn. - -Mrs. Warlow and the colonel had now descended to the "lower regions," as -Clifford termed the first story of the dwelling, where he and Rob were -removing a mountain of mud from the floor, and their mother soon -prepared a breakfast which those hungry youths pronounced a royal -banquet. - -But Maud still carried on her loud flirtation from the tree-top in tones -which, Rob said, "could be heard in the next county," and the way she -managed, with her lengthened description of their experience, to detain -Ralph until all danger of high water on his return had passed, showed -she felt a greater interest in the rider than in the high-toned subject. - -After he had at length ridden away, Maud descended to the rooms below, -where her mother was, saying that "this inundation would be long -remembered, and would become legendary and traditional." - -"Yes," replied Clifford, gravely, "Rob and I will carry the memory of -the event down to our 'remotest ancestors.'" - -"Oh, I daresay it will lose nothing in the way of variations in the -transmission," said Maud; "but here, you superior being, bring me a pail -of water;" and Clifford marched off obediently to the muddy well. - -"Why, madam," cried Rob, mockingly, as he scraped the mud from the -floor, "have you regained your voice? I was afraid it was utterly lost;" -and he giggled at the thought of how her tones had wandered away over -the prairie. - -"More scrubbing and less sarcasm, young man!" she replied, with a blush, -as she vigorously attacked the wall, which was stained by the water, or -frescoed with mud and slime; but as the plastering was of hard coat, it -soon regained its wonted purity under the drenching which was -administered by the energetic and busy workers, and long before -night-fall the usual neatness and order reigned in the Warlow household. - -The young brood of grasshoppers had all been swept away in the flood, or -perished in the long, cold storm. Pious Mrs. Warlow said, "The hand of -the Lord is revealed in freeing the land of those pests;" and indeed it -appeared the work of Providence, which had so effectually destroyed them -that no further trace was visible of the scourge which only a brief day -before had threatened both the Missouri and Arkansas valleys with famine -and desolation. - -The weather, that for the past year had played the fickle jade, now -tried to atone for her folly, and often would she burst into tears of -remorse, and veil her face in summer clouds, at remembrance of the wild -tantrums which had marred her equinoctial history. - -In the propitious rain and sunshine which followed, the fields of grain -emerged from their coat of rich sediment, and the lush, dank growth of -the cereals ripened into great level fields of waving grain, the bronze -and golden wheat and silvery sheen of barley and oats contrasting -happily with the long rows of corn and emerald millet. - -How often it is thus, that misfortune, on reaching a climax of -superlative disaster, then assumes the form of diminutive comparison! - -The migratory settlers, that had been sojourning in the Land of the -Mother-in-law, now returned, re-enforced by cousins to a remote degree, -and on their tattered old wagon-covers, on which had glared in letters -of blue, black, and red, the legend "Kansas or BusT," and which on their -subsequent flitting had been partially erased and the assertion "buStud -by--" printed instead, now there glared the dauntless assertion, -"kansiss is the bEsT lAnd unDur the suNn." - - - - -Chapter X. - - -One delightful day in June the Warlow and Moreland families, or the -younger members of those households, attended a picnic which was held in -a grove on the river seven miles below the Old Corral. - -At an early hour Clifford, Maud, and Robbie drove down in their -three-seated carriage, drawn by Clifford's iron grays, and at Squire -Moreland's the party was re-enforced by Ralph, Grace, and Scott. Baskets -and fishing-lines were stowed away under the seats, and the frying-pan, -also, was given a place of honor in the same promiscuous stow-away. - -The dew was sparkling like gems on the bearded wheat, so soon to fall -before the reaper's stroke, and the tender grass and softly-fluttering -trees were all bathed in the mellow sunlight, as they sped down the -winding road. - -When our friends arrived at the grove they found that the platform, -which had been erected among the trees close to the river, was crowded -with a well-dressed throng, who were merrily dancing to the music of -violin, organ, and guitar. After the carriage-load had been deposited on -the platform, and Rob and Scott had returned from caring for the team, -the boys found Clifford, Grace, Ralph, and Maud busily improving the -shining moments in the mazes of a cotillion. - -When the music ceased, Maud was requested by one of the amateur -musicians to second on the organ, which was a mere labor of love; and as -she acceded to the request, she saw Rob and Grace spinning away in a -waltz, dizzily gyrating about the platform with a full score of couples, -all equally giddy and alike bent on extracting the most enjoyment out of -the least possible time. - -Clifford, who stood leaning against a tree, surveying the varied groups -with that mingling of interest, amusement, and indifference, which we -experience in viewing the movements of strangers who may soon become -acquaintance, and possibly friends, was accosted by a handsome young man -of near his own age, who greeted him very cordially. - -The new-comer was Hugh Estill, the son of a wealthy ranchman who lived -near, or at least but a few miles further down the valley. The two young -men had become acquainted in a business way while Clifford had been -buying cattle at the Estill ranch some weeks before, and it was to young -Estill they owed the invitation to the picnic; so it was with a feeling -of gratitude, not unmixed with respect in remembrance of the lordly -ranch-house and its princely domain, that young Warlow shook hands and -thanked the young ranchman for his thoughtful remembrance of them on -this pleasant occasion. - -Robbie had by this time surrendered his partner to a young cow-boy, a -son of the greatest "cattle king" in the valley, and as the young -"prince" led Miss Grace out through the changes of the quadrille he -seemed totally oblivious of the fact that his leather "leggins," -jingling spurs, and silver-mounted revolver hanging from a -cartridge-belt, were not wholly in keeping with the festive occasion; -and as they paused in the dance, the bovine princeling, after blowing a -long breath and wiping his glowing brow on his sleeve, observed:-- - -"That was a terrible swell--the young blood with a biled vest, who just -waltzed with you. Ha! ha!--a wild rose in his button-hole! Guess I'll -have to get one also--by shot!" - -But Miss Grace bluntly told him that a gourdvine would be far more -suitable. - -Robbie, who was happily unconscious of the disparaging remarks which -were being made at the expense of his purple and fine linen, had joined -Clifford and been introduced to the new friend, who passed some -good-natured compliments on that urchin's dancing, to which Rob replied -that he was but re-dedicating his boots that so lately had been -resurrected; and he proceeded to tell in his inimitable manner of the -mishap that had carried his best and dearly-beloved boots to a watery -grave, from which they were at length "resurrected," all filled with mud -and sand. Laughing heartily, Hugh said he hoped he would shine as -brightly on the resurrection morn as those same "Sunday boots." - -While Hugh and Bobbie had been engaged in the above frivolous and wholly -unprofitable conversation, Clifford was improving the time in furtively -staring at a radiant and superbly beautiful young lady who was playing -the guitar near Maud; and, indeed, young Warlow might have been excused -if we had detected him in the rude act, for it was a face which once -seen would never be forgotten. - -Her eyes of softest blue were veiled by silken, jetty lashes, and a -wealth of raven-black hair rippled low on a face of creamy olive. An -expression of pride mingled with the spirited vivacity of her charming -face, which he thought was the most fascinating he had ever beheld. - -Every detail of her dress, from the wide straw hat with its drooping -spray of lilies, the creamy grenadine with its tangled pattern of the -same snowy flowers and cascades of foamy lace, the cross and chain of -palest coral, with ribbons of the same faint rose-hue, evinced the taste -and refined instincts of a well-born and cultured lady. - -There seemed to be the ineffable charm of grace and elegance in her very -attitude, as she stood by the organ and swept the guitar with white, -tapering fingers, while through all the melody there thrilled the sweet, -dripping notes, like the memory of some half-forgotten dream, which, -though elusive and vague, still haunts our waking hours through all the -turmoil of a busy day. - -"Where have I seen that form and face before?" said Clifford, half -audibly, as the last faint notes died away, and he awoke from a reverie, -while a look of surprise and delight broke over his handsome face; then -turning to young Estill he said, in an eager tone:-- - -"Who is that divine young creature who played the guitar until she set -me to dreaming of old Spain?" - -"Why, that musical divinity," said Estill, with a hearty laugh, "is my -only sister Morelia; or Mora, as we have become used to calling her. I -shall be pleased to present you, for I am truly relieved to find some -one who can appreciate her music, which always sounded to me very much -like cats fighting." - -A moment later the young men were upon the platform, and young Estill -said, in his easy, good-humored way:-- - -"Sister Mora, let me present my friend, Mr. Warlow, on whom your music -has had the strange effect of setting him to dreaming, not of cats on -the roof, but of castles in Spain,--which I have by his own confession." - -She gave young Warlow a fair, dimpled hand, on which flashed one ring of -rose-colored amethyst, and, after he had bowed very low, their eyes met -in a swift glance of half-puzzled recognition and surprise, while a -magnetic shock caused them both to tremble; but quickly recovering, she -said, with a smile, while toying with a bracelet of carved Neapolitan -coral:-- - -"My brother's criticisms are not of much value, for the sweetest sounds -to his ears are the bellowings of beef-cattle." - -Then, as she and Clifford sauntered out to a seat under a tree, he -said:-- - -"How strange it is, Miss Estill, that I have never met you before, for -it seems as though I have known you for years!" - -"Why, Mr. Warlow, I was just trying to recall the time and place where I -had seen you. It must have been while we were traveling that we have -been thrown together for a moment; yet I can not now remember the -circumstance," she replied, with a look of interest dawning in her blue -eyes. - -"If we had I would not have forgotten such a pleasant incident, Miss -Estill. But I am puzzled to think why I remember even your tone and -manner so well, for I can't recall any chance meeting with you in the -past." - -At that moment Grace and Hugh Estill came up, and proposed that they -should repair to the river, near by, and spend an hour fishing; so they -soon were seated under the shade of an enormous cottonwood-tree on the -banks of a deep pool, while Hugh and Grace, who had been introduced at -some former meeting, strayed along the stream in quest of a "better -place," which they did not discover in _sight or hearing_ of Miss Estill -and Clifford. - -After casting their hooks into the quiet water, they sat down upon the -shady bank, and Miss Estill said:-- - -"Hugh has often spoken of you lately, and we had discussed the subject -of calling on your sister and Miss Moreland, but decided that we would -send you an invitation to our picnic, at which I hoped to become -acquainted with them." Then, seeing a shade of disappointment flit over -his face, she added, archly: "And you also. But I assure you that the -call will not be deferred a great while longer; for I am delighted to -find such charming girls for neighbors." - -"The invitation was very kind and thoughtful of you, Miss Estill. We -had been longing to meet congenial companions, and hailed the news of -the picnic with all the delight of people who have been isolated from -society for a year or more. I hope you will believe it is no vain -compliment when I tell you that I have already met new friends here that -I value higher than any of my old ones," Clifford replied, as he knotted -a bunch of elder-bloom, snowy and fragrant, with the blossoms of the -wild heart's-ease, azure and gold, which grew on the sandy stretch at -their feet. Then, adding a fern-like tuft of meadow-fescue, he held it -toward Miss Estill, while a look of undisguised admiration shone in his -clear blue eyes, saying:-- - -"In memory of my deep gratitude." - -Fastening the flowers among the meshes of lace on her breast, she busied -herself a moment with the fishing-tackle as she drew the hook from the -water with a dangerous movement. Then, with a smile dimpling her face, -she said:-- - -"If you feel such a deep sense of gratitude, Mr. Warlow, you may -discharge the debt by baiting my hook, which some wary turtle or other -aquatic creature, has been investigating." - -With ready alacrity, Clifford performed the desired service; and as he -let go the hook, Miss Estill began a series of manoeuvres with the -fish-pole that were as womanly as they were threatening. Finally, after -the hook had performed for some time around his head with a dangerous -"s-w-i-s-h," it fortunately landed plump into the water, with a thud -and splash loud enough to scare all the fish upon dry land. - -They stood a moment, silently watching the widening ripple; then, as -they seated themselves on the bank again, Miss Estill said, with a -smile:-- - -"You are very brave, indeed, Mr. Warlow, never to wince. But perhaps you -were not aware of the great risk a man runs who fishes with a woman. I -never should have forgiven myself if that awkward hook had caught in -your eye." - -"Or my ear," he added, with such a look of comic distress that she -dropped her fish-pole into the water with a merry laugh; then, as he -joined in the merriment, the startled mocking-bird overhead hushed its -song, and flitted away to some quieter nook. - -"Now, if we are not more careful, we will have to dine on humility -to-day," she said, as he recovered the fishing-tackle. "But do you -really grow lonesome in your new home, Mr. Warlow?" she added. - -"Yes, indeed I did," said Clifford, with an emphasis on the past tense -that indicated the remoteness of those days. "But we were very busy -until recently, and I did not fully realize what a hermit I had become -until I came here into the crowd, and found myself growing hot and cold -by turns, my heart palpitating, and my hands and feet getting heavy. -Then I knew it would only be a matter of time when I should fly, like a -South Sea Islander, at very sight of a human face, much less the -presence of a fashionable young lady;" and he joined Miss Estill's -merriment at his charming candor, with an easy laugh. - -"Oh, I appreciate the situation," she replied; "for when they sent me to -Cincinnati to the boarding-school, where all was so strange, and the -only ray of sunshine in the long weeks, months, and years was a flitting -call from my fashionable aunt, or the yearly visits to my Western home, -I felt desolate and miserable. Why, I was so shy, and possibly a bit -wild, that I gained the name of Antelope among my school-mates;" and -Miss Estill smiled somewhat sadly at remembrance of those past days. - -"When you returned to your home, it certainly must have seemed lonely -after the life in that 'American Florence,'" said young Warlow. - -"Oh, it was paradise! I could scarcely believe that the old days of -banishment were over; and indeed I half feared, sometimes, that they -would pack me off again. It was such a perfect joy to be back at the -dear old ranch once more with Hugh and my parents, that I vowed I should -never leave again. But when I had been back a year I did sometimes long -for a good, confidential chat with my girl friends, and would be a bit -lonesome while Hugh was away; but our life is one ceaseless round of -labor, toil, and care, so I have short time for repining. Would you -believe, Mr. Warlow, that more than half the time all the duties of -housekeeper, unaided, devolve upon me? Our house has been a constant -panorama of 'domestic' weddings since I returned from school; yes, and -for years before also. No sooner would we begin to appreciate some -household treasure--a Nora, Ruth, or Nelly, who had come from the East -to lessen our domestic burdens--than along would come some spruce -ranchman or handsome young homesteader, and--presto!--our domestic was -courted away in a twinkling to brighten a new home. And what with the -wedding which mamma always insists upon, and the bridal finery she -bestows, the burden is redoubled. My weary shoulders fairly ache as we -pass through the constant, or tri-yearly, recurrence of the same -experience. Hugh says that he believes the servant-girls of the East -have finally come to look upon our house as a matrimonial agency." - -"Do you not think, Miss Estill, that the bright new homes, which are a -result of your charities, are sufficient reward for your domestic -martyrdom?" - -"Oh, if you think our providing wives for the miscellaneous ranchers, -herders, and homesteaders could be called a charity, I will have to say -that our furthering of those matches has proved a mixed blessing indeed; -for I recall a world of conjugal infelicity which has followed those -hasty and ofttimes ill-assorted matches. 'Marry at pleasure,' etc., is a -maxim true as it is trite, Mr. Warlow." - -"Yes; it is undeniable that unhappy matings do occur; but I can not see -how a lonesome bachelor, who eats his own vile cooking and goes through -the vain ceremony of laundry-work, could ever aggravate his deplorable -condition, Miss Estill." - -"But the fact remains that he certainly does," she replied, with a low -gurgling laugh, like the ripple of some sweet, clear brook. "Why, Mr. -Warlow, I recall a scene of which I was the innocent witness one evening -last month. I was riding by the ranch of Mr. Blank, who had wooed and -won our cook after a courtship that was as brief as it was fervid. I -have reason to believe he pines for his former state of untrammeled -freedom; for, in some argument which they seemed to be discussing that -evening, she, his faithful helpmeet, hurled the milk-stool at his head. -I rode quickly away, mentally washing my hands of any further -matrimonial schemes. - -"Mr. Warlow! a fish, a fish!" she cried in a low tone, and he turned his -eyes reluctantly to the sadly neglected fishing-tackle, which he had -"set" by thrusting the poles into the bank, and which they, in their -long and absorbing conversation, had totally forgotten. There he saw the -flash of a finny monster in the water, and the fish-pole violently -threshing in the air above the pond, and as he drew the glittering perch -from the pool, he found that it had become entangled in Miss Estill's -fish-line also. - -"It is our fish, is it not?--and a good omen," he said, as he secured -the prize which fluttered at her feet. - -"It is our 'luck,'" she replied gaily; "but we can boast of little skill -in angling;" at which they both laughed, low but heartily, at the -thought how far into foreign fields they had rambled, leaving their -fishing to chance, and in that merry glance was laid the foundation of -sympathy, appreciation, and friendship. - -When they returned to the grove they were joined by Hugh, Grace, Maud, -and Ralph, whose success had been most woefully indifferent. Those -discomfited anglers looked with undisguised envy on the great -piscatorial prize, and while it was frying on the fire, which Scott and -Robbie kindled, they all lent a ready ear to the malicious story which -the latter urchin told--"That Cliff had brought a mackerel to the -picnic, and it was that same identical fish which they were frying." - -When the cloth was spread on the grass, and the great fish, garnished -with elder-blooms and wild-roses, was given the place of honor at the -feast, Hugh Estill said:-- - -"Now, Mora, please pass the mackerel." - -Only then was the fact made plain that Robbie was a boy, given to -telling "fish stories," and could be trusted and relied upon only at the -dinner-table. - -Ah! it was a gleeful hour at that _al fresco_ meal,--the soft breeze -stirring the tree-tops, and the bright sunlight sifting down through the -fluttering leaves on the silver and crystal, the frosty cake and -quivering jelly, the crimson and gold, and, above all, the happy faces -of our young friends. - -Dancing and an impromptu concert, followed by charades on a temporary -stage, served to pass away a few more blissful hours: then the revelers -broke into groups and couples, sauntering into shady nooks, and engaging -in those long and confidential chats which are totally devoid of -interest to any save themselves. - -Miss Estill and young Warlow were seated upon a bank where the mingled -sunlight and pale shadows flickered softly over the lush and tender -sward, and their conversation steered away from the shoals and quagmires -of match-making and matrimony to the vague and mystic fields of -metaphysics. - -"Do you know, Miss Estill, that I have--a dim impression, shall I call -it?--of having met you somewhere before?" - -"Yes; I remember distinctly of your having not only met me, but also -kindly helping me catch a fish, before," she replied, archly. - -Clifford said, in a laughing manner, that he was not so ungallant as to -forget that thrilling adventure, then he continued in an earnest tone:-- - -"I feel like we had met long years ago; and somehow, Miss Estill, it all -appears so natural to be with you, to hear your tones and see your face, -that it is like the return of some dear friend whom you have longed to -see for years." - -"You almost make me believe in the theory of the transmigration of -souls, Mr. Warlow. How very possible it may have been that in some dim, -pre-historic age you and I were a pair of giant king-fishers, who to-day -were reunited on the banks of our favorite stream after the lapse of -untold ages!--and what is more natural than we should take to our -antediluvian occupation at once?" and she peered down into the pool with -a sidelong glance as though searching for her finny prey, while -Clifford shook with merriment at her happy imitation of that uncanny -bird. - -"I never was a firm believer in Swedenborg; yet the thought haunts me -still that I certainly have met you before to-day, although, as you say, -it may have been in some previous happy state, Miss Estill." - -"Now, to be frank, Mr. Warlow, I confess to being a bit superstitious, -which may be owing, however, to my living so isolated from society all -these years that I even welcomed company of a supernatural nature, -which, you know, is better than none." - -"Why, it can not be that your vicinity is peopled by shrieking ghosts, -too?" said Clifford quickly, as the memory of the spectre of the Stone -Corral came to mind, which in the turmoil of their busy lives had been -nearly forgotten. - -"I can not see why I should revert to such a subject to-day; but some -way the mention of transmigration of souls brought the remembrance of -the Gray Spectre to my mind," said she, glancing furtively over her -shoulder; then, as she caught young Warlow's amused look, she smiled -responsively, and continued:-- - -"You too have a skeleton in the family, I perceive; so let's unburden -our souls and exchange confidences." - -"With all my heart," said Clifford; "I am glad we have such a mutual -bond of sympathy." - -Then he told how the gray-robed figure had startled the group at the -camp-fire, and fled shrieking away, that memorable evening more than a -year before; and although all of their family had maintained an -apprehensive outlook for a second visit from his spookship, they never -had been molested further; and he concluded by saying:-- - -"But I hope, Miss Estill, your experience will throw some light on the -mystery." - -"It is undoubtedly the same spectral being which has haunted our ranch -for the past twenty-five years, and which has eluded pursuit on every -occasion, although papa, Hugh, and several herders have endeavored, more -or less bravely, to trace it; but the mysterious apparition always -vanishes into the night without leaving a trace. Why, I have become so -fearful that, like the daughter of the bold Glengyle,-- - - 'Alone I dare not venture there, - Where walks, they say, the shrieking ghost,'-- - -and I often fly at the sight of my own shadow," said Miss Estill. "One -evening, Mr. Warlow, I was riding by a peculiarly lonesome spot near -home,--a lofty hill on which there is the grave of a mysterious -relative, who died near a quarter of a century since, and of whose -history I can learn but little. Although Hugh and I often question our -parents about him, they seem to evade our inquiries. I had reached a -point close to the grave,--which is all overgrown with thistles, -notwithstanding the fact that I had repeatedly planted flowers and roses -there that had always refused to grow,--when that same hideous, -gray-robed creature emerged from the thicket about the grave, and as I -halted, frozen with horror at the sight, the gaunt wretch glared a -moment, then fled shrieking away in the darkling twilight. Oh, I never -paused to investigate, you may believe, but gave rein to my pony, which -was as badly frightened as myself, and flew home like the wind," said -Miss Estill with a shiver. - -"Have you ever been up to the corral, Miss Estill?" Clifford asked. - -"Not for three years, Mr. Warlow. Now, while we are speaking of -supernatural things, I must tell you how strangely I always felt at that -place. I can never go about the old ruin without being assailed by an -uncanny feeling--something like one might be expected to feel who walks -over her own grave, you know!" she added with a smile; then continuing -she said earnestly: "It always seems that something terrible haunts the -very air there, and I feel a weight of grief and misery that horrifies -me whenever I pass the spot. If I had lost my dearest friend there, I -should have very much the same sensation, I believe, at sight of the -ruin. I struggle with my memory to recall some event with which I seem -to have been connected there; but it is all in vain, for it is as -intangible as a moonbeam." - -"That is very mysterious indeed, Miss Estill; for I often feel very much -that way myself there, but not in so marked a degree as when I pass that -great hill three miles up the valley, known as Antelope Butte. I am -often overpowered by a feeling of deepest melancholy and grief while -only passing that hill. The first time I saw the place I was shocked to -think how familiar it all seemed; for I found the spring near its base -just where my instinct seemed to tell me that the water bubbled forth -from the rocky cleft. But a feeling of unutterable longing and an -uncontrollable yearning to see some one, the name even of whom I can not -recall, always seizes me there, and I am both perplexed and horrified at -the sensation," Clifford replied. - -Gradually the tone of their conversation lost its gloomy hue, and -rambled away into the realms of art, history, and song, of the fair -foreign lands beyond that blue, quivering horizon; and as Miss Estill -fluttered her fan of carved ivory and rose-plumes, talking in her sweet -vivacious way, the sunlight threw a halo about the golden hair and -Grecian face of the youth reclining on the bank, suffusing with rose the -handsome features that even a western sun in all its fierceness could -not rob of its fresh glow. - -As the fastidious Miss Estill noted every detail of his faultless -attire, neither old nor new, from the tips of his shapely fingers to his -glossy boots bearing the undeniable stamp of gentleman, she thought how -utterly effete was the comparison, "Rough as a farmer;" and as -admiration shone in his boyish face, illuminated with those honest blue -eyes, fringed by their lashes of dead gold, is it any wonder that -romance threw its glamour over the scene, and they half forgot to roam -in fancy through foreign lands, thinking of the joyful present, which, -alas! we seldom value until it has become a sweet memory only. - -The long shadows which stole down from the hill-tops warned our young -friends that they would soon part, and reluctantly they returned to the -platform, where preparations for starting were being made. Grace -Moreland and Hugh Estill still appeared to be deeply engrossed with each -other's society, and it was not remarkable that young Estill should -hover about the vivacious and bewitching Grace; for she was a sparkling, -graceful creature, the picture of innocence and youth, in her dress of -fleecy white. - -As Clifford stood by Miss Estill at parting, he said, while his hand -rested on the mane of her creamy horse:-- - -"Ah, Miss Estill, I little thought what this morning held in store. This -has been a day that repays the many dark years of the past, and I shall -treasure its memory forever." - -"Yes; a blissful day indeed, Mr. Warlow; and it almost makes me sad to -think I shall ever grow old," she replied, as she gave her hand, which -he held longer--yes, I shall have to confess the fact, much longer--than -the laws of conventionality demanded. - -As the Warlow carriage drove up the broad valley, the coolness of -twilight was brooding over the prairies, and the twittering songsters -fluttered down from the highlands to the sheltering thickets which -belted the stream, and the fire-flies gemmed the dusky groves and -meadows when they alighted at their homes. - - - - -Chapter XI. - - -On a clear, serene Sabbath following the picnic, Miss Estill and Hugh -rode up to Squire Moreland's, excusing the call on that holy day by -saying that they were too busy to spare one day of six; and after dinner -at that hospitable home, they walked up to Colonel Warlow's, being -accompanied by Grace, Ralph, and Scott. - -They paused at the great latticed and arched gate to glance into the -yard, which was inclosed by a low stone wall, over which the grapes and -wild-roses clambered in heavy clusters of tangled foliage. Two gaudy -peacocks were sunning their glittering plumage on the grass plat in -front of the long stone dwelling resting so cool under the great -elm--that same historical tree which had served as place of refuge -during the "flood"--drooping low over the quaint gables, dormer windows, -and chimneys wreathed by the transplanted wild vines which festooned the -rough walls. - -The colonel was asleep in a hammock, which was slung in the latticed -porch, and his placid wife sat near, reading the Bible, as she rocked -softly in the easy-chair. Clifford, clad in a cool white suit, was -reading also; but I fear the work, in which he was so absorbed that he -had not seen the approaching guests, was not of such a sacred nature as -befitted the Lord's-day. Maud and Bob, swinging in a swing which was -fastened to the limbs of the great elm, were likewise perusing the pages -of some entertaining book, which Maud dropped with a little feminine -squeak of delight as she saw her friends; then she flew down the path, -and greeted the new-comers with unfeigned pleasure. - -As she kissed Miss Estill and Grace in true girlish fashion, Rob, the -handsome rogue, came forward and gravely offered to salute the ladies in -the same manner; but his cordial advances were declined with thanks, -whereupon he turned to the young men of the party and kissed them -effusively, amid their merry peals of laughter at his sly way of -ridiculing the feminine mode of greeting. - -Mrs. Marlow said in her low, sweet voice, as she led the guests into the -house, after they had been presented in due form by Clifford,-- - -"It is very kind of you, hunting us up this lonesome afternoon." - -"We should have done so long before this if we had known what very -agreeable neighbors lived so near," replied young Estill. - -"You will smile, possibly, at our thinking twelve miles a neighborly -distance, Mrs. Warlow, but I assure you it seems only a trifle when we -remember that for years we have considered the people of Abilene and -Lawrence our neighbors," said Miss Estill as she sank into an -easy-chair, after Maud had relieved her of the jaunty black hat with its -drooping white plume. - -"We will freely forgive you, Miss Estill, if you will atone for your -past neglect," said Mrs. Warlow, with a pleased smile. "The lack of -society has been the greatest privation attending our Western life, and -but for the unvarying kindness and sympathy of Squire Moreland's family, -I fear we should have found it quite monotonous." - -The room where they were seated was a wide, many-windowed apartment, -with cool lace curtains sweeping the dark, rich carpet. The walls were -graced by a few pictures and portraits, and on the brackets of walnut -and mahogany were vases of wild-flowers. A wide bay-window at one end -was half screened by the curtains of lace, and through their filmy -meshes could be seen the cherished geraniums and fuchsias that were so -dear to Maud as a memento of the old Missouri home. A great beveled -mirror, framed in heavy gilt moulding, reached from the mantel to the -ceiling; and strangest sight in this Western land was a wide fire-place; -but instead of the glowing coals and crackling flames which one always -associates with the hearth-stone, there were banks of blooming plants. -The rich old piano and Maud's guitar occupied one corner, and a low, -velvet divan the other, on each side of the mantel. It was a room which, -Miss Estill and her brother perceived, was redolent with the refinement -and harmony of the family, as simply elegant and devoid of sham and -pretense as its owners. - -Miss Estill gave a sigh of gratification as her glance swept the -apartment, and rested out on the shady, well-kept lawn, where the hum of -bees and songs of wild-birds seemed so wholly in keeping with the tone -of happiness and industry which pervaded the Warlow household. - -"How strange it seems that you have been here so short a time! It is -almost like enchantment--this evolving such a perfect home from the -wild, lonesome prairies and tangled woodland, where the wolf and buffalo -roamed unmolested not two short years ago." - -"We have to thank nature for the trees and flowers, the vines also, Miss -Estill; but you see we had little else to occupy our time but the -improvements of our new home; though I believe we can truly say that we -have not been idle the past year," replied Clifford. - -"It is wonderful what a change your taste and energy have made in that -brief time. We can not blame our Eastern friends, who never have beheld -a wide, desolate prairie transformed into such a charming home-land as -this in a short year, if they do vilify the average Kansan, and tax him -with boastfulness and other vices not akin to truth." - -At request of her guests, Maud was soon seated at the rich, mellow-toned -piano, and the strains of "The Bridge" floated out through the open -windows, as her sweet contralto rose, freighted with the heart-throbs -and regret which thrill through the melody of that pathetic song. - -"Ah! Tennyson never had heard this sad, weird poem when he gave the -title 'Lord of Human Tears' to Victor Hugo, or our own Longfellow would -have won it," said Miss Estill with a sigh. - -"Yes; Longfellow is the poet that seems nearest in all our moments of -retrospection. I never stand at the crossing of the old Santa Fe and -Abilene Trails, on that hill yonder, without his lines recurring,-- - - 'Like an odor of brine from the ocean, - Comes the thought of other years;'-- - -and I must tell you, Miss Estill, that whenever I meet you I feel that -same remembrance, vague and evanescent, of a time when you and I were -very happy, and were all--at least we were very great friends. But it is -so shadowy and indistinct that I can not grasp its meaning. It is like -the memory of some half-forgotten dream or the dim recollections of a -former life," replied young Warlow, in a low tone, as the pulsing waves -of music, the "Blue Danube," throbbed through the vines and lace -curtains of the bay-window where they sat. - -"If you were less thrifty, Mr. Warlow, I would suspect you were too fond -of poetry to be practical. But I should not throw sarcastic stones at -your glass house, for it has been no longer than a month ago that mamma -scolded me roundly for forgetting the yeast in my batch of light bread. -I had to lay all the blame at the 'open door' of the 'Moated Grange,' -which I had been reading. Poor Mariana might well have said, after -looking on my leaden loaves:-- - - 'I am aweary, aweary,-- - I would that I were dead!'" - -While Clifford was making some laughing reply to this bucket of poetical -cold water, he and Miss Estill were summoned to the piano, where our -young friends were floundering hopelessly through the intricacies of a -glee, in which Grace's alto would persist in getting all tangled up with -Hugh's baritone, and the cat-calls of Rob's bastard bass and Scott's -frantic tenor only served to heighten the confusion, that finally -collapsed in subdued shrieks of laughter. But when Miss Estill's dainty -fingers rippled over the guitar, and their voices blended with varying -degrees of melody as its twanging notes mingled with the mellow tones of -the piano, then something like harmony prevailed again. Yet she and -Clifford would still exchange amused glances whenever Rob gave vent to a -more pronounced caterwaul than usual, or Scott's gosling tenor squawked -a wild note of alarm. - -"Miss Estill, I am longing to hear you render a Spanish solo; for I -never can help the picture of a Castilian maiden playing amid the courts -of the Alhambra, rising whenever you take the guitar," said young -Warlow, in a low tone. - -"My broken Spanish would soon dispel the illusion," she replied, with a -soft blush; "but I will give you, instead, a poor translation of a -Mexican song;" and in a voice rich with melody and feeling, she sang:-- - - "There blooms no rose upon the plain, - But costs the night a thousand tears,"-- - -while the guitar rained a shower of soft-dripping music, veined with a -thrill of sadness. As her bosom rose and fell with the sweet strains, -the ruby heart which clasped the ruff at her slender throat flashed -rays of crimson and rose in the stray sunbeams that glinted through the -room. - -Clifford remained rapt in a reverie as the dreamy music, with a low -minor ripple, died away, and the listeners sat in silence a moment, -paying a mute tribute to the graceful singer who now was idly toying -with the guitar. - -One white arm was half revealed by the wide-flowing sleeve, with its -fall of creamy lace; a cluster of fuchsias drooped among the waves of -her hair, and the wide ruff gave a graceful finish to the close-fitting -riding-habit of black velvet which she wore. - -Young Warlow was aroused by his mother saying:-- - -"Miss Estill, the colonel, my husband." - -He turned quickly, and saw his father standing in the doorway, staring -as if he had seen a sheeted ghost. Yes; it was undeniable that the -courtly and urbane colonel was positively staring with a white face at -the beautiful guest, and as he came forward he said, in an agitated -voice:-- - -"Ivarene? No--no--impossible! Pardon, Miss Estill; but your face reminds -me so strongly of a dear, kind friend, 'who passed over the dark river -long years ago,' that I was quite unnerved;" and as he held her slender -hand he looked hungrily into the blue eyes that were regarding him with -a look of shy wonder. When Hugh was presented, the colonel glanced -keenly from the blonde, hazel-eyed young man back to the creole face of -the young lady, and he again murmured brokenly, and in an incredulous -tone, "Brother and sister? Strange--mystery!" and in the hearts of that -group for many a day echoed and re-echoed his words: "Mystery, mystery!" - -A constraint seemed to fall immediately upon the inmates of the room, -and Maud, perceiving the traces of social frost in the atmosphere, -suggested that they should take a look at her flowers; and the guests -rose and followed in a confused group out into the flower-garden, that -was surrounded with a low stone wall. - -The paths, which divided the small plat into four subdivisions, were -interrupted at their intersection by a circular path, where a succession -of terraces of the same figure rose to the height of half a dozen feet, -the whole forming a circular mound, crowned by a tiny latticed arbor, -which was reached by a flight of white stone steps, flanked by vases of -the same alabaster-like material. - -The terraces were sodded with the dainty, short buffalo-grass, and each -offset was planted with a profusion of flowers, now beginning to unfold -their blossoms. This unique ornament was the work of Clifford and -Robbie, who had in their "idle" moments thus transformed the unsightly -pile of earth, which had resulted from excavating the cellar, into a -"hanging garden to please Maud," and she felt justly proud of the -compliments which the guests bestowed on the attractive feature of her -trim garden, with its wealth of lilies, roses, and gladioluses. - -Although the group had emerged from the house in a confused manner, it -was remarkable how soon order was restored, and the young people paired -off into couples after the law of affinity--Maud and Ralph, Grace and -Hugh, leaving Clifford and Miss Estill to either mate with Rob and -Scott, or to choose each other for partners in the ramble; and it is -also strange how quickly they chose the latter alternative, and -sauntered away with appalling _sang-froid_, leaving those youths to -their own resources without even the ghost of an apology. But the -youngsters had ample revenge for this heartless, cold neglect, when, a -few moments later, Rob was seen leaning on Scott's arm in a languishing -manner, with a hollyhock perched daintily just above his nose, in -semblance of a most coquettish hat, his bob-tailed coat embellished with -an enormous petticoat of rhubarb-leaves, while Scott alternately cast -admiring glances upon his frail "lady," or fanned the mock beauty with a -catalpa-leaf fully half a yard broad. - -And while Maud and Grace regarded their manoeuvres with furtive scorn -and ill-concealed disgust, this precious pair sauntered conspicuously -after their friends, who could see "Miss Rob" mince along with -exaggerated airs and graces, often pausing to sniff of the enormous -water-pot, carried in imitation of a lady's scent-bottle. - -Finally the party eluded the persecution of this devoted couple by going -back into the house, and ascending to the "Crows' Nest" in the top of -the old elm; and as Maud recounted the thrilling adventure of the -"flood," she felt certain that Rob was too well acquainted with his -paternal discipline to venture upon any nonsense about the house. But -half an hour later, as they were strolling down to the boat, the party, -in turning an abrupt curve in the path, surprised the infatuated Scott -on his knees kissing the hand of the shy he-damsel, who, with affected -modesty, was hiding her face in the dainty fan and the last view our -friends caught of them while rowing up the river, the fascinating Rob -was sinking into the outstretched arms of his ostentatious lover. - -Clifford rowed up the winding stream, which, although only a few feet -deep, was here several rods in width. As they passed along, an old -beaver, which had built a dam below, stuck its snout up through the -tangled grass that trailed into the water; then, after gazing a moment -at the intruders, it sank quietly from sight. - -The pleasant ride suggested a boating song, and a concert followed, -which scared many a gray old musk-rat to his den, and the frightened -wild-fowls scurried with whizzing wings out from the dark, sedgy nooks, -shaded by the elms and willows, as the unwonted sounds floated out over -the water. - -Our friends walked up to Clifford's dwelling, after landing and mooring -the boat to a tree, and while they rested on the pale ashen-green -buffalo-grass in the shadow of a mighty elm that smothered the gables of -the stone cottage with its wide-spread branches, Clifford pointed out -the stone wall, which was half concealed by the vines, where his father -had so narrowly escaped death a quarter of a century before; and as they -sat, he told of the terrible tragedy that had here been enacted, which -explained why Maud had so tenderly trained the roses over the ruined -wall--the wall that had sheltered their father on that tragic night. - -At the close of the mournful story Miss Estill exclaimed:-- - -"Oh, what a cruel fate. Poor, ill-starred Ivarene! It was that -unfortunate bride that I so strangely resemble. But how mysterious that -it should be so! Now I do not wonder at your father's agitation at -meeting one who reminded him of his lost friend and benefactress. That -was why he gazed so pathetically into my eyes:--I recalled the days of -his youth, his lost fortune, and the tragic fate of his dear friends." - -Hugh Estill said:-- - -"Oh, this is not the first time I have heard the particulars of that -tragedy. It was often talked of in the days of my boyhood; but I was a -child at the time when it was still fresh in the memory of the few -settlers in the upper valley of the Cottonwood. It was fully ten years -after the event that I heard the version from one of our herders, who -said it was whispered that white men were engaged in the massacre. -Father was unnecessarily irritated, I thought, when I repeated what the -fellow said, and he went so far as to discharge him, and forbade me ever -mentioning the subject again." - -"Your parents were living on your ranch at that time?" said Clifford, in -a strange eager tone of inquiry. - -"Yes; we have lived on the same place for the past twenty-seven years, -and both Mora and myself were born on the old ranch," replied Hugh. - -After remaining rapt in silence a moment, Miss Estill said, as she and -Clifford stood apart from the others, while he stooped to gather a spray -of the sensitive-plant:-- - -"What is this strange, haunting sense of danger and grief that always -assails me on this spot? It is like the dim remembrance of some tragic -event connected with my own life--a half-forgotten night-mare, as it -were--the very elusiveness of which is distressing to me. I feel that -same sensation now which I mentioned having always felt on this spot, -when you told me how strangely you were affected when passing Antelope -Butte." - -"I often experience that peculiar sentiment here, also, Miss Estill,--a -kind of perception or impression of some dire calamity with which not -only myself, but you likewise, have been connected here," Clifford -replied with troubled face. - -"I am afraid we shall mould if we stay in this gloomy shade any longer," -cried Grace, springing up with a little shiver; but the bright look -which young Estill beamed upon her showed plainly that he, at least, was -in no danger of such a blighting fate. - -It was a beautiful scene that burst upon their view as they emerged from -under the low, sweeping boughs, and stood in the sunlight south of the -gothic cottage. Around the knoll, on which they were standing, purled -and gurgled the stream, fringed by feathery willows and stately elms, -and, after half embracing the hill in its tortuous folds, winding away -down the widening valley. Where the timber, which skirted the serpentine -river, grew in groves of deepest green, there the stream had expanded -into placid lakelets, which flashed like silver in the slanting -sunbeams. - -On the south, in the smooth, level valley, were fields of ripening -grain,--wheat of coppery red or creamy gold, silvery sheen of rye and -oats, set in a frame of emerald where the wild prairies came sheer up to -the clear-cut fields, that were _innocent_ of fence or hedge. Then their -vision roamed out to the north, where the rolling hills melted away on -the dim horizon. - -As they stood silently gazing on the tranquil landscape, the bell in the -latticed belfry of the Warlow homestead rang out in mellow clang, and -Maud said:-- - -"Let's return, for it is the supper-bell. I do hope, though, that mother -has prepared something more substantial for her guests than Clifford has -done for us this afternoon." - -"Why, have we not reveled in mystery?" cried Grace. - -"And feasted on landscape?" said Miss Estill. - -"And did he not hospitably entertain us with legend, mellow and old?" -chimed Ralph. - -"Sorry that I could not have treated you to fresher puns," retorted -Clifford, laughingly. - -On rowing down the tranquil stream, and coming once more into the shady -yard of the Warlows, our young friends found the tea-table spread under -the boughs of the ever-serviceable elm, and Rob and Scott busy assisting -Mrs. Warlow with the evening meal. - -As with deft fingers Maud culled choice bouquets from her garden, and -decked the table, she felt a thrill of pardonable pride in the snowy -damask, the crystal and silver that glittered with the polish of good -housewifery, and the tempting, dainty dishes which her mother had, with -true Western hospitality, prepared in honor of the guests. - -Ah, hungry reader, I wish that you could have been there also; for my -mouth vainly waters, even yet, at the remembrance of asparagus and green -peas, spring-chicken smothered in cream (which I hasten to explain was -not the fowl of boarding-house memory and tradition, with which the -frosts of December had "monkeyed;" no barn-yard champion was it, with -cotton-like breast and sinewy limb, but a tender daughter of the -May-time, that had perished on the threshold of a bright young -pullethood), and frosty lemon-pie, just tinged with bronze, flanked by -the crimson moulds of plum-jelly. - -An hour later, in the gloomy twilight, as the guests were taking leave, -Miss Estill said:-- - -"Your son has told me of the old tragedy that has saddened your life, -Colonel; but it is very strange that I should resemble that ill-fated -Mexican bride." - -"Ah, Miss Estill, every hour you recall the memory of my lost friends; -just such a daughter might have blessed them, _if they had lived_," he -replied, with a sigh, as he searched the young face with his wistful -blue eyes. - -"It is only a chance resemblance, of course--a mere coincidence," she -replied, in a tone of uneasiness. "My parents were living here at the -time of the massacre; but I never have heard of the dreadful occurrence -until to-day," she added. - -"I would like very much to meet your father, and talk over the early -history of this country," said the colonel, eagerly. "I sometimes find -myself hoping that they might have escaped," he continued, in a -half-musing tone, like one whose mind is wholly engrossed by an -overmastering subject. She overlooked his incoherence, knowing well that -he referred to Bruce and Ivarene. "Since I have been here on the scene -of the tragedy, the thought often recurs that I took it for granted that -they perished, and have trusted too readily to circumstantial evidence -in confirmation of that belief." - -"How strange it is that no trace of that enormous treasure of gold and -gems was ever obtained!" she replied. "But, then, the horde of -Cheyennes, which Hugh said to-day were reported as having been led by -white men, found it an easy task enough, no doubt, to carry away even -that great amount of coin after their murderous work." - -"Ah! it is all a strange, dark mystery," he replied; "and to-day it is -more impenetrable than ever. But if I could see your father he might -remember." - -Here the colonel paused abruptly, and threw up one hand with an -involuntary start, and Miss Estill saw by the faint light that he was -ashen pale. But as the others were now passing out through the gate, she -reluctantly shook hands with the colonel, who, she saw, was trembling -with repressed emotion; and then she took leave of the other members of -the family, vaguely wondering why the courtly old gentleman should be so -affected by events which had occurred more than a quarter of a century -before. - -When, an hour later, Clifford returned from Squire Moreland's, whither -he had accompanied Miss Estill, he was accosted by Rob in the following -vein:-- - -"What's up, Cliff?" - -"Up where?" replied his brother, evasively. - -"On the porch, if you have eyes for anything less attractive than a -young lady with a mop of blue hair," said the indignant Rob. - -"Oh--father and mother! Why, I can't see anything strange in our parents -sitting on the porch," replied his brother, in a tone of feigned -indifference. - -"Well, but they have had their heads together and been plotting for an -hour; but Maud keeps up such an everlasting racket with her singing and -dish-clattering that I can't hear a word they say. That girl positively -is noisier than a fire-engine. Now, just listen at that!" as Maud's -voice sang in sweet crescendo:-- - - "Stars are shining, Mollie darling." (Crash, rattle.) - -_Mrs. Warlow._--"Do you think it possible that they were saved?" - -_Maud_ (diminuendo).-- - - "Through the mystic veil of night." (Rinkety-clink.) - -_Colonel._--"She may be their daughter, who survived." (Splatter.) - -_Maud_ (piano).-- - - "No one listens but the flowers, - As they hang their heads in shame." (Klinkety-klink.) - -_Rob._-- - - "Yes, Miss Maud, you noisy magpie. - I hang ditto and the same." - -_Clifford._--"If you don't keep quiet, I'll--" -(Klutter-terattle-tering.) - -_Coffee-mill_, etc.--"Kr-rrrrr-r-rrr (Mollie) r-r-r (dar) rrrr-r-rrrr." - -_Colonel._--"She is the very image of Ivarene; and I am almost converted -to Bruce's strange creed when I see them." - -_Maud_ (at the well).--"Ke-pump, ke-pump, ke-pump!" - -_Colonel._--"I saw them together to-day. I was perfectly bewildered; for -they are the very picture of Bruce and Ivarene on their wedding-day." - -_Maud._-- - - "Mollie, fairest, sweetest, dearest! - Look up, darling, tell me this--" - -_Rob._-- - - "Miss Maud Warlow, you're a bull-frog, - And I'd like to have a hook in your nose." - -But, as his rhyme ended with such an ignominious fizzle, he hurried away -with a snort of disgust. Clifford lingered a moment, hoping to hear -more; but his parents rose soon after, and entered the house; so, in a -thoughtful mood, he went about his farm duties. - -Out in the wheat a quail called "Bob White," while down in the pasture a -flock of prairie-chickens or grouse disturbed the twilight calm with -their melancholy "ku-boom;" but, as the evening faded into night, the -quiet of early slumber brooded over the Warlow household. - - - - -Chapter XII. - - -The week which followed brought sad tidings to the Warlow family. A -black-bordered letter came, bearing the post-mark of San Francisco; but -before it was opened the family knew its import. - -Mrs. Warlow's only brother, William, had been in the mines for several -years, but since his health had failed he had been making the great -coast city his home; and, although grieved at the announcement of his -death, they were not unprepared for the sad news. - -The lawyer wrote that he held a few thousand dollars of the deceased's -money, which was left by the will to Mrs. Warlow, and they were also -informed that the "Redwood" mine was left to Robbie, who was a great -favorite with his uncle; but this latter property was as yet -unproductive, though the attorney conveyed an intimation that it might -some day prove very valuable, as there were mines of fabulous richness -near by. - -Soon the rumor went flying through the colony that the Warlows had -fallen heirs to an immense estate, and as usual the report lost nothing -by traveling; so our friends soon found themselves invested by the halo -of riches without any of its substantial benefits. - -Speculations and conjectures were rife among the neighbors as to the -"best manner of investing their friend Warlow's fortune;" and, in fact, -it became impossible for any member of the colonel's family to meet an -acquaintance without being informed of some great opening for a -judicious investment, that was only waiting capital and enterprise to -develop the fact that there was "millions in it." - -As Clifford paused one day to discuss the state of the weather in a -neighborly way with a male member of this well-meaning but misguided -class, he learned that all the vast tract of vacant land to the north, -which still belonged to the government, had been condemned as being, -"unfit for agricultural purposes," and would be "offered" at public sale -the following August at the local land-office. - -When young Warlow parted with his informant the matter was dismissed; -but whenever he glanced away to the north or east at the billowy hills -and level, rich dales, he would begin planning how he could secure a -tract of the land before it passed into the hands of relentless -speculators; and one day he actually rode out over the fertile, -picturesque country for miles, and with a blush found himself dreaming -how that long, narrow valley should be sown to grain, and the galloping -hills, clothed with rich grasses, could provide pasturage for his vast, -imaginary flocks and herds. - -Alas, that the lack of a few handfuls of "filthy lucre" only, stood -between himself and the ownership of the broad acres on every hand! With -a dreary sigh he realized, for the first time in his life, how bitter is -the lot of the poor but ambitious man, who sees the avenues to wealth -barred by his lack of capital. - -As he stood on the spot where his father had lost his fortune so many -years before, Clifford thought how many hundred thousand acres of that -rolling, fertile country the lost wealth represented; and while his -horse grazed quietly near, the youth threw himself down in the cool -shadow of the ruined wall, dreaming and planning how he might recover -the vast wealth that he had long suspected was buried here near the -scene of the tragedy. - -But when he calmly began to analyze the evidence on which his suspicions -were based, he was disappointed to see how visionary it all seemed in -the clear light of reason. But it was too dear and cherished a theory to -be relinquished without a mental struggle; so again he began to persuade -himself that those scheming white men, of whom young Estill had -spoken--those inhuman villains--might have secreted the gold from the -drunken Indians, and it might have been that the blood-stained, -avaricious leaders had died a violent death in those turbulent days, and -the great wealth was still sleeping, undisturbed, all these years, while -his father was suffering under the heavy load of poverty and fallen -fortune. As Clifford still mused, there flashed across his mind the -lines of Rokeby:-- - - "Then dig and tomb your precious heap, - And bid the dead your treasure keep." - -Springing to his feet, young Warlow cried aloud in his excitement:-- - -"Ah! it is all clear now--the blood on the grass and the newly made -graves, of which Uncle Roger spoke! Yes, yes--they buried the dead and -the gold in the same grave, and then decoyed the savages away! It may be -that those bright doubloons, the red gold of the Walravens and my -father, are buried but a few steps from where I stand." - -Flinging aside doubt and uncertainty, he hurried down the hill to the -spot where his father had said the treasure-laden vehicle had stood on -that fatal night, and long and eagerly young Warlow searched for a trace -of the graves. But it was all in vain; for the vast tide of travel that -had flowed for a quarter of a century over the spot had not only -obliterated all trace of those lowly mounds, but had also worn the -mellow soil into deep gullies, down the sloping sides of which the -knotted buffalo-grass crept like webs of pale-green lace. - -In the old trail, where once the cannon of Phil Kearney had rumbled, as -with his army he hurried forward to Santa Fe, and along where Coronado, -Lee, Fremont, and Kit Carson had ridden, now the wild mignonette, in -spikes of purple, fragrant blossoms, grew, loading the sultry air with -their rich odors. The sensitive-rose, its fern-like foliage tufted with -rosy balls of gold-flecked down, closed its leaves as Clifford hurriedly -brushed by; but in the tangled thickets of wild indigo, now blooming in -sprays of violet and creamy flowers, or among the tall, lush, blue -stem-grass the young "fortune hunter" found no traces of the lost -wealth--no sunken graves were visible to tell of that tragedy of long -ago; so it was with a slow step and feeling of despondency that our -friend sought the shelter of his latticed porch. - -While he sat, lost in speculation as to the best method of prosecuting -his search, which he was too resolute to give up easily, his eyes rested -on an implement that at a glance showed its adaptability for the very -purpose. It was a long rod of iron, tipped with twisted steel. He -remembered having had it made the year before for the men who were -searching for a vein of water before sinking his wells. As he seized it -eagerly, and started once again down the hill, he felt gratified and -elated to perceive how easily he could now test the earth to the depth -of five feet, and ascertain if there was any foreign substance in the -mellow, loamy soil, which throughout the valley was a bed of rich, black -loam, entirely free from stone or boulders. - -He had but reached the spot near the river, when he saw his father -riding through the wheat-field toward where our young schemer stood; and -hastily tossing the iron rod into a thicket, Clifford met his father -with an assumption of careless indifference; for all his allusions in -the past to the lost fortune had only met with the sarcastic disapproval -of his parent, who, being an intensely practical man himself, could not -tolerate any thing so visionary as a search for the treasure seemed to -be; and young Warlow had decided to keep his investigations secret, thus -avoiding the censure and ridicule of the colonel. After a brief -discussion in regard to the condition of the ripening grain, Clifford -remarked:-- - -"It seems very strange, father, that no trace can be found of those -graves which Uncle Roger mentioned having seen near the Old Corral, when -he found you after the robbery and massacre." - -"This is too busy a time for us to speculate on the past, my boy. The -wheat has ripened splendidly--I never saw a field to equal that valley -yonder--and we will have to start the header to-morrow; so if you will -ride out on to the Flats and engage three more teams, I will go down to -Squire Moreland's and tell them we shall begin early in the morning," -said the colonel. - -"But, father, first tell me as nearly as possible where those graves -were located; for I have a strange curiosity regarding them of late. It -must be near this very spot?" - -"Yes, yes; near that old cottonwood-tree, or on the level space of sod -just this side. But Clifford," continued he in a tone of suspicion quite -foreign to the kindly colonel, "what nonsense are you meditating now? -You are not still counting on that lost fortune?" - -"Well, father, there has been a growing belief in my mind of late that -the treasure is secreted near here. Think how impossible it would have -been for a leader of such a band as those savages were, to divide the -booty satisfactorily among the pack of drunken monsters. If the leader -had the acumen that I believe he possessed, he, no doubt, buried the -gold, at least, in one of those graves while the others were stupefied -by the liquor; and there is a chance that he may never have returned, -owing to the dangers to which such turbulent villains are always -exposed. I have thought this over carefully, until at last I am -convinced--" - -"That your father has a damned fool for a son!" broke in the colonel -hotly, as he rode away. - -After supper Clifford said he would go up to his house and spend the -night--an announcement which caused no surprise, as he frequently stayed -there; but on this occasion Robbie remarked to Maud:-- - -"Cliff must be _schooling his courage_ by staying of nights up at that -old spook-ranch; but a fellow who can stand that, could pop the question -to the witch of Macbeth without faltering." - -"What do you mean by his popping the question, Rob?" said Maud, setting -her pail of foamy milk down on the cellar-steps, while she regarded the -handsome youth with a puzzled look from her round, blue eyes. - -"Why just this," he replied, after "swigging" down a pint of fresh milk -from his own pail, and deliberately wiping his lips with his -shirt-sleeve; "Cliff has got more sand in his gizzard than most fellows; -but I guess he feels too poor, or something, to talk _marry_ to Mora -Estill, so he goes mooning off up there to that old spectre's nest--just -like fellows do in novels, you know," he added, lucidly. - -But here the peremptory tones of his father called the young philosopher -to take the colts down to the lower pasture. - -When Clifford arrived at his dwelling he prepared several stakes, and -fastened bits of white paper to their tops; then, securing the iron rod, -he placed it with the small sticks, which he had left in the porch, and -sought the dainty and comfortable bed which he owed to the thoughtful -kindness of Maud and his mother. - -Sinking into a profound slumber, he was only awakened by the alarm which -sounded as the clock struck one. As its chime died away, he arose and -stole forth into the tranquil night. - -A waning moon had risen, and in its faint light the water of the brook -glimmered coldly as it wimpled over the stony ford. The fluttering -leaves of the old cottonwood flashed like silver, and the hoary form of -the great tree, every limb of which seemed outlined in white, towered -vague and ghostly above the shadows cast by the more dense foliage of -ash and willows. - -Clifford paused in the level glade where his father had said the graves -must have been when Roger Coble passed the spot twenty-six years before. -Thrusting the rod deep into the soft, loamy soil, young Warlow threw his -whole weight on the instrument, which penetrated to the depth of several -feet with little difficulty. On meeting with no obstruction, he withdrew -the rod; and after marking the spot with one of the stakes which he had -provided, he began again to prosecute the search one step further south. - -The precaution of marking the place where he had sunk the rod was for -the purpose of systematizing the search, thus avoiding confusion. In -fact, these careful details were but an indication of the practical -nature of the young Fortune Hunter, which, even on this weird night, -strongly asserted its sway. - -While the leaves murmured and whispered, as if striving to tell of the -tragedies that had marred this spot--of the mystery that seemed to haunt -the very air around--Clifford still pursued his investigations, -patiently and in silence, only pausing to draw a deeper breath or a sigh -of disappointment at each fruitless effort, as he toiled onward into the -deep shadows near the bank of the stream. - -At length, tired and weary, our young friend stood on the verge of the -stream over the bank of which the dank grass trailed, and the rank vine -of the wild-gourd, with its silvery leaves, rioted in wildest luxuriance -and profusion. - -Glancing up through the branches of the hoary old cottonwood, he could -see the glittering constellation of Scorpio far out on the south-western -horizon, the fiery star Antares, which forms its heart, glowing like a -ruby in the blue vault of heaven. - -For a moment Clifford rested on the handle of the deep-sunken -instrument, and, lifting his heavy felt hat with its leathern band--a -badge of the ranchman throughout all the West--he drew a deep breath of -the cool air that swayed the wild hop-vines and pendulous branches of -the willows to and fro in the moonlight. - -Around, a thousand wild-flowers distilled their odors. The -sensitive-plant nodded softly in dew-drenched sprays, its rosy balls -flecked with drops that glinted like gems, while all the air was heavy -with its perfume of spices and honey. - -The foamy elder-blooms exhaled an odor of entrancing sweetness, and over -the senses stole the fragrance from pond-lilies and water-mint, -wild-hyacinths and mignonette. - -A large prairie-owl flitted by, lending a note of discord to the -tranquillity which had reigned, with its dismal hoot, that mellowed away -into a plaintive shriek as it lit in some far-off, sombre nook. - -Then again silence brooded over the valley, broken only by the croak of -frogs along the rush-lined shore, or the soft chirp of insects in the -grass; but suddenly the jabbering wail of a lone wolf, distant yet -distinct, pierced through the gloom, startling into silence all the -minor voices of the night, and adding with its wild echoes a double -sense of loneliness to the weird night. - -Clifford turned to the iron rod, and with a few vigorous efforts sent it -deep into the yielding earth; and as the quiet of nature once more -reigned over the wild glade, he kept turning the handle mechanically, -and listening to the gruesome sound of the answering wolves--faint cries -that made him shudder--when, lo! the steel point grated harshly against -some obstruction beneath his feet. - -Quickly withdrawing the rod, he seized the sharp spade and began -digging, throwing the black soil out of the pit with frantic haste as he -sank rapidly down into the earth at each stroke. As he neared the goal -he became dizzy and faint, his breath coming in quick gasps, and the -blinding sweat streaming from his face, from which it fell in great -drops like rain. - -Pausing a moment, while the weird, horned moon peered through a rift in -the boughs overhead, and gleamed coldly on his upturned, haggard face, -he thought of the wealth that might lie below,--his father's lost -fortune; the wealth of Monteluma; its gems and red gold, with all the -power that great treasure represented; then, quivering with excitement, -he dashed the spade into the earth, and in a moment more the head of a -cask was dimly outlined at his feet. - -Breathless and panting, he paused, leaning on his spade, while the hopes -and fears, which so often, often, assail us on the threshold of some -great enterprise, came thronging on with their mockery, causing him to -stand irresolute, as if fearing to solve the mystery; but at length, -after summoning all his strength, he struck the cask with his sharp -spade, and the head fell in with a dull crash. - -As he stooped to peer down into the gloom below, a pair of fiery eyes -glared at him from the cavity, and, as he sprang back with a shudder, a -sharp, whizzing rattle in the cask announced the presence of that dread -reptile, the rattlesnake--a new and terrible danger, worse than the -sting of poverty with all its terrors. - -As Clifford stood frozen with horror, the slimy monster rose from out -the cask, still sounding its angry alarm. A moment more, enraged and -writhing, it coiled at his feet, its head erected, slowly swaying to and -fro--a gigantic, threatening monster. - -Its eyes glowed like coals of fire, and in the bright light shed by the -lantern Clifford could see it darting its tongue and glaring with a look -of indescribable ferocity and malignant hatred, to which nothing else in -the world can be compared. Those who have faced an angry rattlesnake, -and who still turn pale at its remembrance, or start from sleep with a -cry of fear at the returning vision of terrible danger, will recall the -awful rage and menace that glared from the eye of the angry serpent--a -glance that unnerves the bravest man in the world instantly. The reptile -only seemed to await a motion on Clifford's part to strike like a flash -of lightning. Then, with a clammy shudder, young Warlow thought of the -agony and speedy death that was certain to follow. At the tremor which -involuntarily shook his frame at the thought, the hideous serpent -crested its head and paused in its vibrations. "Now all is over," our -young friend thought, and breathlessly awaited the shock. - -Instantly the face of Mora Estill rose before him, a fleeting vision of -loveliness; and with it came a realization of the love for her that had -rapidly grown into an all-absorbing passion in their short acquaintance. -He knew at once what had sent him out on this midnight search, and why -he had begun to wish for wealth so eagerly of late:--It was because be -craved fortune and a position which would equal that of the "Cattle -King's" daughter. Yet even in this moment of deadliest peril he thought, -with a grim smile, of the irony of fate--the reward of his first attempt -at "fortune hunting." - -While death stared at him from those glaring eyes, and the moments -seemed to lengthen out to years, he thought of his friends at home, all -unconscious of the dire fate that he was facing; then a wild longing for -life seized him, and for the first time since the encounter he began to -plan a way of escape. - -The spade on which his hand rested was sharp and bright; but to raise it -before the serpent could strike he knew was impossible; so he stood -immovably eying the formidable reptile, which at length slowly uncoiled -and glided away from his feet to an opposite corner of the pit. With a -sigh of relief Clifford saw that the danger was lessened, yet he began -to more fully realize the size of his deadly antagonist, which now -reached twice across the yard-wide pit. - -In moments of great danger we are apt to think with lightning-like -rapidity, and quickly see any advantage that may arise. So it was with -Clifford, who remembered that the rattlesnake always throws itself into -a coil before striking; and as he saw it thus off its guard, with a -quick movement he struck a violent blow at the snake's head and pinioned -it to the earth--then throwing his full weight on the handle he felt the -bones crunch beneath the sharp blade, while the reptile madly threshed -its now headless body about and wrapped its jangling tail around his -boot. - -Springing out of the pit, with a desperate leap, young Warlow disengaged -the writhing, heavy monster from his foot, and with the iron rod threw -it away into the grass; then sinking down upon the ground, unnerved and -exhausted, he lay, too weak to move for several minutes. But when he -remembered the unexplored cask, he sprang to his feet again, and after -listening cautiously a moment, and hearing no further evidence of -danger, he dropped lightly down into the pit, carelessly tramping on the -grim serpent-head that but a few moments before was so full of -threatening danger. - -Anxiously he thrust the long rod down into the cask. No rattle -responded; but the despairing fact became apparent: the cask was empty! - -With a sinking heart he groped about the bottom of the cask with the -rod, and when its iron point struck against a round object that rolled -over with a harsh sound on the bottom, he quickly thought of the casket -of gems, and reaching down, with a thrill of excitement he clutched the -mysterious, smooth object, and sprang out of the pit into the moonlight. - -By the pale beams of the gibbous moon, now sinking low in the western -sky, but throwing a path of shimmering silver on the bosom of the -rippling brook, he saw--not the gems of Monteluma, but a human skull, -that, with its wide, eyeless sockets, seemed to glare derisively, and -with great white teeth laugh mockingly, at this ending of his "fortune -hunting." With a cry of despair, the disheartened youth dashed the -loathsome object to the earth; but, as if the sound of his voice had -evoked its former spirit, there glided from out the wavering shadows a -tall, gaunt form, gray-robed and silent, with tangled, flowing hair, and -burning eyes, its lips drawn back from its snaggled fangs in a horrid -look of hate and ferocity. With noiseless tread it seemed to float into -the moonlit space; then snatching the skull from the ground and clasping -it close to its breast, with an unearthly scream it faded away among the -whispering willows. - - - - -Chapter XIII. - - -On the morning following that Walpurga Night, Clifford came down to the -Warlow breakfast-table with a weary, feverish air, that caused his -father to say:-- - -"My boy, you are far from well, I fear! This first day of harvest will -be quite hard on all of us; the day promises to be hot and sultry; so -perhaps you had better rest in-doors. We might send Robbie over on the -Flats, and secure you a substitute until you are stronger." - -At this poor Rob mumbled something about "a sixteen-year-old boy having -more legs than a centipede;" a remark which he was careful to address to -his plate, however, while Clifford replied:-- - -"Oh no, father; a cup of Maud's coffee will set me all right, I am -certain." Then, as he poured a quantity of yellow cream into the cup of -fragrant Rio, he added: "I was wakeful and did not rest well last -night;" all of which we know was correct, if somewhat evasive. - -"Oh, Cliff! I had the most terrifying dreams last night, in which you -were, some way, always mixed up," said Maud wearily; "and although I -can't remember anything distinctly, I am so nervous that I shiver even -yet." - -"So, madam, you feed the hungry harvester on Cold Shudder, garnished -with scrambled Night-mare," said Bob, with a glance of contempt at the -bacon and early potatoes, of which even his ravenous appetite was now -weary. Then, as he broke an egg that was shockingly overdone, he added -spitefully: "Why did you _boil_ your door-knobs?" - -"I spent a weary, restless night, also," said Mrs. Warlow, ignoring -Robbie's sarcasm. "I was so vaguely uneasy about you, Clifford, that I -shall object to your staying alone at the corral hereafter." - -"Alone, nothing!" said Rob. "I guess, by the way he goes fishing about -of late, he will soon find some one to keep him company," he added, with -a knowing giggle, at which Clifford tried to look unconcerned, while -Maud and her mother exchanged pleased and amused glances. - -After breakfast Clifford drove the header to the wheat-field, which soon -presented an animated and busy scene. The great machine was pushed by -four horses, which were guided by young Warlow, who stood behind on a -small platform, and steered the ponderous reaper with one hand, while -with the other he held the lines. The elevator carried the heads of -wheat into a large wagon, which ran, barge-like, beside where a busy -loader arranged the load, until, towering like a hay-stack, the wagon -would hold no more. Then it was driven away to the rick-yard by the -careful driver, being succeeded by another team with military precision. -The flapping of the canvas elevator, and the rolling waves of wheat, -rippled and tossed by the summer breeze, made a scene that recalled a -sail on the sea; all of which was as gratifying to Clifford's sense of -the picturesque as the prospect for gain was encouraging. - -When the evening came twenty acres of the heavy grain was stacked in six -trim ricks at the edge of the field. A square of golden straw remained -standing, to be either burned at the end of harvest, or turned under by -the plows to further enrich the soil. Ten more days of such labor would -be necessary, however, to finish the Warlow harvest, and no doubt long -before that time the picturesque side of the operation will be -appreciated best by those who view it at a safe distance. - -In the cool twilight Clifford and Rob were riding homeward, the former -silent and abstracted, while the latter was calling "Bob White" to a -badly-deceived quail, that answered back from the stubble-field. -Finally, becoming tired of this, Rob turned a shrewd but freckled face -to his brother, and said:-- - -"What was the matter up there last night, Cliff? You have been grim as -an old mummy all day! I bet my boots _you_ saw something _too_; so out -with it." - -"Why have you seen anything strange up there recently, Rob?" Clifford -replied, evasively. - -"Now, don't give it away, Cliff, for the folks would raise an awful -racket if they found it out; but last week I saw that old gray demon--of -the camp-fire, you remember--by the corral. I was riding Pomp and -driving the cows home through the dusk, when, as I came along by the old -stone wall there, out popped that long-haired spook, and glared at me -like old Nick. Good Lord, Harry! but I dug out of that, my hair -bristling up mad-dog style, and Pomp wringing his tail till it cracked -like a whip-lash," he concluded, with a scared laugh. - -"Well, I saw him, too, at the same place last night," said Clifford, in -a low tone as several harvesters came up. "But let's keep the matter -secret, Rob; for it will never do to let the neighbors know it, and be -ridiculed for our superstition. Then it would only make mother and Maud -uneasy. So let's watch and say nothing until we have unraveled the -mystery." - -In the evening Clifford was starting up to his dwelling, on the plea -that the house at home was crowded with the workmen; but Rob insisted on -going along and sharing the watch, which on this and the succeeding -evening was unsuccessful, for no trace of the ghostly visitant was -found. As Clifford had quite enough of "fortune hunting" the night of -his first experience, he made no further investigations for the recovery -of the treasure. - -The following Sabbath, which was the second after the Estill visit, the -younger members of the Moreland and Warlow families drove down to the -Estill ranch. As they dashed up to the great pile of creamy stone -buildings, smothered in elms and sheltered on the north by towering, -tree-clad cliffs, our young friends noticed with wonder the signs of age -which the vine-mantled and time-stained building presented. - -It was a well-dressed, animated group that alighted from the handsome -Warlow carriage,--Maud in gray silk and dotted tulle; Grace in a "Dolly -Varden" costume, with her broad, white hat wreathed by daisies; Ralph in -superfine black, with lawn tie and white vest, his handsome face ruddy -with health and happy contentment; Scott, quiet and thoughtful, in -Puritan-gray; while Rob gloried in the splendor of spotless white, his -small, well-shaped boots glittering like jet. He had given just enough -cock to his jaunty straw hat to correspond well with the general air of -pertness conveyed by a slightly freckled nose, dimpled cheeks, dusky -with tan, and a pair of round, hazel eyes, that always danced with fun. -But it was golden-haired, pansy-eyed Clifford, with his Grecian face, -smooth, glossy cheeks, tinged with bronze, but fresh and boyish still, -who would rivet the gaze longest; for there was a look of pride and -strength about him which caused one to forget the _boutonniere_ of -fescue and lobelia, blue as his own eyes, and the rich-textured suit of -seal-brown, which he wore with the easy grace of a planter's son. - -The long frontage of the stately mansion was broken by gables, -balconies, and quaint dormer windows, and on the broad platform, or -terrace, in front of the building a fountain flashed in the sunlight. -The terrace was walled with creamy stone, and railed about by a heavy -balustrade of white magnesian limestone. In the angles and at the top of -the steps were great vases of the same alabaster-like material, down the -sculptured sides of which trailed tangled masses of vines with their -blossoms, scarlet, gold, and blue. - -As our friends drove up, they saw Miss Estill sitting on the -buffalo-grass which coated the lawn with its thick carpet of pale green. -She appeared to be twining a garland of flowers about the neck of a pet -antelope, as it stood with its head on her shoulder in an attitude of -docile affection. - -As the young lady arose to greet the guests, the graceful animal bounded -away to the shrubbery, where, after peeping a moment with shy wonder at -the new-comers, it skurried off to the top of the cliff behind the -dwelling, snorting and stamping its foot angrily at the intrusion. - -After greeting her friends cordially, Miss Estill led the way through a -tessellated hall, where the walls were frescoed and hung with elegant -paintings, past the winding stairs of dark, rich wood, and to a cool, -long room to the east, the floor of which was covered with India -matting, swept by the lace curtains that shaded the lofty windows from -the fierce sunlight. An air of quiet refinement and simple luxury -pervaded this apartment, which spoke volumes, in a mute way--all very -favorable to the Estill family. - -When Mrs. Estill came into the room, Mora presented her new friends, who -were charmed by the elder lady's welcome; but when Clifford was -introduced she gave him a swift, searching glance from her keen, blue -eyes, that brought a flush to his face at her look of scrutiny and -valuation. She must have read him aright, however, for she gave her -hand to young Warlow in a very friendly way, and he thought he detected -a sub-tone of graciousness in her welcome to himself a shade deeper than -when she had addressed the others. - -Mrs. Estill was a fair, dignified matron, whose flaxen hair was now -slightly tinged with gray; but as Clifford contrasted the creole -daughter with her, he failed to detect any resemblance between the two. - -The elder lady must have divined his thoughts, or observed his look of -wonder at the strange dissimilarity existing between herself and her -only daughter, for she appeared to be embarrassed and constrained in her -attempts at entertaining the guests; but Mora was so animated and -vivacious that her mother's disquiet was unnoticed by all save Clifford, -who vaguely wondered at this show of uneasiness over such a trifle; yet -he had occasion before many weeks had elapsed to recall it all with a -strange significance. - -When Mr. Estill came in, and Mora had presented her new friends, the -ruddy, genial old ranchman said with a smile:-- - -"Now this is something like civilized life once more! Why, it does my -very soul good to see young company about the old ranch--a sight that is -as rare as it is pleasant. I almost fancy myself back in the old home -again." - -The visitors were soon chatting gaily with the courtly and entertaining -host, who proved to be a typical ranchman of the plains,--shrewd through -long dealings with a business class noted for sagacity and wealth; -urbane and refined in manner by having been thrown among bankers and -the leading men of the city for many years; and lastly, hospitable, -possibly owing to the fact that his hospitality had never been overtaxed -nor abused in that thinly settled country. - -"Where could this creole daughter have sprung from? She looks as if she -might have stepped out of the Alhambra into this family of blonde -Saxons," said Clifford mentally, again contrasting Mora and her parents; -and while he noted the auburn hair, just tinged with gray, of Mr. -Estill, and the blue eyes of that courtly old gentleman, the contrast -with the creole daughter became so apparent that Clifford must have -betrayed his surprise, for he was soon aware that Mrs. Estill was -regarding him with an uneasy expression which only served to increase -his perplexity. "There is a skeleton in the domestic closet at Estill's -ranch," thought our young friend; "but what can the mystery be?" - -His speculations were cut short, however, by Mr. Estill saying -that all the cow-boys were away with Hugh, shipping a "bunch of -steers,"--omitting the fact that the modest "bunch" consisted of two -long train-loads of sleek, fat beeves; and that the duties of hostler -devolved upon himself in their absence. - -The young men thereupon arose and left the room with their host, who, -after the manner of Western people, believed in the maxim, "Love me, -love my dog," which finds expression in the care lavished upon the -horses of a welcome guest. This spirit often leads to a foundered nag, -however; but it would be a very ungrateful man, indeed, who would -grumble at such an evidence of esteem. - -As they left the room to care for Clifford's team, Mora invited Maud and -Grace up to her boudoir, which, she said, was so seldom visited that the -spiders were more at home there than herself. - -"You know about how much 'elegant leisure' falls to the lot of farmers -and ranch people," she added. - -"Yes, indeed," replied Maud, ruefully; "what with baking, scouring, and -dairy-work, we have not much time for frivolous dissipation." - -"Oh, what a lovely room!" screamed Grace in delight. "If I had such a -sweet boudoir I'd steal an hour at least every day to play the heroine, -even if the bread burned and the dishes went unwashed in consequence," -she added, rapturously. - -"When up here I often dream that I am a grand lady," said Mora, gaily; -"but when I catch a glimpse in the mirror of a frumpy, frouzy creature -with a towel over her head, then I awake to the sad reality that I am -only the slave of circumstances." - -Grace would have been perfectly justified, however, in indulging in -day-dreams in such a place; for a more elegant apartment, or one where -greater taste was evinced in every detail of adornment, was rarely to be -seen in the West. - -It was situated at the south end of the upper hall, and opened out upon -the balcony by a door of plate glass, thick and beveled, through which -could be seen the flashing fountain on the terrace below and a landscape -of surpassing beauty. The wooded stream wound away down the prairie -valley, which was dotted with innumerable ricks of wild-hay; the white -stone walls which fenced the ranch ran far out onto the highlands, dimly -defining the boundaries of the great estate. - -The walls of the elegant apartment were draped with and paneled by -carmine and cream colored silk, relieved by lines of white. A carpet of -creamy velvet was strewn with moss-roses of the same shade of carmine, -with all the furniture upholstered to correspond. The walls were -graced--not crowded--by a tall beveled mirror of French plate and some -delicious paintings, framed in gilt. The low mantel was of Italian -marble, white, dappled and veined with red shading to faintest rose. -Vases of Sevres china, statuettes of bronze, and elegantly bound volumes -were seen on every hand. There was a table of mosaic, on which was a -basket of fancy-work, that, Miss Estill said, was destined never to be -finished. Through the draped doorway, on the east, could be seen the -snowy, lace-canopied bed of the mistress of all this splendor. The -sunlight, sifting through the tops of the elms which grew below the -terrace, shone in fitful bars of amber on a picture which was riveting -the attention of Maud, who sprang up from her velvet chair and cried -with enthusiasm:-- - -"Oh Grace! it is 'Sunset on the Smoky Hill,' don't you see the Iron -Mound looming up with vague mystery? The serpentine river, fringed by -trees, is the Saline; and there, winding down from the north, is the -stately Solomon; while here at our feet flows the Smoky Hill between its -timbered banks. See that white blot, far out to the east, rising in the -evening mirage,--it must be Fort Riley! There is Abilene; and all along -the wide prairie valley, flanked by bold grassy headlands, are white -villages and golden fields of wheat. Here, nestling down in the broad -valley among the groves at the base of the Iron Mound, is Salina--which -reminds me of Damascus, with its rivers of Abana and Pharpar. Out to the -south-west see that long line of purple, jagged buttes, over which -eternally hovers a smoky haze,--those are the Smoky Hills! Look at the -twilight stealing down through their gorges. Oh, it is like a glimpse of -heaven! Mora--Mora! who could have painted this?" she said, with tears -of genuine emotion. Then seeing Miss Estill blushing hotly, she and -Grace impulsively kissed the young artist--Maud saying with a little -quaver of emotion:-- - -"Mora Estill, you dear, gifted creature--do you know that you are a -genius?" - -"I am not so certain of that, for I am often led to believe in Hugh's -criticisms. He says that my best pictures are very similar in appearance -to a newly flayed beef's-hide." Then, as the others gave vent to shrieks -of feminine amazement, Miss Estill continued merrily: "I had a letter -from him yesterday. He is at Kansas City, you know. Would you believe -it?--he sent an order for me to paint the sign for a butcher's shop. The -aggravating fellow charged me, carefully, to put a sufficient number of -limbs on the figure of a cow that was to adorn the sign. Then he -proceeded with a whole page of caution, in which he charged me to avoid -the fatal error of painting claws upon the animal's hoofs. There -followed a long homily, showing the dire results of such a slight -mistake--the innuendo and sarcasm, the cold suspicion and cruel neglect, -that would alight upon the head of a butcher who was suspected of making -beef of an animal that wore claws. - -"This picture of Lake Inman," said Miss Estill, as the laughing group -moved forward to where a beautiful painting hung, "Hugh persists in -calling 'The Knot Hole;' and in his letter he said that as to the horns -of the animal which was to adorn the sign, they were a matter of -indifference to the public, and I could keep them for the trunks of the -'stately elms' in my next landscape, and I might transplant them with -great success to the shores of Lake Inman, which you see is badly in -need of shade." - -"I'd just like to teach him," said Grace, inadvertently; but seeing the -amused look which Maud shot at Miss Estill she hesitated with a blush, -while Mora quickly exclaimed:-- - -"Oh, I believe he is beginning to learn of late; but I hope you will -give him a lesson in poetry, for I found an effusion among his papers, -where he had evidently forgotten it, that will bear a _great deal of -revision_;" and she took from a bronze cabinet a paper whereon was -written, in lame and halting couplets, an apostrophe "To My Love." - -But the author had failed so signally to secure either rhyme or measure, -that the girls shrieked aloud as Mora read long verses of the most -trivial nonsense and doggerel, where "golden tresses," "had went," and -"blue eyes" were mingled with loving ardor, but very bad grammar. - -As the verses progressed, the sentiment became more tender, but the -diction and measure were perfectly appalling in their untutored -originality. At each new limp or poetical hobble, the girls would laugh -gaily; but when Mora looked at Grace with a significant smile, the -application of the following lines was readily seen:-- - - "My love she's golden hair and eyes - Of deepest, finest blue. - I love her better than ['Gooseberry pies!' cried Maud] any thing, - My heart will always be true to you." - -Although the author had promoted his lady love from the obscure position -of third person to the station of second person in the space of a -second, yet even this was not enough to induce Grace to remain longer; -for she fled away with burning blushes, while Mora still continued to -read lines, the syntax of which disclosed the revolting fact that their -author had throttled his own mother tongue, had slain persons without -regard to sex or condition, and, like a vandal, had cut off the feet of -his best subject at some critical moment. - -At the close Miss Estill folded the paper, and as she placed it in a -cabinet she said, it would yet serve to pay off some old scores with -Hugh. She must have kept her word, for on his return he was immeasurably -shocked on opening his county paper to see, staring at him from the -first page: "A Poem To My Love. By H. E." - -After Mr. Estill had praised the dappled Normans and cared for them in a -very hospitable manner, he led the young men out to a near-by pasture to -show them his Jersey cows. While they were admiring the graceful -animals, their host said:-- - -"For twenty-five years we had either depended on Texan cows for milk, or -had used the concentrated article without even once thinking of the -folly of such a course. We had so long been accustomed to seeing the -herders lasso the wild, infuriated creatures before milking them, that -we had actually forgotten there was any other way. It may have been -owing to our trusting the operation wholly to the cow-boys that no -progress was made in subduing the animals or reducing them to a domestic -state; but we never had thought it safe to allow a woman inside of the -corral since that morning, a score of years ago, when my wife had been -kicked insensible by a beast that she had attempted to milk. One -evening, after Mora had returned from Cincinnati, she witnessed the -usual proceedings in the milk-yard,--two broad-hatted and bespurred -herders lassoing a cow. Then, after tying her head to one post and -hind-foot to another, one of the valiant milk-men stripped a few streams -of the precious fluid into a cup, while his partner stood by, whip in -hand, ready to punish any movement on the part of the bellowing brute. -Only then did she realize how infamously undairy-like the affair really -was. When I met her a few moments later, she said with a shade of -contempt in her tone:-- - -"'Oh, why do you allow such barbarous work on the ranch?' - -"'But, my dear,' I replied, 'there is no other way. Why, I would rather -tackle a mountain lion than one of those fiery creatures while she is -loose.' - -"'Then, why not buy some Jerseys?' Mora said. - -"Yes, indeed, why not? I thought, and so I lost no time over -deliberations, but wrote at once to Major Kingsbury, who sent me these -gentle creatures, which now we value above anything else on the ranch." - -Nothing was said about the vast herds, the thousands of fat cattle -grazing out over the great pastures around; but the visitors were -impressed with the evidence of great wealth visible on every hand. The -capacious corral and innumerable ricks of prairie-hay bore mute -testimony to the thrift and opulence which reigned at the Estill ranch. - -As Mr. Estill led the way back to the dwelling he said:-- - -"Hugh will be greatly disappointed when he learns that he has missed -your visit. I have been away with him for the last fortnight, and only -returned last evening, when I learned from my wife that--that--my -children had a very pleasant day up at your place." Then in a -constrained voice he added: "I would like to meet your father, Mr. -Warlow; for there is a subject which I would like very much to discuss -with him." - -"My father expressed a wish to make your acquaintance also; for it -appears that he is anxious to discuss the early history of this country -with you," Clifford replied. - -Mr. Estill seemed greatly agitated on hearing this; but when about to -reply, dinner was announced, and he arose and led the way into the long, -walnut-paneled dining-room. All this time Clifford was mutely wondering -why the wealthy old ranchman should be so anxious to meet his father. - -"Can it be that the cattle-king is opposed to the intimacy growing up -between myself and his daughter?" young Warlow asked himself. Then he -thought of the friendly manner of his host, and rejected the idea at -once. - -They were soon gaily chatting over the soup; but as Clifford's eye -glanced along the wall his attention was attracted by a painting, which -hung where the light fell upon it in such a way as to bring out every -detail with perfect clearness. In its foreground was a mammoth tree, -shading the gables of a stone cottage; a ruined wall, half smothered by -vines. Across the stream, which had half encircled the knoll where the -building stood, were fields of ripening grain, that rippled in the -billowy waves, stirred and tossed by the summer breeze, wheat of coppery -red or palest gold, the silvery sheen of rye and oats contrasting with -the tawny prairie and dark, green groves, through which shimmered the -brook and pools that he recognized as old friends. - -As his eye sought the author of this delicate compliment, which was a -truthful picture of his place--the Old Corral--he caught Miss Estill's -amused look; for she had been watching the pleased surprise which had -grown upon his face as he realized what the picture really was. His -glance must have been very expressive in reply; for a blush swept over -her face, usually serene in its quiet dignity, or vivacious with -blithesome wit, and her blue eyes retreated behind their long lashes--a -guilty admission that she was the artist who had painted the scene. - -This silent by-play was not unnoticed, quiet as it all seemed; for as -Clifford turned to take the plate of rare good things which the host -passed to him, he encountered the eyes of Mrs. Estill fixed upon him; -but the lady smiled with a look of such evident enjoyment of the -situation that he half forgot that Mr. Estill still held the plate, -which young Warlow seized with an air which was neither as graceful nor -self-possessed as a hero should have worn. - -With ready tact Mrs. Estill came to the rescue by saying:-- - -"It all looks strange, no doubt, that I treat you to a ranch fare of -canned beef from St. Louis, and vegetables from Baltimore and Rochester, -but if it were not for our Jerseys we should have been compelled to call -on Chicago for condensed milk also. I never realized the absurdity of -this course until Mora told me of the luxuriant gardens and fields of -grain which you are raising in the upper valley. Why, Hugh says it is a -marvel how prosperous everything appears up there." - -"We never before have regarded this as a farming country; it has -remained for your brave colony to explode that fallacy; and I hope your -prosperity may be as lasting as it is merited," said Mr. Estill. - -An hour was spent in the parlor after dinner; then a long stroll -followed out among the cedars to the north of the dwelling. Here Mora -and Clifford soon found themselves deserted by their companions, and -were left to their own resources for entertainment. - -They had been longing, no doubt, for this moment to arrive; so we will -not intrude--a proceeding that would be alike odious to the couple and -cruel to the reader; but when they emerged an hour later from the jungle -of evergreens, Mora was heard to say:-- - -"I can not imagine why mamma was so agitated when I told her. She never -was affected by anything before. But she positively forbade my -mentioning the subject again in her presence. When I begged her to tell -why she talked so strangely, she replied that the story of the old -tragedy had completely unnerved her; and then she again questioned me as -to every detail of that terrible affair." - -"No doubt the remembrance of those early days, their danger and trials, -all recurred with painful minuteness as you related the story, Miss -Estill, for your parents were residing here at the time of that -sorrowful event," Clifford replied. - -"No; I fear that there is some deeper reason yet; for when papa returned -from Abilene--whither he had been with Hugh shipping cattle--mother -sought an interview alone with him, and when I came into the room he -said that I must be very careful to avoid the subject in the future. My -parents never could be taxed with being sentimental--of that I am -certain. But what the mystery can be--for a mystery it certainly is--I -am at a loss to conjecture." - -"The air seems full of mystery since you and my father met," replied -Clifford; "but I hope it will soon be all explained, Miss Estill." - -"I was very glad to see you come to-day; for although papa only arrived -last night, he had concluded to go up to see Colonel Warlow at once. - -"I can't guess why he seems so anxious about meeting him. I tried -bribery with a kiss; but he would not tell me why he was going--would -always evade my question by replying that it was business, only, that -prompted the visit." - -"He must be very obdurate, indeed, not to yield on such terms," Clifford -replied, with a look which betrayed how willingly he would surrender at -such a proposition. - -You have discovered, no doubt, that although our friend Warlow often -spoke with his eyes, yet he allowed the lady to do three-fourths of the -talking. This is a very dangerous experiment for an unfettered youth to -indulge in; for I have always observed that when a fluent, -silvery-tongued woman finds a ready listener, provided the victim be -young, handsome, and manly, she first becomes more fluent, then, when -answered in monosyllables, she shows her admiration of his "great -conversational powers," and proceeds to make herself irresistible and -captivating at once--all of which ends in chains and slavery for the -brilliant listener. - -After a moment's silence, Miss Estill said:-- - -"I notice a strange change has come over you since we last met, Mr. -Warlow. Is it possible that you, also, have been seized by that strange -infection of mystery which seems to possess all my friends in the last -few weeks?" - -"Why, Miss Estill, do you really think me changed?" Clifford replied, -with due regard to the three-fourths rule. - -At that moment the other members of the party came up and proposed -returning, thus precluding Miss Estill's answer. - -As the guests were taking their leave, Mr. Estill said, in reply to -their cordial invitations to visit them, that he would drive up the next -day in company with his wife, that he had business with Colonel Warlow, -and that himself and wife would call upon the Moreland family, if it -would be agreeable to that family to receive them. - -On hearing nothing but great pleasure expressed at this announcement, -the matter was settled definitely in that way; then the guests took -their leave, and drove home through the cool twilight, vaguely wondering -what business Mr. Estill could have to transact with Colonel Warlow. - - - - -Chapter XIV. - - -Early next morning Clifford rode away, on the pretext that he was going -to buy cattle of a ranchman in the next county; but his absence was -mainly owing to the fact that he suspected the Estill visit was in some -way connected with his intimacy with Mora; so he had decided that he -would take himself off, and thereby avoid a disagreeable scene. - -The cattle-king and his wife arrived at an early hour, although they had -called a moment at the Moreland homestead and given a promise that they -would stop for an early tea on their return homeward from the Warlows. -When they had been introduced by Maud, the colonel and Mr. Estill went -to the stable to care for the team, and when that important rite of -hospitality had been duly observed the gentlemen rejoined their wives in -the Warlow parlor. - -Robbie was away in the fields with the farm men; Maud was busy with -household cares, on the plea of which she had absented herself from the -parlor. The kitchen, which was the scene of her culinary operations, was -situated in an ell of the building, and as she stood by a window that -looked directly through into one in the parlor, she could see and hear a -great deal that was transpiring therein. - -An hour after the arrival of the guests she was standing by this open -window, putting the last touches of frosting on a cocoa-nut cake, and so -deeply, indeed, was she engrossed with her labors that she had failed to -observe what the situation really was in the parlor, until she heard a -hoarse cry:-- - -"Oh God! it is Bruce and Ivarene!" and as she glanced hastily into the -room she beheld a sight that perplexed and mystified her for long days -thereafter. Her father stood by the window holding a jeweled locket in -his hand; but at that moment he lowered the window-curtain, thus -shutting off all view of the parlor. - -When, an hour later, Mrs. Warlow came into the kitchen, traces of tears -were visible on her usually placid face; and when Maud, unable any -longer to restrain her curiosity, eagerly asked the meaning of the -mysterious conclave in the parlor, her mother evaded answering; so Maud -wisely concluded to await her parents' confidence, which she felt -certain of sharing at the proper time. - -At dinner Colonel Warlow ate but little of the tempting food; and the -guests, although they praised the roast-chicken with its savory -dressing, the delicate float and frosted cake, left their plates almost -untouched. - -When the constrained and quiet meal was finished, and all had returned -to the parlor but Maud, Rob came back again to the table, and as that -youth, with an unappeasable appetite, helped himself to a plateful of -"stuffing" and gravy, he turned to his sister and said:-- - -"What's the matter now, Maud? The colonel seems to be all broke up; and -that old Lady Estill--by grab!--_she_ looked like death on a--a--white -pony! Mother, too, appeared as if she might have been sniffling; but -that's nothing but a common pastime with her. You know that all women, -more or less--yourself included, madam--are very much given to the -chicken-hearted habit of dribbling at the nose." - -"Chicken-hearted, indeed! It is a great wonder, then, that you did not -devour us long ago, sir!" said Maud, with a great show of asperity, but -very glad to lead the subject into other channels and elude further -questioning; for she saw by her mother's manner that there was something -about the Estill visit which they wished, for unknown reasons, to keep -secret, and it was a matter of honor with the noble-hearted girl to help -them conceal what she herself was longing to know. - -"Well, big guns of the Estill calibre don't _go off_ on slight -occasions," persisted Rob, with his mouth half-full of the adored -"stuffing," and as he reached for a tall glass of ruby-colored -plum-jelly, Maud quickly said:-- - -"Won't you have a bit of the cake, Rob?" - -"Thanks--yes," said he, as he helped himself to the last solitary -quarter of that frosted dainty; "and I would be pleased to taste a -morsel of that chicken also," he mumbled. - -"What choice, sir?" she asked sarcastically. - -"The running-gears, if you please," he replied with polite gravity. - -With a gesture of scorn and disgust, Maud passed him the carcass of the -fowl; then, after filling a large platter with crusts, bones, and -egg-shells, she placed them before him with the injunction to help -himself. Retiring to the window, she watched him devour cake, chicken, -jam, and potatoes with an appetite that knew no discrimination. - -"I am afraid you have not done justice to my dishes," she said, as Rob -at length arose from the table. - -"Oh, now don't give us any more sarcasm," said he, while picking his -teeth with a broom-split. "It is so long from breakfast to noon, Maud, -that I just get faint waiting on that slow old dinner-bell." - -"No doubt; but you remember how ravenously hungry you were last week, -when the pup got the bell-rope in his mouth and summoned you in from the -field at nine in the morning," she retorted, laughingly. - -"Well, that was a cloudy day," he said, good-naturedly; then, taking his -straw hat from its hook on the porch, he hurried away to the field. - -After finishing her domestic duties, Maud joined the guests in the -parlor, with a faint hope of learning something further of the mystery -which seemed to enshroud their visit, of which she had got such a -tantalizing glimpse an hour before; but her expectations were, however, -sadly doomed to disappointment, for nothing was said that would throw -any light on the subject; and, after spending a while at the piano, she -invited the guests out to look at her flowers. - -The party thereupon adjourned to the garden; and when they had admired -the flowers and shrubs, they sauntered on to the barn-yard, to look at -the peacocks and other fowls, of which Mrs. Warlow was justly proud. - -"I should like to take a nearer view of your crops, Colonel. It has been -so long since I saw a well-conducted farm, that it appears quite a -novelty to me," said Mr. Estill, with evident interest. - -In a few moments they all embarked in the boat, and were rowed up to -Clifford's dwelling; for if there was one thing of which the colonel was -vain it was his son's farming. - -As they stood in the level valley south of the river, a scene of perfect -rural beauty was visible. On the north was Clifford's gothic cottage, -half hidden by the drooping elm; to the east, the chimneys and gables of -the Warlow homestead peeped above the trees; while out to the south, on -a green knoll, stood the stone school-house, with its tower and -rose-window. - -The yellow wheat-stubble shone like gold beside the silvery oats, fast -ripening for the harvest; the rank corn stood in clean, dark rows--great -squares of waving green; scores of ricks were standing along the valley; -while the clank of the header and shouts of the workmen were borne on -the breeze from the neighboring field. - -"Ah! this is a very home-like scene, indeed--a great contrast to the -one presented here just two years ago when last I visited this spot," -said Mr. Estill. "My ranch, ten miles below here, was then the last -settlement on the frontier. There was not a human habitation in -sight--only antelope and buffalo to vary the monotony of perfect -solitude. In fact, there had never been an owner for the land nor a -furrow turned here since the dawn of creation. Marvelous change!" he -added. - -After crossing the stream on a foot-log, which here formed a rustic -bridge, they all walked up to Clifford's dwelling, and while standing by -the vine-mantled wall of the Old Corral, the colonel said in a musing -tone:-- - -"If this inanimate ruin could but speak, we might learn the sequel to -that tragedy which has risen again, as it were, from the grave of the -past. The robbers were led by white men, who no doubt divided the -treasure among themselves while the savages were stupefied with liquor." - -He was interrupted by a cry of wonder from Maud, who could not repress -her astonishment at his assertion that white men had led the Indians--a -fact which Hugh Estill seemed to have been aware of also, and which, -taken in connection with the incident of the miniature, led her to -believe that the Estills were in some way connected with the massacre. - -"Maud, dear, will you go and see how Clifford's young catalpa-trees, -down the drive, are growing? and if they need cultivating again, we will -send one of the boys over with a plow soon," said Mrs. Warlow, with a -warning glance; and Miss Maud moved quickly away, somewhat chagrined at -her summary dismissal. - -As she passed along, she was pondering over the strange fact that her -father had at last obtained a clue to the perpetrators of the outrage at -the corral; and she became so deeply engrossed with the thought that she -was quite unmindful which way her steps led, until her eye was attracted -to a place where the earth appeared to have been recently disturbed, and -she paused a moment, vaguely wondering what could have been buried -there. - -The tall blue stem-grass was tangled and dead, while the square outlines -of a cavity showed through the mass of dead vines and leaves, which had -been suspiciously strewn over the place, with a view, it seemed, of -concealing all trace of the disturbance. She became also aware of a most -disgusting odor near the old cottonwood-tree; but, unmindful of this, -she raked away the grass and litter to examine more closely the cavity -in which the soil had been firmly trampled, but her curiosity was in no -wise abated when she discovered that it was Clifford's boot-tracks that -were visible in the soft, yielding earth. - -"What has he buried here, that he seems so anxious to conceal?" she was -asking herself, when a puff of wind brought the odor with such added -strength that she nearly fainted, and was hastily retreating from the -proximity of that mysterious place, where she feared some strange, dead -thing was buried, when she saw the bloated and mottled form of that -hideous reptile which the reader may remember as having greeted a -"Young Fortune Hunter" one weird and murky night the week before. - -With a stifled shriek, Maud fled by the vile-smelling and repulsive -object, which she saw at a glance was mangled and dead; then, as she -slowly returned and walked south of the reptile, she surveyed it -carefully, and saw, with a shudder, that it was a hideous rattlesnake, -with its head severed from the body. Appalled at the thought that it was -her brother who had slain this formidable monster, the bite of which, -while living, she knew meant certain death, she was retreating again -from the place, pale and trembling, but paused at the excavation, to -wonder, even then, what it meant, when her eye, which was scanning the -ground carefully, caught sight of a curious, small object lying at her -feet. - -Stooping and picking it up, she was disgusted and surprised to see that -it was a human tooth. She was about to dash it down again, when a -thought seemed to occur that caused her to look carefully about for some -minutes; then, as nothing else was found, she stripped some leaves from -a grape-vine near, and, after wrapping them about the tooth, she put it -carefully away in her purse, and then returned to where her parents and -guests were embarking for home. As they rowed down the willow-fringed -stream, nothing was said concerning the strange discoveries that had -been made that day, and on arriving at the house, the visitors prepared -to take an early departure. As Mrs. Estill stepped into the carriage, -Mrs. Warlow gave a promise that she would drive down to the Estill ranch -one day that week. - -Clifford returned late that evening with some animals which he had -bought; and, as all was hurry and bustle, and several laborers remained -over night, there was no chance for confidential conversation among the -younger members of the Warlow family. But the next morning broke with a -lowering sky, and the misty rain which followed precluded any effort at -farm-work; so the laborers went to their respective homes, leaving the -house to its customary quiet. - -As Rob was plodding about in the rain and whistling shrill as a locust, -he was signaled by Maud, who stood out by the gate, and when the youth -joined her they held a low, hurried conversation for a few minutes; then -Bob darted down to the boat, and rowed rapidly up the stream. - -He was gone but a few minutes, however, when he returned flushed and -excited, and placed something, which was wrapped in leaves, into Maud's -outstretched hand. - -"How did you manage it?" she said in a low tone, as they paused under an -ash-tree near the river. - -"Why, that was easy enough--I just put my boot on his snakeship's tail, -then taking hold of the rattles with a handful of leaves--and--here they -are. But--oh fury!--how it did smell, though!" he added in disgust. -"Fourteen rattles and a button! Don't that beat the snake-tale of the -oldest inhabitant, Maud?" - -Then, without awaiting a reply, he added, out of breath with -excitement:-- - -"Cliff had a shocking time of it up there last Friday night, for this is -only a small part of his experience." - -"Rob--what--oh, what can you mean?" cried Maud, in wildest excitement. - -"Well, I don't know much; but this much I did learn by guessing at it -first, then making him own up; for Cliff is as close-mouthed as an -oyster. From what I could learn, it appears that, while prowling about -that night like a vagrant tom-cat, our good-looking brother ran into -that old spectre which shrieked so like a demon that night by the -camp-fire. This time, of course, it gave him the slip, as it always -does," he answered. - -"You do not mean to say that horrible sight has been seen again, Rob?" - -After cautioning her not to raise such a racket, Rob proceeded to tell -of his encounter, and also what he had learned of Clifford's experience -likewise. - -"Oh, Rob--what a horribly unreal thing it all seems! But everywhere -there is so much of mystery that I am almost wild," she cried, with a -good deal of incoherence. - -"Why was Clifford digging about the old cottonwood that night, Rob?" she -added, after a moment's pause; but, as her brother only expressed both -surprise and ignorance, she continued: "But this is not all, Robbie; for -I made a most startling discovery to-day--one which throws a gloomy -light on the old tragedy of Bruce and his wife." - -"Why, thicker and thicker!" cried Rob. "But what kind of a mare's-nest -did you run into this time, Maud?" he added. - -In reply, Maud told of seeing the locket, and of hearing her father -exclaim that it contained the pictures of Bruce and his wife, and the -strange assertion which he had made while the Estills were standing by -the ruined wall. - -"But how did the locket ever get into the Estills' hands?" Rob said, -with a perplexed look; then, after a moment, he added, excitedly:-- - -"Oh, now I know what father and Mr. Estill were talking about in the -barn. I had just stepped into the upper hall-way to lay a fork on the -rack--you know how strict father always was about our putting everything -in its proper place--so, to save myself a blowing up, I went out of my -way and had left the fork there, and was about to hurry on to the well -for a jug of water, when I heard Mr. Estill say:-- - -"'This must be a matter of sacred confidence between us, Colonel; for if -it were known that any one of my people had participated in that affair, -or had been engaged in the murder, there are people who are malicious -enough, no doubt, to connect myself and wife with the crime; and for -that reason alone I have always kept the matter a profound secret, even -from Hugh and Mora. The locket was set with rubies and engraved with the -name which, you see, we have used, and have only shortened; but she has -never learned its origin, nor anything of the tragedy.' - -"Then, after a moment, he continued, after father had said something -which I could not quite catch:-- - -"'If Olin Estill had only lived, the mystery might have been explained; -but I found him dead and mangled beyond all resemblance to a -human--nothing to identify his remains but the tattered clothing, which -I recognized; for the wolves had torn his limbs away, and left his -skeleton bleaching out on the prairie. Yet the strangest part of it all -is the mysterious resemblance of the faces in that miniature to Mora and -your son. Why, my wife was terribly agitated when she first met that boy -of yours; for he is the perfect counterpart of the picture of your -friend, who must have died years before either of those children were -born. Mora's resemblance to Ivarene--' - -"About that time I grew weary of such rot, and did not pay any further -attention to what they said. How much more I might have heard I can't -guess; for I hurried away to the well, as I was mortal thirsty and -tired. I am sorry now that I didn't stay and hear it out, for there -certainly is something up." - -While talking thus they had sauntered on into the house; and while they -stood by the parlor door Rob had made the concluding remark, which -Clifford chanced to overhear, as he came upon them silently through the -carpeted hall. - -"Here, you young conspirators--out with it, and confess at once 'what's -up,' as this bold robber says with such an air of deep mystery," -Clifford said, with a smile of curiosity. - -Maud looked up with a flash of resentment in her honest Warlow eyes; for -she did not half like the idea of this Adonis-like brother keeping -anything from her. Thrusting her hand into her pocket, she drew out her -_porte-monnaie_, as he continued:-- - -"Well, Maud, did you learn anything yesterday?" while an anxious look -crept into his face. - -"Yes, I learned this!" she replied, while holding out her hand, in -which, resting on a piece of muslin, was a human tooth, and that long, -reticulated tissue, which he saw at a glance was the rattles of the -enormous reptile he had encountered while digging for the treasure. - -He looked at them in a startled, wondering way for a moment; then, as if -comprehending it all, he said:-- - -"Ah, yes--the rattles! But the tooth--that is the hardest part of all." - -Maud and Rob could not restrain a smile at the ghastly pun; but the -former replied:-- - -"I found them where you had been digging, near the old cottonwood-tree. -We know about the rattlesnake and that gray-robed figure, which was the -same one that startled us by the camp-fire, I really believe. But that -human tooth?--I shall certainly go raving mad if you keep anything -further from me." - -Clifford glanced from her pale face to that of Rob, which wore a look of -startled perplexity. - -"I find it impossible to keep anything from your sharp eyes. So it is -myself, after all, who has to confess!" he said, seating himself on the -divan. - -Then, while the rain lashed the windows and the chill wind wailed -through the tree-tops without, he told that story of midnight horror. -When he finished, Maud was pale and tearful, and Rob's hazel eyes were -round with mute astonishment. - -"But Maud, did you learn the reason of Mr. Ess--that is Mora's -folks--well--why they came up yesterday?" Clifford managed at length to -say in a confused manner, that revealed a great deal of uneasiness on -his part, which was not at all lost on the sharp-eyed couple beside him. - -Then, drying her tears, Maud told of the strange revelations which the -visit of the Estills had disclosed; and when she repeated the singular -conversation which Robbie had overheard in the barn, Clifford cried out -excitedly:-- - -"Ah! that was the mysterious kinsman who Mora said was buried on the -hill-top at Estill Ranch. He was one of the robbers who perpetrated the -outrage at the corral years ago. _A bandit and murderer!_ 'Tis no wonder -that nothing but nettles ever grow on that grave. It was through him, -Maud, that they obtained the locket, with its picture of Bruce and -Ivarene. But it can not be that Mr. Estill derived his great wealth from -the same source! If so, he never would have betrayed himself by showing -the pictures of the people that were murdered by his own kinsman. What, -then, became of the great treasure?" he sadly asked. But no one seemed -able to answer his question; for the whole affair had now assumed a tone -of mystery such as it had never worn before. - - - - -Chapter XV. - - -"Why should they have given 'her' the name which was on the locket? and -who was the mysterious female that never had learned of the tragical -circumstance?" said Maud, with a puzzled face. - -"I am unable to answer your question, Maud," Clifford replied; but there -was something in his manner that led the sharp-eyed couple before him to -suspect he had detected some clue which had eluded them in their -investigations of the mystery. - -"Cliff, what the deuce was that old skull doing in the cask?" said Rob, -innocently; but, seeing the look of amusement on his brother's face, he -added: "Or I mean to ask, how came it there?" - -"To answer your first question I shall have to remind you that a dead -man's skull has a very limited field of action, confined principally to -the pastime of rolling over and rattling its teeth when touched; but how -or why it was there, seems only known to the ill-natured ophidian which -kept it such close company," Clifford replied, with his usual strain of -jocular sarcasm. - -"Oh dear!" said Maud, drearily, while drumming on the misty window-pane. -"It is very exasperating to be shut up in a house on such a day, where -every closet is full of skeletons, and not dare to peep into one of -them," she added. - -"But Cliff has been peeping, and with wonderful luck, too," Rob -observed, dryly. - -"Oh, I am not the first fortune hunter who has found a skull or serpent -where he had hoped to find gold!" Clifford replied, with perfect good -nature. - -"Oh, Clifford, I shudder to think of the danger you passed through on -that terrible night--all alone in that dismal place, fighting that -venomous monster, with death in its fangs, while the gray-robed demon -hovered near with its fiery eyes and blood-chilling scream," said Maud, -tearfully, while winding her arm about her brother's neck. - -"Now, dear, soft-hearted Maud, you must remember that the path of those -who strive for pelf is thickly beset by demons and serpents, although -they may wear the human guise and lurk in the shadow of friendship. -Many, many are the skeletons of dead hopes and buried dreams that start -up as the graves of the past are disturbed," Clifford replied. - -"But you shall never spend another night alone up at that ill-omened -dwelling, Clifford; for Rob shall go with you hereafter," she said, -while drying her tears. - -"Well, but suppose I might choose some fair lady to grace my -spectre-haunted home--that would answer as well?" he replied, gaily. - -"Oh! that would be a capital plan indeed; but I shall insist on the -right to choose her," his sister cried, with returning animation. - -"Oh! you are growing very liberal, to say the least, Miss Maud. I guess -you will have to be satisfied with second choice," said Cliff. - -After talking awhile over the mystery which had woven such a tangled web -about their home in the last few days, Maud exclaimed:-- - -"Robbie, dear, won't you go and ask father what name was engraved on the -locket? Also learn all that is possible, for I am just dying of -anxiety;" but as he began to smile with derision, she added, coaxingly: -"Now do go, Rob, please; that's a man; father never refuses you -anything." - -"Catch me at it!" cried Rob, with a shrug. "I don't hanker much after -the dry job of pumping the colonel," he added, winking at Clifford -significantly. - -"No, no, Maud, that would never do. Let us await the confidence of our -parents, and try, in the meantime, to pick up what facts we can. Who -knows," he added, "but we may stumble on to some great discovery?" - -Little, indeed, did he suspect the great revelations which the day held -in store for them, and that events were about to transpire which would -change the tenor of their whole lives. - -At Mrs. Warlow's entrance the conversation took on a less sombre hue, -and when she told of the news confirming the great land-sale which was -soon to be held at the land office--a fact which she had learned from -the Estills--it was proposed to take a drive out over the country -north-east, and find a section for Maud and Rob, which the colonel would -buy for their benefit at the sale. - -Accordingly, after dinner, as the weather had cleared, the Warlow family -drove out and viewed a well-watered, rolling tract, equal in extent to -the farms of the colonel and Clifford. After an hour spent thus, it was -thought advisable to drive on westward and examine a country which, in -their busy farm-life, had never been viewed, save at a distance. - -On arriving at a point about three miles west of their home, they drove -down into a narrow valley or glen, clothed with tall blue-stem and rank -sunflowers, now beginning to unfold their golden blossoms. This jungle -of vegetation was woven together by the slender, leafless tendrils of -the love-vine, which threw a veil of coppery red over the brilliant -green of the other vegetation. - -While driving slowly through this almost impervious mass of vegetation, -they discovered a winding but well-beaten trail or pathway, leading on -down the valley, and which, out of pure curiosity, they followed until -it disappeared in a thicket of plum-trees at the base of a low cliff of -magnesian limestone. - -As they paused at the scrubby grove, wondering what could have made the -path, Clifford sprang out of the carriage, saying he would like to -investigate the matter, and disappeared among the trees. He was gone so -long that, after they had called him repeatedly, Rob was on the point of -starting in search, when Clifford reappeared. As he sprang into the -carriage their questioning was forestalled by his saying that the path -was possibly made by wolves, and that he had been examining the cliff, -but had not succeeded in finding their den. - -He appeared so pale and agitated, however, that Maud regarded him -suspiciously; and when the horses flew up the glen along the winding -pathway and through tangled thickets of blue-stem and sunflowers, she -managed to ask in a whisper:-- - -"What have you discovered, Cliff?" - -"A clue to the old mystery--but wait," he whispered in reply; and in -silence they drove rapidly back to the Warlow homestead. - -As the boys were leading the horses into the barn, Maud called for them -to assist her in nailing up some of the lattice which the wind had -shaken down in her arbor; and when they joined her a few minutes later -in the vine-clad bower, she cried in a low, eager tone:-- - -"Clifford--Clifford! what did you see in that thicket?" - -"Yes, out with it--quick!" said Rob; "for I know by your looks that you -saw something queer up there." - -"The pathway," said Clifford, hurriedly, "plunged into the thicket of -plums; then, after winding about in a mazy labyrinth, it led up to the -base of a low cliff of limestone, and there ended so abruptly that I was -puzzled to know what to make of it, but noticing that the heavy festoon -of grapevines that hung down from the soil above, looked as if they had -been disturbed, I hastily drew them aside. Imagine my surprise when a -rough door was revealed, hung in the face of the cliff. Drawing it -open, there was disclosed a low cell or cavern, which had been partly -carved out of the soft magnesian limestone. Peering into the room, I -became satisfied that it was empty of human occupants. - -"The room was not more than a dozen feet square, the little furniture -which it contained being dilapidated beyond description. As I stepped -into the room to examine things more closely, the fact became very plain -that some one had occupied it recently, for the mouldy couch still -showed the imprint of a human form. - -"Some broken utensils stood about on the hearth, where a fire-place had -been hewn out of the soft rock. The ashes and charred wood, the bones of -fish and birds, scattered about on the floor, confirmed the fact that it -was used, in a desultory manner, as a habitation. - -"I was turning to leave, thinking perhaps that I had invaded the private -dwelling of some squatter, when my attention was arrested by seeing a -vial half concealed in a cleft in the rocky wall. Inly wondering why any -one should wish to conceal such a trifle, I drew it forth, rubbing the -grime and dust from it as I did so. - -"What was my surprise to see that there was a paper within. In eager -haste I uncorked the bottle and drew out this document," said he, -holding up with trembling hands a sheet that was discolored with age and -blotted with mildew, but covered closely with writing, still faintly -legible. "I had only time to glance at the startling title when I heard -your voices calling, so I closed the door, drew the vines carefully -over the entrance, and joined you, feeling like one in a dream. - -"Now let's hasten," he said, "and read this document, which will, I -believe, unveil the mystery of Bruce and Ivarene." Then, unrolling the -time-worn paper again, with bated breath and loudly beating heart, he -read aloud as follows:-- - - SEPTEMBER 14, 1849, - - "NEAR THE STONE CORRAL, ON THE SANTA FE TRAIL. - - "This is written by Ivarene Walraven, late of the City of Mexico, - who offers prayers that it may fall into hands of kindness, who - will convey to my kinsman, Herr Von Brunn, of Vera Cruz--to him - this missive, full of grief and misfortune. - - "We were attacked by savages on the night of August 22d, our - servants slain, our wealth all gone, and our kind and tender - friend, Senor Warlow, murdered. Bruce, my noble husband, he did me - wrap within the folds of a serape, and dashed away out on the dark - prairie with me in his arms, far, far away from the noise of murder - and savagery. He watched by my side in the tall grass all that day - next come; for I was ill to death's gate. - - "Then, near eventide, there came to us a hunter strange, who said - he slay the bison-flesh for trailers by, and beg we go to his - hidden cell in a cliffy rock. His evil eyes I much mistrust; but he - seem friendly be, and food prepare for us when there we go. On - morning rise my babe is born--a daughter sweet--and darling Bruce - he tenderly nurses me while the hunter watches near the trail for - wagons go by; but day by day nothing sees he; then Bruce he say, - 'I shall go myself to-morrow day.' The hunter frown when this he - say. That morning, as the hunter go, he say, with cunning smile: 'A - flask of wine for senora and senor.' Then leaves he it and go away - as at all time. When him had disappeared, I scent a strangeness in - the flask, and Bruce poured out a larger part; then broke he the - glassen flask upon the floor. When a cup he bring, and say: 'What - is the scent of this wine he gave?' I perceive the deadly loco's - odor there, and say it poison is; it drives them mad for evermore. - Bruce he frown, and meat and drink prepare; and when the hunter he - return he say: 'The flask is broken all! give us wine some more.' - But the hunter rudely began the meat to eat, waiting not at all. - After him did partake in his rude way of the food he threw his coat - by; then sat he strangely still awhile. Sprang he at length to his - feet with loud shriek and cry, then rushed away into the night. - 'Ah! the wine I put into his food is poison be,' Bruce he say while - bar the door. In the hunter's coat we find a little book for - writing some, and one leaf did have these letter writ:-- - - * * * * * - - "'EAGLE BEAK,--Take all the braves to Pawnee Rock, and there I will - go soon. Several jugs of wine are ready for you to take along; but - do not let them taste until there; I have put deadly loco in the - wine, which will kill them all, or drive them mad; so there will be - the less to share the cask of gold--' - - * * * * * - - "Then it was left unfinished, and another leaf had been torn--some - out. - - * * * * * - - "SEPTEMBER 15th. - - "I shall write it more for Bruce; he go to the trail to watch for - travelers go. I am all by me, and my blue-eyed, dark-haired - daughter here, with barred door I am much secured; but lonely so - for darling Bruce. - - "I try so hard to plainly use this English tongue, but strange it - seems. My baby dear I deck with my mother's locket, where is the - picture of dear Bruce and me--my dear mother's name on it: Morelia. - Oh, time is lonely now while Bruce away. I will lay this aside, its - vial in, and will write it again after I unbar the door and watch - for him." - - - - -Chapter XVI. - - -"Oh! they were murdered by the wild hunter,--and this is all that -remains to tell the fate of our father's friends," cried Maud, -tearfully. "But do you think, Clifford--" She paused a moment, leaving -her question unfinished; then, springing to her feet in wildest -excitement, she exclaimed:-- - -"We have been blind--blind! but it is all clear now!" and as Rob stood -by, dumb with astonishment, she said, in a hoarse whisper, while she -wrung her hands in the intensity of her great emotion: "Bruce's -daughter--Morelia--Mora!" - -"Yes, yes! I have suspected it since the day father called her Ivarene. -I always felt, from the moment that we met, as though I had known her -all my life. There seemed to be a look of recognition beaming from the -eyes of Mora Estill that has haunted me for months. My God! is it -possible I have only known her three short weeks? it seems like an -eternity," said Clifford, in a musing tone, while Rob exclaimed, -hurriedly:-- - -"That mad hunter was Olin Estill; and it was he who must have stolen -Mora at the cavern from Ivarene, and left her at the Estill Ranch before -he met his tragic fate. His is the haunted, lonesome grave on the -hill-top, of which Mora spoke." - -"But, oh, what a terrible retribution!--his limbs torn away by -wrangling wolves, and his grinning skull left bleaching on the wild -prairie," said Maud, tearfully. "Dear Bruce and Ivarene," she continued, -with a sob--"must their history end in silence and oblivion?" - -"Do you think, Maud, that the hunter, with all the devilish cunning of -madness, could have crept back and poisoned them, and then stolen the -child?" - -"Ah! it is too sad to contemplate," she replied. "Their fate would have -been worse than death; for I now remember having read how ill-starred -Carlotta, Maximilian's unhappy empress, was poisoned by some terrible -Mexican drug, and all the world knows of her hopeless madness, which -will last until death." - -"I shudder to think who that gray-robed, ghastly creature, with its -tangled locks and glassy eyes, may be," said Clifford, hoarse with -emotion. - -"Not Bruce! Oh no, no! it can not be! Oh God! what a fate!" cried Maud, -with another flood of tears, as she thought of the hideous contrast with -the smiling, handsome lover in the flower-entwined balcony of Monteluma. - -"I will go and take a more extended search up at that cavern," said -Clifford. "It may be possible to make some more discoveries. But let us -keep this matter secret, and when our parents are willing to give us -their confidence, then we will divulge it, but not before," to which the -others agreed; and while Maud was still cautioning him to be very -careful of danger, our young hero rode up by his dwelling, then galloped -rapidly along the winding pathway to the cliff where the cavern was -concealed. - -Alighting, and securing his horse to a low plum-tree in the thicket, he -went to the door of the cell, and, finding all as he had left it, began -searching the room critically. - -He was reasoning in his mind the probabilities of finding the treasure, -which the letter of the hunter led him to suspect was hidden near; for -he had got a very clear glimpse of that villain's nature, when he read -the part that was crossed out after he had written: "The fewer to share, -the greater the gain." - -Clifford felt certain that Olin Estill had remained with the treasure -after he had induced his confederate in crime, Eagle Beak (who was, no -doubt, an Indian chief), to decoy the Indians away to Pawnee Rock. The -wretch must have decided to poison Eagle Beak when he marked the letter -over, and no doubt he had suppressed the fact of the wine being drugged, -so that his confederate would also drink of the liquor. - -"Eagle Beak must have been a white man, disguised as an Indian, or he -would never have been able to read," thought Clifford; but as he knew a -great many half-breeds had become prominent Indian chiefs, he reconciled -this fact with the position which that marauder held. Allowing such to -have been the case, young Warlow knew that he could have been no match -in cunning deviltry for the educated scoundrel, Estill; so he must -certainly have fallen into the diabolical trap which the latter villain -had laid for him, and, with all his Indians, he had drunk himself to -madness and death from the flasks and jugs of drugged and poisoned -liquor. They had all shared a common fate long before reaching that -towering and legendary land-mark of Pawnee Rock. All the actors in that -dire tragedy had met with such swift retribution that no one was left, -in a few days after the robbery, to care for the great treasure. - -"Yes; the mighty fortune of Monteluma, its red gold and gleaming gems, -is hidden away near by, only waiting to be restored to their rightful -heir, Mora Estill," said Clifford aloud, as he clenched his hand, and -the blood surged to his face in a crimson glow. - -The gold, he believed, had been hastily buried near the Stone Corral by -the leaders while the savages were stupefied with liquor; but the casket -of gems, our hero believed, was concealed in the cavern; so it was with -a wildly beating heart that our young friend began searching the mouldy -pallet of straw, but nothing rewarded his scrutiny. - -He had provided himself with a large dirk-knife, which his father had -carried in the turbulent mining days, and with the heavy metal handle of -the weapon Clifford proceeded to sound the walls of the cavern; but no -hollow echo replied, to betray the cavity which he hoped to discover. -The fire-place, chimney, and the ceiling, also were subjected to the -same scrutiny, but with no better result. Then he began near the door, -and sounded the solid floor until he arrived at the old couch; but the -stone seemed to be a solid sheet of limestone, on which the hilt of the -weapon rang with a clear, metallic clang, resonant but disheartening. - -Hastily removing the old mattress, young Warlow resumed his -explorations; and as he vainly searched the floor his heart sank like -lead, and he paused to wipe the cold sweat from his face before -finishing the last remaining spot in one corner. A feeling of dread and -apprehension overcame him, and he shrank from the ordeal. Hope deferred -began to dampen the enthusiasm of our young "Fortune Hunter," and he -could scarcely summon his courage to the final test of searching that -one remaining spot; but, drawing a long sigh, he resumed the operation, -and the very first blow caused his brain to reel and the blood to bound -madly in his veins; for the hollow sound which the blow elicited proved -that the hidden cavity was reached at last. - -The bottom of the cavern was thickly incrusted with filth and damp earth -at that place; but he dug with frantic energy, and soon the dim outline -of a square flag-stone was visible. Breathless and panting, young Warlow -pried at the stone, and as it slowly arose he closed his eyes, as if -fearing to glance down into the cavity below. - -"Ah, if this is the casket of gems, Mora will be the greatest heiress in -all the land, and the gulf which the riches of the cattle-king made -between myself and her will only be widened by this great wealth," -Clifford thought; and he now, for the first time, regretted having come -out on a search which might lead to his life-long misery. - -For one moment the tempter whispered in his ear; but quickly the Warlow -honor triumphed, and he looked down resolutely into the cavity. - -Yes! there was the casket, and beside it a roll of papers. - -Fate had been fickle and cold so long; but now, when her smile was worse -than a frown, she could easily relent. - -Catching up the papers and casket, he sprang across the room to the door -with a hoarse cry of delight. Upon the decayed old parchment he could -only discern one faint word, Monteluma; then the casket dropped from his -nerveless grasp and fell to the stone floor with a crash. - -An exclamation of delight escaped him as the gems which had fallen upon -the floor, flashed back the sun-rays in scintillating splendor, and the -low, dull room was lit by a glare like the lightning-riven storm-cloud. - -It was a scene of bewildering beauty--of fascinating splendor--that met -his gaze:--great diamonds, that shot broad flashes of rainbow light; -strands of pale pearls, glinting in fitful splendor; burning rubies, -that poured forth flames of crimson, which mingled with the rays shed by -the amethysts of rose, purple, and lilac; while the lurid, baleful fire -of opals and emeralds flickered and glimmered in the sunlight. - -Stooping down, young Warlow gathered up the priceless gems, trembling -meanwhile at the strange, unreal event, and after securely placing them -again within the casket, and rearranging the room, he mounted his horse -and galloped back over the swelling hills. - -As the hoofs of his gray Norman tore through the thickets of rank grass, -tangled and woven in a maze of golden, leafless tendrils by the slender -love-vine, or bruised the mignonette until all the moist, sultry air was -rich with its pungent fragrance, Clifford was revolving in his mind -several plans for concealing the mighty treasure of which he had just -become the guardian. He concluded that he must find a secure -hiding-place at his dwelling, where the casket might remain until the -proper moment should arrive when he could reveal the discovery, and -restore the property to its rightful owner. - -On arriving at his dwelling, Clifford tied his horse in the stable, then -entered the house, locking the door and drawing the blinds, so as to be -safe from intrusion while he pondered over the situation. - -The room was a tastefully-furnished apartment, carpeted with a rich, -dark carpet, a remnant of luxury that had once adorned the old -plantation home, and supplied with easy chairs, a book-case, well -filled, and some good paintings, which were gifts from his early -friends. - -This room was the gathering-place for the men and boys of Clifford's -neighborhood on rainy days and lonesome Sundays, and here it was that he -spent most of his leisure time in reading or study. - -At length he arose and went to the attic, from which place he soon -returned with a case of tools. Then, taking up the carpet in the corner -of the room, he sawed out a place in the floor large enough to admit the -strong, iron-bound chest, which he had dragged out from the adjoining -room. - -After hastily tacking some cleats on the boards, which he had sawed out -of the floor, thus providing a lid for the cavity, he placed the chest -within the aperture. The bottom of the strong box rested on the earth -below, and its top came nearly even with the floor. In a small -compartment of this chest young Warlow placed the jewels; then he paused -awhile to look at the roll of parchments. - -These documents proved to be the patents to the estate of Monteluma, and -Clifford could dimly see the signatures of Charles V and Philip II, with -the broad seal of the Spanish crown on the mildewed, discolored, yet -precious parchments. - -There was, in addition, a large envelope, heavily sealed, on which the -superscription was quite dim. In the waning light young Warlow failed to -decipher it; but promising himself that he would soon examine this -mystery-hinting missive at greater leisure, he placed all the papers in -the chest, which he securely locked, closed the trap-door, and tacked -down the carpet; then, fastening up the house with great care, he -hurried down to his father's dwelling. - - - - -Chapter XVII. - - -Maud and Rob met Clifford at the gate, and as he passed under the -latticed arch where the trumpet-vine clambered with succulent ambition, -its sprays of flame-red bugles mottled with spots of velvety black, Maud -said eagerly:-- - -"I was growing uneasy about you, Cliff. Did you see nothing of that -strange, gray-robed creature up at the cell?" - -"Nothing whatever; but I am led to believe that mysterious being often -stays there. We must keep a sharp watch on the place hereafter, and -perhaps we may unravel the mystery," he replied, anxious to lead the -subject away from his recent search. - -As he stood, dreading further questioning, the supper-bell sounded, and -he quickly moved on into the house, determined that he would conceal his -discovery until he had made a search for the gold also. - -The Warlow family retired early that night; but as the clock struck two -Clifford arose, and listening to be certain that Rob was safe in the -arms of Morpheus, he then stepped lightly out on to the veranda, and, -after pausing a moment at the foot of the steps to draw on his boots, -hurried down to the barn. - -After saddling one of his Norman horses, he rode up to his dwelling, -where he secured the iron rod and spade with which he had prosecuted -his former search, and then galloped on down to the old cottonwood-tree. - -Tying his horse to an ash-tree on the river bank, he began digging on -the very spot where he had unearthed the cask with all its attending -horrors. While throwing the soil out of the pit, he soon forgot the -dangers and disappointment which had attended that adventure, and in his -eagerness to reach the shattered cask, still remaining below him, he -labored with such energy that he soon reached the object of his search. - -As he began to clear the dirt from the shattered cask, he often listened -to hear the warning rattle that would announce the presence of the mate -to that venomous reptile which he had slain here a few weeks previous; -but no trace of the serpent was found. While removing the last spadeful -of earth, the thought came to him like a flash of sunlight that the -snake had been placed within the cask for the very purpose of terrifying -and discouraging any one from searching deeper after he had unearthed -it. - -He remembered having read of circumstances where reptiles had been found -imprisoned in rock, where they had survived the confinement of an era of -time to which twenty-seven years was a short period in comparison; so it -appeared that the snake might have been placed there when the cask was -buried, and had lived and developed into the enormous reptile which had -served to unnerve him and arrest his search on the first occasion. - -It had occurred to him, before digging, that the cask had been buried -by the wretches who were engaged in the massacre at the corral, and that -the treasure was secreted just below the cask. This belief had resulted -from his successful search at the cavern, and had ripened now into -almost conviction; so he had resolved to search deeper on the same spot -where he had met with his first signal failure. - -"How true it is that we should always look below the surface of -treachery, enmity, and failure for the true gold of success!" said young -Warlow, meanwhile removing the last stave of the old cask, and boring -down with the iron rod into the bottom of the pit. - -As the instrument struck hard against some resisting object, but two -feet below, he felt the shock of a hot thrill of excitement; then -grasping his spade with trembling hands, he soon reached the goal of his -labors. - -Another cask was revealed! - -Yes; there was the treasure, he felt with all the conviction of -certainty, that he had so long vainly hoped to recover. He struck the -head of the cask several blows with his spade, and as the wood crushed -in, he paused with the same old feeling of vacillation and dread that -had seized him when the precious casket lay unopened before him at the -secret cavern,--the irresolute, wavering sensation, the fear of -disappointment, which so often assails us when fortune's phantom stands -dimly near, and we hesitate to grasp her beckoning hand, fearing vaguely -that a buffet may await us. It was in such a mood young Warlow stood, -while the hopes and fears coursed dreamily through his soul. The -sweat-drops rained from his brow, and fell trickling down through the -pale moonlight. At last, with shaking hand, he lit his lantern and -peered down into the cask below; and as he slowly cleared out the -fragments of the shattered head, he saw that there was a mass of fleecy -wool filling the cask completely. Tearing this aside with nerveless -fingers and panting haste, there was revealed row after row of deer-skin -bags, with the words, - - "George Warlow, 1849." - -plainly lettered upon their sides. With his knife he quickly severed the -thong that bound one of them, and the dull, red gold gleamed back in the -flickering light! - -"Oh God! at last--at last!" cried our hero (who certainly has earned his -title), as broken sobs shook his frame, and he leaned faint and dizzy -against the side of the pit. But while he stood, weak and panting, a -wild, frightened snort from his horse caused him to bound out of the -pit, and hurry forward to where he had fastened the animal. When he -reached the tree the usually quiet creature was found to be trembling -with fear or excitement. After caressing the sleek Norman for a moment, -and speaking in a soothing tone to quiet the creature, Clifford walked -back toward the pit; but as he came into the moonlight, he paused a -moment to take a full breath of the light breeze, which was rippling the -water and whispering among the trees. - -Far down the valley he could trace the silvery veil of vapor, revealing -the course of the narrow stream, and among the dense shadows of willow -and vines the fire-flies wove their webs of glimmering light. The -midsummer night was still and tranquil, the silence only broken by the -moan of the brook and the chirp of insects; the heavy dew-drops on tree -and shrub glinted and flashed in the moonbeams that sifted through the -willows in a sheen of wavering silver. - -The quavering scream of a wolf on some dismal hill-top--a sound heard -nightly all over the Western prairies, but one that never fails to send -a cold thrill of horror through the lone traveler--startled Clifford -from the momentary reverie into which he had fallen, and brought back -vividly the remembrance of that night of terror and danger, which now -seemed so long ago; and, as if the very thought had conjured up the -spirits of the past, that well-remembered spectre, gray-robed, with -snaky locks and glaring eyes, darted from among the shadows and with its -bony, talon-like fingers clutched at young Warlow's throat. - -Not a sound came from the lips that were drawn back from its snaggled -fangs, but with its loathsome, grave-like breath full on his cheek, it -closed in a death grapple with the startled and horrified youth. A wild -struggle ensued; the rank vines and slender willows were trampled to the -earth; and soon the combatants stood on the banks of the stream, by a -deep, dark pool, and the fierce, unearthly creature, tried to force -Clifford's head beneath the water. - -As the fiendish, murderous intention of his assailant became apparent, -young Warlow sprang back from the danger that yawned before him, and -tore loose from the fury-blinded wretch, which again darted at Clifford, -grappling with him in all the frenzy and desperation of a maniac. - -The failing strength of the strange creature became more apparent every -moment; so Clifford determined to first exhaust it by a violent -struggle, then bind it with the lariat which hung at his saddle; and -soon it was an easy matter for our athletic and vigorous young hero to -drag the panting wretch to where his horse stood trembling with terror -and wild with fright. Clifford spoke in a soothing tone, and when the -horse became once more quiet, he reached for the lariat, while holding -the maniac with one hand; but with a desperate wrench the spectral being -tore loose from his grasp, and bounded away with a loud yell. Then, as -it fled swiftly away over the prairie, at every step it would shriek -like a mangled hound--the sound growing fainter, until at length it died -out in silence on the grassy hills. - -With a prolonged shiver, Clifford started like one awakened from a -terrible night-mare; then remembering the new-found treasure, he hurried -back to the pit, and peered down--as though fearful that he should find -it all a dream. - -But no--there was the red gold, resting where it had lain so long. - -Clifford paused a moment, irresolute and uncertain what course to -pursue. How should he remove this vast treasure to a place of security? -he was asking himself, when there recurred to his mind the fact that -there was harness in his stable, and an old, stout sled there also. The -latter had been used in transporting stone from the old wall to build -his dwelling, and was admirably adapted to just such a purpose as -bearing up the heavy sacks of coin. So young Warlow lost no time in -hurrying down to the stable. - -As he nervously harnessed the horse by the dim light of the lantern, he -was devoured with anxiety, lest something should occur that would yet -rob him of the fruits of his great discovery. "What if that uncanny -demon should return, and undo all his labor by some diabolical plan or -act?" he found himself saying in a half-audible tone, as with trembling -haste he hurried back to the treasure--and found all his fears were -groundless, for every thing remained as he had left it. - -When he attempted to lift the sacks of coin he found that it was no -light task, for each one of the stout bags weighed fully forty pounds; -but with great difficulty he loaded ten of them on to the low vehicle, -then led the horse up to the dwelling, close to the door, where, -unhitching the animal and securing him to the stone post near by, he -proceeded to carry the sacks into the dwelling. - -Five of the first were lettered with the name of his father. These he -placed by themselves. Then, taking up the carpet and the floor where he -had concealed the chest, he untied the remaining five sacks, and emptied -their glittering contents into the iron-bound box. When all this was -completed, he returned for another load, but not without again -entertaining grave fears for the safety of the precious cask, which he -found still undisturbed. - -Four more loads of the coin emptied the cask. Then came the work of -refilling the pit, and obliterating all trace of the search. Then, after -returning the sled and harness to their accustomed places, Clifford sat -down, faint and weary, to feast his eyes on the grand sight, the -enormous wealth that was displayed by the lamp-light. - -More than four hundred thousand dollars in gold lay in a glittering, red -mass before him! The coin almost filled the chest, while in the shallow -compartment were the gems, which he had taken from their casket, that he -might once more admire them and feast his eyes on their splendor. - -The gems--he remembered having heard his father say--represented more -than half a million dollars; and he tried to realize what this vast -aggregation of wealth meant--this million of treasure that he had -restored to the light since the last sunrise; but only faintly could the -young "Fortune Hunter" comprehend the power and grandeur of the treasure -before him. - -Out among the mass of red and yellow gold trailed a strand of frosty, -glimmering pearls. The great diamonds, that flashed their rivers of -light; and rubies, that mingled their rays of rose and crimson with the -green glint of emeralds; lurid opals, sapphires of sparkling blue or -violet red; amethysts of pink, purple, and lilac,--all spoke in proudest -tones of the wealth of Monteluma; and, with a weary sigh, Clifford -thought of the wide social gulf which now yawned between himself and the -heiress of all this splendor. - -After securing all the treasure in the chest, and locking the door -securely behind, young Warlow rode stealthily homeward as the first -blush of crimson was mantling the eastern sky, and the great planets -were growing pale. - - - - -Chapter XVIII. - - -In the cool of the following evening we find Clifford swinging dreamily -in a hammock on the porch, while near by is ever-busy Maud, preparing a -basket of martynias for the pickle-jar. As she deftly snipped off the -curling ends of the green pods, locally known as "Devil Claws"--a very -appropriate name indeed, when applied to the mature fruit--she cast a -glance of suspicion toward her brother, and said:-- - -"I never like to see you so quiet, Clifford. I have always noticed that -silent people need watching. Now, here is Rob, for instance:--Just so -long as we can hear him whistling or singing, we rest contentedly; but -the very moment he becomes quiet--ah! look out! There is mischief on -hand every time; and we are likely to miss pie from the pantry soon, or -find that the rogue has filched a bowl of cream down cellar. No, sir; -you have been so suspiciously reticent to-day that I am led to think you -have learned something since we had our talk yesterday." - -"I always endeavor to store up some treasure of wisdom daily, my -sister," Clifford replied, with lazy evasion, as he swung a polished -boot to and fro over the hammock's side, and turned a feverish face -toward Maud. Then, while a look of sarcasm gleamed in his half-closed -eyes, he added, as she continued to glance askance: "Who was the -philosopher, sage, or poet that said--or should have said, at -least--something about the moral obloquy of groping through life with a -cross eye?" - -"Whoever that fellow was who strangled on such a proverb, I'll bet my -boots he never clanked round of nights, like a loose horse, all the -while fancying himself sly," said Rob, with a knowing chuckle, as he -cocked his head on one side to view the horse-hair bridle-rein which he -was braiding while seated on the edge of the porch. - -A loud-mouthed clamor from the dogs precluded an answer to this thrust, -and as the group on the porch looked toward the gate, Grace, Ralph, and -Scott Moreland came into the yard, and they were all soon eagerly -discussing the plan of holding a picnic in the Warlow pasture, on the -opposite side of the river from the colonel's dwelling. - -Before their neighbors left it was decided that the event should take -place the last of the following week; but in the excitement of agreeing -on a programme, and the wordy debate as to the propriety of including -dancing in the list of amusements, all the leisure time of the next two -days was consumed; so nothing more was said regarding the great -discoveries which the week had revealed. - -Verbal and written invitations were sown broadcast throughout the -colony, bidding their friends to the picnic; and not many days had -elapsed before Clifford had ridden down to the Estill Ranch to deliver -the compliment in person to the members of that aristocratic household. - -At the door he met Hugh, who was as cordial and genial as ever, and -entered into the scheme of the picnic with his customary zest of -pleasure, sharpened now, no doubt, with the desire to meet the -fascinating Grace once again. - -The call lengthened out astonishingly, as Clifford strolled back and -forth on the star-lit terrace with the vivacious heiress of Monteluma -and Estill Ranch, who promised to come up with Hugh the next day, to -practice, with a dozen others, who were to meet at Moreland's, and agree -on the music for the entertainment. - -"What a delightful evening this has been!" said Clifford at a very late -hour, as they walked down to the steps, at the base of which his horse -was tied. - -"Oh, charming indeed! I And don't you think that we are progressing well -with our "practicing," for here we have had all the elements of a -flirtation without the aid of either a moon or a gate," she said gaily, -as he unfastened the chain at the steps, which served to bar the way at -the top of the stairs, which led down from the terrace. - -A cool "Good evening, Miss Estill," was all the answer this sally -elicited from young Warlow, as he rode away, thinking gloomily that the -proud heiress meant to show him, under the cover of her levity, that she -was only amusing herself or "practicing" the arts of "flirtation" at his -expense; and he determined that when they met again he would show her -that he understood the hint, and would give her no further opportunity -to repulse his advances. - -So, accordingly, it was with a great deal of hauteur he met Miss Estill -the following afternoon at Morelands'; but either that young lady was -too indifferent to notice his behavior or had been gratified at the -result of her light remark, for she was as gay and unchanged as ever. - -All of our hero's stern resolves dissolved into smiles and admiration -while he stood talking with the charming young lady; but when the -wealthy, dissolute aristocrat, Major Stork, of Devondale, came up, and -proceeded to monopolize Miss Estill, Clifford froze up completely, and -became so polite and attentive to Grace that she at length declared she -would box his ears if he did not quit persecuting her so; which -persecutions consisted merely in keeping Hugh Estill away from her -side--a crime which Clifford told her, hotly, was worse than murder in -her eyes. - -"Cliff Warlow, you are a booby!" said Miss Grace, with astonishing -candor; "and you needn't come round me with any of your second-hand -attentions; for I've got a pair of eyes in my head, and know how to use -them too. The idea of your being jealous of that hawk-billed old -reprobate. Why, it's perfectly absurd," she continued, casting a glance -of scorn toward the spot where the stately major and Miss Estill were -talking. "Oh, you should remember, Cliff, that a girl who is worth -having is not going to fall into a fellow's mouth like a ripe persimmon -whenever he shakes the tree." - -Then in a tone of confidence she continued, with a look of wisdom, which -Clifford thought, with an ill-concealed smile, resembled that of a -prairie-owl: "Girls are very apt to pretend a great coldness toward a -fellow that they want to catch; that is, after they see they have made a -safe impression on him; and to see such a girl begin manoeuvring -around another fellow, one too that you know she can't care a straw for, -why, it always shows plain enough that it is only to decoy fellow number -one." - -"There you are now far beyond my comprehension," Clifford interrupted, -with returning good humor; and as Hugh Estill joined them he added: "I -will now retire in favor of number one." - -Emboldened by Grace's homily, young Warlow sought Miss Estill's side, -and in her vivacious friendliness he soon found the happiness that had -taken flight on the appearance of the major; but the returning bud of -confidence, which her smiles had called forth, was nipped by a most -untimely frost in the appearance of a new rival--John Downels, of -Diamond Springs. - -Mr. Downels was a _debonair_, graceful specimen of the gilded youth of -New York, from whose make-up the last remaining trace of effeminacy had -been eliminated by a stern course of ranch-life in the West. He appeared -to be an old friend of Miss Estill, who presented him to Clifford; but -after a moment's civility, young Warlow took his leave and retired, -while the late comer devoted himself to the heiress. - -While pretending to discuss music with Mrs. Warfield, Clifford watched -the pair furtively. He began to realize that now he had just cause for -uneasiness; for there was an air of culture and polished ease about the -blonde-haired young ranchman which made him very attractive, and young -Warlow became so absorbed and miserable that he only half realized what -he was saying. - -"Do you think we shall have time at the picnic to sing all the songs on -the programme before dinner?" Mrs. Warfield inquired. - -"Why, no; I believe it would be a better plan to dish it out by the -quart to the individual tables," he replied, absently; then seeing a -puzzled look sweep over her face, he hastened to add: "You know it would -be more liable to melt if it was in such small quantities." - -The situation flashed at once upon the keen-eyed lady, and although -flirtation, jealousy, music, and ice-cream was a combination sufficient -to upset the gravity of a sexton, yet she replied in a tone of perfect -suavity while toying with her bracelet of jet and gold: - -"A very good plan indeed, Mr. Warlow." - -When evening came, and with its brooding shadows the company dispersed, -our hero returned home with a heavy heart. As he pondered over each word -and action of Miss Estill, he had to confess that there was nothing in -her demeanor towards him but friendly courtesy at all times. The only -way that he could interpret her remark on the terrace, regarding their -"flirtation" and "practicing," was that she had seen his growing -attachment for herself, and she had in that way shown him that it was -only a flirtation, and that his case was hopeless. "Yes; she was too -genuinely a lady to encourage his suit, then discard him at the last -moment," he concluded, despondently. - -A miserable day followed a sleepless night, and Clifford busied himself -with the farm duties, trying vainly to forget the bewitching voice that -was ever haunting him, and which, as he drove the reaper over the wild -meadow, seemed to be singing above the clang and ring of the sickle the -sweet refrain,-- - - "There blooms no rose upon the plain - But costs the night a thousand tears,"-- - -in the tones of luscious melody that he never--no, never--could forget. - -As he swung in the hammock again that evening, while Maud's guitar and -the sweet strains of "Silver Threads" lulled him into a drowsy reverie, -he remembered suddenly the incident of the "Moated Grange" which, Mora -laughingly said, had secured her such "a round scolding" because she had -neglected her household duties through too much reading of that -affecting poem. Why should she have felt such sympathy for the forlorn -Mariana, unless the pathetic cry, - - "'He cometh not--he cometh not,' she said," - -had found an echo in her heart also? - -"Yes; she was heart-free, and waiting for some one to come and fill its -empty chambers with the treasures of his love," mentally concluded our -hero in a flash of joyful conviction. But again the doubt and -despondency prevailed; and in no very enviable mood he rode down to -Estill's ranch alone the next day, to join the company that were to -meet and practice for the coming musical festival, which now was the -all-absorbing theme of the colony. - -As he rode slowly along, Maud and Ralph passed him in a gallop, flinging -back some gay badinage--something about "a laggard in love"--which he -affected not to understand; then, as he saw Hugh and Grace cantering up -the road behind, he put spurs to his horse, and arrived at the imposing -mansion just in time to see young Downels and the military Stork alight -from the latter's carriage, and, in the most amicable manner imaginable, -both seek the young hostess and rain a shower of compliments upon her -gracious head. - -While these two devoted cavaliers, or rather charioteers--for they had -ridden over in the barouche of Devondale, a vehicle sumptuous and -costly--were engaged in a graceful skirmish of wit and verbiage with -Miss Estill, our hero, after bowing coldly, passed on to the piano, -where Mrs. Estill was chatting in a good-natured strain with a group of -friends. - -"You are late, Mr. Warlow, and we have been waiting for some one to -'break the ice' at the piano," she said, with her pleasing smile, as she -shook hands with Clifford. "Let's see," she continued, "the quartette, -'My Native Hills,' is the first on the programme, I am very eager to -hear your tenor since Mrs. Warfield said you made her home-sick when you -sang it at the Moreland rehearsal," concluded the hostess, innocently. - -"It would require a large bump of self-esteem to construe that into a -compliment," thought Clifford; but meeting Mrs. Warfield's amused look, -he said, with a smile:-- - -"I hope her longing for home was not of the same nature as that which a -hand-organ inspires, Mrs. Estill." - -"No, indeed, Mr. Warlow; but you will excuse my faulty compliment, and -only remember that I've been totally isolated from society for a quarter -of a century, and am apt to say the wrong thing in the right place." - -"There she goes again!" the face of Mrs. Warfield seemed to say; but -Clifford only answered with polite gravity:-- - -"Thank you, Mrs. Estill. I shall never forget that you are very kind; -and if Mrs. Warfield will promise not to leave at once we will proceed -with the singing," he added, with a twinkle of humor in his blue eyes. - -"I will promise to stay as long as you are singing a tenor like an -alpine horn," replied Mrs. Warfield, graciously. - -"Well! good-bye, then?" said Clifford, as he joined the singers; and -soon his voice was heard, clear and ringing, like the soft tones of a -church-bell in some quiet mountain valley--pealing out with soaring, -crystal notes, or floating down the wind with a vibrant, thrilling -sweetness, that caused even the garrulous major to pause and say at the -end:-- - -"Why, pon honah, Miss Estill, this young Warlow is a wonderful singah; -indeed he quite reminds me of Mario, the enchanting, velvet-toned -tennah, you know, whom I often have heard at the grand opera--aw--in -delightful Paree. What a pity that he is--aw--only a pooah homesteadah, -or was until of late, I heah." - -"I am certain he is an earnest, industrious gentleman at all times, -Major," said Miss Estill, with just enough reproof in her tone to cause -the dissolute aristocrat to wince; then, pausing, only to see that her -arrow had hit the mark, she continued:-- - -"His father was a wealthy planter who was ruined financially by the war; -but we certainly respect the energy that has enabled him to repair his -fortunes and found such a delightful home, as you will find the Warlow -homestead to be. His example should encourage others to a similar -course, instead of remaining in the overcrowded East or South to -struggle along, hopelessly, amid the scenes of their misfortune." - -"Ah! indeed--a plantah before the wah? Why, really, that is another -mattah, Miss Estill. My fathah was also a plantah; but when the wah -began he sold his niggahs and left Kentuckah, but finally returned and -located thah again." - -"You appear so sad, Mr. Downels, that I fear you are not enjoying our -rehearsal," said Mora, ignoring the transaction in "niggahs," and -turning with a questioning look to young Downels, who stood by her side -yet, but seemingly lost in reverie since the music had ceased. - -"Pardon the ungallantry, Miss Estill; but that song carried me back to -the Hudson, and I almost fancied myself rambling over the hills and -dales of my boyhood's home once again." But his sadness was seen to melt -into an amused smile as Grace sang in a rich brogue:-- - - "Ould bachelor's hall--what a quare luking place it is! - Kape me from sich all the days of me loife; - Och! sure an' methinks what a burnin' disgrace it is, - Niver at all to be takin a woife. - - Pots, dishes, and pans, and sich greasy commodities-- - Ashes and tater-skins kiver the floor; - His cupboard's a store-house of comical oddities-- - Things that were niver heard tell of before!" - -Several glees followed; then Miss Estill took her place at the -rich-toned piano, which was banked in a bed of wild-flowers, where the -flame-colored blossoms of the desert-sage and the golden sunflowers were -relieved by sprays of snow-powdered lace-plant and rose-colored -convolvuli, mingled with tufts of white and purple mignonette, which -grew in fragrant profusion over all the surrounding hills. As the grand -strains of Schubert's "Serenade" floated out through the open windows, -or reverberated along the arched and frescoed ceiling of the elegant -apartment, the listeners preserved an appreciative silence,--all the -more flattering when we remember that not a baker's dozen of the -audience understood a word of German. - -"It was all very fine and grand, no doubt, but still perfect Greek, or -Dutch--which is about the same--to my poor, untutored ears," said Grace -at the close of the celebrated song, as she turned to Rob and spoke in -an undertone. - -"Well, it was not all quite plain," returned that youth, with a droll -grimace; "but it was certainly p-r-r-r-r-rrretty." Then, as Grace -strangled and recovered from an effort at swallowing her own chin, he -added facetiously: "Didn't you recognize the place where the old fellow -shuffled out in his wooden shoes, and, after threatening the serenader -with 'a schlock on the coop,' finally turned the bull-dog loose?" - -"No, I just did nothing of the kind; and I don't believe you understood -one word of that heathen gibberish either," said Grace, with a sniff of -suspicion. - -"Oh, that only shows you can't interpret operatic music," Rob replied, -with a derisive grin. - -"Rob Warlow, you horrible creature! I never know when you are in -earnest," she retorted, with a puzzled look, as she smoothed down the -fluffy ruffles of her white muslin gown. - -"Why, no--honest injun!--any one can learn to understand this classic -music. It only requires a sufficient stretch of imagination, and then -all is clear as--mud. Now, when Maud is playing Mendelssohn's 'Wedding -March,' I can hear the cat squall like a panther when the baby pulls its -tail; and she--that is Mrs. 'Sohn--takes an awful tantrum when 'Sohn -wants her to get up of a cold morning and make a fire; and the way they -shout and gabble--all in Dutch--would scare a krout-barrel," said Rob, -with perfect gravity. - -"Oh, humbug!" she replied with a shrug, as she flounced away to where -Maud stood examining a book of engravings. - -"Cliff and Mora are acting like a couple of idiots, Maud," whispered -Grace, as she surveyed the elegant and finished picture, "The Carnival -in Venice," with a critical glance that reminded one of a wren; but as -Maud failed to reply to this personal comment, she continued in an -undaunted undertone:-- - -"I don't pretend to understand flirtations, but if I did, I'd say that -Mora Estill was a pronounced coquette. She bears all the ear-marks of a -born flirt, and the way she throws herself at the head of young -Downels--the sophisticated creature!--is just shameful. But still my -fingers itch none the less to pull Cliff's ears; for there he goes, with -his lip hanging so low you could step on it--and all on her account, -too." - -"Well, Grace, let's reserve our sympathy and censure for the future," -said Maud, in a tone meant to discourage any further discussion of the -subject; and as the supper-bell announced the unfashionable hour of six, -and the guests were preparing to follow Mrs. Estill and Major Stork into -the long, fresco-paneled dining-room, Grace ceased her comments, and -soon forgot all about her friends while leaning on the arm of Hugh -Estill and hurrying into the damask-draped and luxury-laden table. - -However, she noticed that Clifford and Mrs. Warfield sat next to Mora -and young Downels when they were, at length, all seated, and that while -the latter couple were silent, the former kept up a semi-animated, -constrained run of small talk during the meal; but she soon became so -engrossed while listening to Hugh's not over-brilliant wit that all -else was devoid of interest. - -When the many luxuries had been discussed, and the guests were loitering -in the parlor or sauntering out upon the terrace in groups of twos -and--well, twos also, I believe--Clifford walked out alone to the -fountain, and sat down on a stone seat near the basin, which was -brimming with water. Here the broad-leaved lilies floated, with their -blossoms of pale rose and cream, distilling an odor of entrancing -sweetness for yards around the cool, moss-set brim. As he sat lost in -bitter meditations, the twilight began to deepen, the cicadas tuned -their shrill pipes, and Venus shone out with unclouded splendor over the -tree-tops of the valley below, followed, as she has ever been, by an -ardent host of glittering stars and planets. That great midsummer -constellation, the Scorpion, seemed stinging the "milky way" with its -venomous tail, while the jeweled Sickle sank in the west--an omen that -the harvest-days were nearly ended. A shrill katydid, overhead in the -branches, heralded the coming frost, while a low ripple of voices -mingled with the faint notes of the piano and snatches of song from -within the house. - -As Clifford sat, trailing a lily through the water, thinking, alas! of -the time when he had strolled here with Mora, only two short weeks -before, and how trustfully she had told him of "the mystery that seemed -haunting the very air of late," he found it hard to realize that another -had supplanted him, and that henceforth they were to be as strangers. -But slowly it began to dawn upon him that their paths had diverged -since that fatal night upon the star-lit terrace, when she so lightly -remarked upon their "practicing" and "flirtation," until now he felt -they were rapidly and surely becoming totally estranged. - -"It is better that I should never, never look upon her fair, proud face -again; for when I meet her eyes--ah! what can it mean?--there seems such -a look of pleading, mingled with pride and--something that I can never -understand--that it totally unmans me, and I can not trust my lips to -speak a word for fear of betraying the secret of my love. No; she will -find that the Warlow pride will be a match for her own; for I would -rather tear my heart out and fling it at her feet, than have her spurn -my love, as only a proud creature like her can. - -"To know that she looks upon me as a fortune hunter, and scans me with -those haughty--oh, lovely--violet eyes, classing me as 'poor and proud,' -but far beneath her caste,--oh, Heaven! it is more than I can or will -bear!" mentally exclaimed fiery young Warlow with a flash of hot -wrath,--which is about the best remedy known for a sore heart, I really -believe. - -"A fortune hunter? Well, can't a fellow who has yearned all his life to -meet a high-bred, dainty, and elegant woman, dare to love her when he -does meet such an ideal, for fear of being called by that contemptible -name?" continued our hero, impatiently plucking another water-lily, and -beginning to pace up and down the path in nervous haste, and resuming -his meditations, saying, half audibly:-- - -"If she had only waited a few more days I could have shown her that -Colonel Warlow's son was not the poor homesteader--that pariah of the -cattle-king--which she seems to consider me in her high pride. But no; -she must throw cold water on a poor devil before he has made too big a -fool of himself to offend her pride by a declaration of his folly. - -"But she has all the refined instincts of her class at any rate, and can -send a disheartened, despairing wretch like me on a life-long journey of -dreary longing, with a sweet graciousness that I must admire, though I -curse it ever so bitterly!" Then, as there rose vividly to his mind a -picture of that proud but vivacious face, lit by eyes of violet-blue, -and framed by the mass of raven, wavy hair; the coral, tender lips and -creamy, dimpled cheeks so soft and tinted; the graceful form, in its -filmy, flower-wrought robe of white,--he leaned against the elm-tree, -and covered his face with his hands as though to shut the lovely vision -from his sight, and murmured in tones of deepest agony:-- - -"Oh, Mora, Mora, my lost love! how can I give you up? It seems as if I -have loved you from eternity; and to lose you now is like the pangs of -death!" - -Rousing himself as the sound of retreating wheels was heard below the -terrace, Clifford walked back to the hall-way, where he met several -departing guests; and as he came into the hall, with a slow leaden -step, he saw, with a start, that Miss Estill was standing alone by the -stairs, where she had turned after bidding some of the guests -good-night! When she saw his face, with its look of white, tense misery, -she said quickly:-- - -"Oh, Mr. Warlow! I have missed you for an hour. You are ill, I fear." - -"Yes, Miss Estill, I am--sick of the world; but it is a very slight -matter--only a broken heart," young Warlow replied, in a low, husky -tone, while his eyes flashed like purple amethysts. - -She turned deadly white, and gave him a look wherein he read a proud -pity, that sent a flash of hot indignation to his face; then he bowed -and walked away without glancing back. - -As he came into the glare of the lighted parlor, Maud met him, and, -after giving him a glance of deep sympathy, she said with her accustomed -tact:-- - -"Clifford, you are no better, I fear; so let's return home. Most of the -guests are starting already, although it is only nine; but we have, like -them, also a long drive before us to-night." - -So, bidding their hostess good-night, the Warlow and Moreland party -started toward the hall; but at the door Miss Estill met them, looking -pale and _distrait_, though regretful at their early departure. - -She tarried a moment at the door, talking to Maud and Grace regarding -the details of the picnic; and as she stood under the full light of a -large lamp, held by a marble statue of Mercury, the wonderful grace and -beauty of her creole face came into dazzling relief, and Clifford -paused with a look of hungry longing on his face, while the remainder of -the group hurried on to where the carriage waited, leaving him alone -with Mora. - -"I will say farewell here, Miss Estill. We shall meet at the picnic, -Friday, but there will be little chance to bid you adieu there. I start -for South America the next morning to stay indefinitely; so -good-bye--forever!" - -Even now in this trying moment, while his heart turned cold with an -agony that not even death could equal, Clifford was true to the -instincts of a gentleman, and waited immovably for her to offer her -hand; but she only stood and toyed with her dainty fan, saying with the -same cold, proud look that she had given him once before that evening:-- - -"This is very sudden. Indeed you can not be in earnest; so I shall -reserve my adieus until the very last. I will try at the picnic to -persuade you to abandon such an unkind course, and remain with us." - -"Very well, Miss Estill, but I had forgotten to tell you that I have a -disclosure to make at the picnic--one of grave import to you--and beg -for an hour of your time while there. I would prefer the morning, if you -please." - -"With pleasure, certainly," she replied; but their talk was interrupted -by some guests preparing to depart; so young Warlow hurriedly said -good-night, and joined Maud and the others in the carriage. - -Soon they were rapidly whirling homeward up the level, winding road; -but as no one seemed to be in a talking mood, the journey was rather a -silent one, the monotony only relieved by a scurrying flock of -wild-grouse or the dim and retreating form of a startled jack-rabbit, -looming large and indistinct upon the level prairie. In places the tall -blue-stem moved in the wind with a rolling, wave-like motion; then again -giving place to vistas of open glades, carpeted by the buffalo-grass, -that the rains and sun had bleached almost white. - -A forecast of autumn was felt in the rising gales, which moaned -through the tall cottonwoods along the stream; the water flashed cold -and bright under the starlight, and the buffalo-birds--our Western -whip-poor-will--swooped down with a bellowing roar close to the heads of -our friends as they drove by, indicating that a rain was near at hand. - - - - -Chapter XIX. - -A STRANGE THEORY. - -"_OUR BODIES MAY BE TENANTED BY SOULS THAT HAVE LIVED BEFORE._" - - -A pouring rain from a vapor-laden sky, dull and gray, saluted Clifford -the next morning with a chill welcome; but still the general gloom that -pervaded all nature was in such perfect harmony with his mood that he -felt a grim satisfaction, in a cold, lethargic way, at the sympathy of -the elements. - -"I am growing tired of this monotonous life," he said at breakfast, "and -have decided to commute my homestead and knock around in the world -awhile; so if Mr. Moreland, Ralph, and you, father, are willing to go to -Abilene as my witnesses, we will start Saturday morning. I can take the -train from there, and save another trip;" then seeing Maud's and his -mother's look of distress, he added: "I may not be gone long, so I'll -leave every thing as it is untill my return." - -"Why, Clifford, my boy, what has come over you? This is wholly unlike -your nature. I had always felt so glad that you were not of a roving -disposition, and now you fly off at a tangent, and when we were not -looking for any thing of the kind either. It is very strange, indeed!" - -Clifford made no reply, but rose from the table, followed by Rob, whose -face was momentarily growing longer and more doleful in its expression, -while Maud shot a warning look at her parents, and as the boy's -retreating footsteps grew fainter, she answered their questioning looks -by saying:-- - -"Poor Clifford! he is passing through that course of true love which is -said to never run smooth, and it is best not to interfere; but I hope at -the picnic to see him on better terms with Mora, which may change his -plans at once." - -"Only a lovers' quarrel?" said Mrs. Warlow, with a troubled smile. - -"No; I fear it is not so tangible as that," Maud replied. "Clifford -seems to have caught the impression, some way, that Mora regards him as -a mere fortune hunter, or looks down on him for his poverty; you know -that she will be equal heir with Hugh in the immense Estill estate, -which is said to be worth half a million, she being their only other -child," she added, while narrowly watching her parents' faces; but to -her wonder, her father and mother betrayed no surprise at this last -remark, which caused a doubt to enter her mind that they were aware of -the great discovery that Mora was the daughter of Bruce and Ivarene, -which she had until this moment believed was a fact revealed to them -when the Estills made their visit, more than a week before. - -"Can it be that they are still ignorant of that fact?" Maud mentally -asked herself; and then she began to wonder why the Estills had shown -the locket, with its pictures of Bruce and his wife, and withheld from -her parents the more important secret that Mora was also the daughter of -those ill-fated friends; but her reflections were cut short by her -father saying, with a weary sigh:-- - -"Ah! this is the sting of poverty indeed! Oh, why should I have been so -ill-fated as to lose two fortunes in succession?" - -"George, do not grieve over the past; that's beyond recall," Mrs. Warlow -said gently; then she added: "It is better that my children should -confine themselves to their own sphere; for you can see that if Miss -Estill loved my boy, as well she might, for himself alone, she would -never think of the difference in their wealth. It may save them a -life-time of misery; for without mutual love, matrimony would be a state -of abject servitude." - -"Well, if Clifford sees fit to take a change of scene, it will serve to -cure him of his--attachment; and if Mora, in the meantime, discovers her -mistake in undervaluing Clifford--a fellow that any girl under the sun -might be proud of--why, it may all come out right yet," said Maud as she -rose from the table and began to polish and clean the great silver -coffee-urn, another relic of old plantation glory, but which had never -been considered too good for every-day service. - -All day Clifford worked with a fever of energy to prepare for his -journey, which he was compelled to do; for the picnic was set for the -coming day, Friday, and he had to see the Morelands to secure their -attendance with him at the land-office as witnesses to prove his actual -residence and cultivation upon his homestead, which he had concluded to -commute, or in other words, pay the sum of two hundred dollars to the -government in lieu of five years of residence and cultivation thereon. -Having secured their testimony, or their willing promise to accompany -him to Abilene and there testify to his good faith, etc., he made -everything ready for his departure the next morning after the picnic. - -When Maud and his mother questioned him regarding the destination and -duration of his trip, he said he would go South awhile, but evaded -telling them that he had determined to go to Buenos Ayres and remain -until he had made a fortune that would cause Miss Estill to regard him -as an equal. - -He noticed the sadness, however, of the family, and when he met Rob's -look of grief his fortitude was sorely tried, and he regretted having -formed such a hasty resolution. But it was too late now to retreat, he -foolishly concluded; so, choking down a lump in his throat, he walked -out to take a last view of his farm. As he sauntered along in a listless -way, looking at the fields, every furrow of which he had turned over in -the past with such a deep pride of ownership; at the trees and deep -pools, that greeted him with the air of old friendship, he began to -realize how dear the place had become, and he wondered, in a -self-pitying way, how he could bear the existence that awaited him out -on the sky-begirt level and lonely pampas of the Rio La Plata. - -When he came to the gothic dwelling, the circle of roses and trellises -of luxuriant vines, the sloping orchard and vineyard, they all seemed -to be still imbued with the strange thought which had ever haunted him -while he was busied there. "Here for the first time since eternity -began, I found a true home. All this is mine, and on this spot I shall -pass my life. What events will transpire here in the unknown future! I -shall know joy and sorrow here, but who will share it all with me?" As -these visions recurred, he thought bitterly that he never had counted -upon an hour of trial like the present. Then, throwing himself down in -the shade of the old wall, he cried aloud in anguish, as he buried his -face in the soft, matted buffalo-grass: "Oh, it is hard to part from all -this--and only for a woman who cares nothing for me!" But at length he -became calmer, and as a feeling of resentment towards the proud heiress -began to possess him, he arose and went into the house: then, after -taking the usual precautions against surprise, he raised the trap-door -and unlocked the treasure-chest. - -On glancing at the heap of red gold mingled with the dazzling gems, he -took from the compartment the paper which he had almost forgotten having -never read; then breaking the seal, he found that it was the wills of -both Bruce and his wife on separate sheets of vellum, executed at Santa -Fe, devising all their estate each to the other, in case of either dying -during the long journey on which they were about starting. - -"I will bring her here to-morrow. She shall read the pathetic Journal of -Ivarene and this will. I shall tell her of the long search after the -treasure, and her right to all this wealth; then, after restoring both -her name and fortune, there will be little left for me to do but to -slink away, while some long-necked aristocrat will step to the -foreground and carry off the prize," soliloquized our hero with bitter -sarcasm, as he placed the papers in an inner pocket of his drab coat, -and closed the chest with a vicious snap. - -The rain had ceased long since, and a band of crimson and rose on the -western horizon gave a promise of fair weather on the morrow; but -Clifford lingered about the beloved place, feeling that this was his -farewell to a spot that had grown dear as life to him in the last year. -He found it hard to tear himself away; so he seated himself upon a -travel-worn ridge in the old trail, worn years ago by the wheels of the -freight wagons, but now carpeted thickly with the buffalo-grass, which -seems to delight in hiding just such an unsightly, trampled place with -its pale-green tendrils. As the shadows darkened among the trees, and -the gloom of a starless, fog-ladened night settled down with a palpable -silence, young Warlow became lost in thought. - -The scene which followed was always a mystery to him; for he never knew -whether he had witnessed a supernatural sight or not. He often tried to -persuade himself that he had lapsed into a fit of transient slumber, and -the whole spectacle was only a vivid dream. - -The time passed by unheeded, and it was near the hour of ten when his -fit of abstraction was broken by seeing a group of fire-flies flashing -about in an unnatural manner. He remembered, dimly, seeing great numbers -of these luminous insects congregating around the long grave, not fifty -paces away; and his blood grew cold as he saw, with a thrill of horror, -that the flashing, mazy clouds began to slowly resolve themselves into -the semblance of human forms, that leaped and danced in fiendish glee; -now bounding high into the murky air, or again brandishing weapons, that -resembled war-clubs and tomahawks, in a threatening and heart-sickening -manner. - -While these mysterious forms gyrated about in their unearthly war-dance, -Clifford stood petrified with horror and astonishment, not unmixed with -a strange curiosity to see how it would terminate; and when the luminous -figures joined hands, and slowly paced about the grave, as though to the -chant of some wild and savage death-song, a dim and glimmering circle of -phantom warriors, Clifford could bear it no longer, but sprang to his -feet with a cry of horror, that was echoed by a shriek which he -instantly recognized as being the voice of Rob. As the skurrying hoofs -went tearing away, he shouted quickly:-- - -"Rob! Rob! wait,--it is Cliff! Come back like a man, and let's -investigate;" but he saw that at the first sound of their voices the -figures had flashed asunder like thistle-down before a breath, and now -were whirling and weaving in a bewildering maze of light that melted -away as he gazed, and separated into the innocent flitting forms of -fire-flies that were hieing off to the dark nooks along the stream. - -As Rob came back, riding slowly and in an uncertain manner, Clifford -emerged from the gloom of the trees into the less ebon darkness of the -open ground; then Rob halted and said, in a shaky voice:--"I thought -that I had run afoul of the old devil himself when you yelled so! What -is the matter, anyway?" - -Briefly as possible Clifford told of the strange sight which he had just -witnessed--a scene which he then thought was more like a fevered dream -than a reality. - -"But how does it happen you were here?" he added. - -"Why, we were uneasy about you, and I had come in search. I knew you -would be up here, for I saw you walking this way. I had just got here, -and was going to call you, when you yelled like a catamount down by the -old grave. What does it mean, Cliff? It makes me cold yet!" he added, -with chattering teeth. - -"Well, it's something that can not be explained away," said Clifford, -while walking back beside Rob, who, too well bred to ride while another -walked, had dismounted, and was leading his horse. "There is only one -view that I can take of it, and that is a supernatural one," he -continued, as Rob linked his arm within his own, and they struck the -road homeward. "There is a belief gaining ground, Rob, that the -spirit--or the life principle, animation, or whatever it may be which -we call soul--after it is disembodied by death, may yet linger about in -some subtle, invisible form akin to electricity, and may become embodied -again by entering into the being of a new-born child,--which, if true, -may account for the strange resemblance we often see peering out of the -eyes and face of an infant that recalls some long-dead friend or -ancestor. It may be that the power which mind wields over matter would -enable the strong, magnetic spirits of those savage warriors, who, no -doubt, died terrible deaths of violence on this tragedy-haunted spot, to -attract the fire-flies, and mold them into a semblance of their former -bodies, or, at least, imprison them for a time within the spirit outline -of their former selves. This, alone, would enable them to become visible -to our eyes, proving what we already know, that without matter of a -living nature the spirit--or magnetism, which we call soul--would be -always as invisible as the air." - -"Why, Cliff, you talk like a heathen!" replied Rob, vehemently, who, -though addicted to the vice of swimming on the Sabbath, 'hooking' -watermelons from the Mennonites, and hiding Easter eggs, was still -strictly orthodox to his boot-heels. "So you think," he continued, "that -a human soul may take the form of a panther or a pauper--whichever the -spirit most resembles--and be cast and recast over and over again, like -an old piece of boiler-iron, until at last it becomes--well, just what, -I'd like to know?" - -"A good Christian being that progresses towards perfection, and learns -wisdom from his former mistakes, I guess," replied Clifford, as they -turned the horse into the pasture and sought the house. As they came -into the yard, he added: "If there is one spot on the continent that -should be haunted, it certainly is the old Stone Corral and the near-by -crossing of the Santa Fe and Abilene Trails; for there has been more -crime and cruel deviltry committed there than upon any other square mile -in the Western world." - -The next morning broke with a cloudless sky, balmy and serene. A light -wind from the south-west lifted the ribbon of vapor along the -Cottonwood, and wafted the fresh and perfumed odors of wild hop-vine and -water-mint, desert-sage and sand-plum, over the garden and into the -Warlow breakfast-room, where Clifford was narrating to his horrified -parents and sister the particulars of that unreal and mystery-wrapped -scene which he had witnessed the night before. - -"It all looks so unreal in this clear daylight that I am almost ashamed -to repeat it," said Clifford, with a nervous laugh; but the hearers knew -by the look of earnest gravity on his face that there could have been no -mistake or deception as to his witnessing a sight that ever was a -mystery to all. - -"Well, this is a strange story indeed," said the colonel; "but, my boy, -you must have been asleep unconsciously, and when you awoke your mind -was in that abnormal state in which an optical illusion would have -seemed like reality. An illusion of this nature is very hard to combat, -from its very uncertainty; and we can only reason, from general -principles, that it was a half-waking dream." - -The preparations for the picnic put an end to any further discussion, -and at ten the grounds were enlivened by a throng of people, all in -their happiest mood and best attire. - -When the Estill carriage came on the ground, Clifford hurried forward -and assisted Miss Estill to alight; then, after shaking hands with Mrs. -Estill, who excused her husband's absence by saying that he had not -returned from the Comanche Pool, whither he had gone a week before, he -found a seat for the elder lady, and disappeared with Mora on the -pretext of boat-riding. - -They walked in silence to where his boat was tied to the trunk of a -weeping elm. As Clifford helped her into the seat, her warm clasp sent a -thrill to his heart that caused a hot flush to mount to his face; but it -soon receded, leaving him paler and more care-worn than ever. But Mora -noticed that his cravat of dainty lawn was tied with that precision only -attained by a thorough man of fashion, and the spray of snowy -elder-bloom, late but fragrant, combined with a solitary pansy-shaped -flower, pale blue with a fleck of gold at the heart, into a -_boutonniere_ that denoted a taste refined and fastidious in its wearer. - -They shot out into the narrow stream under Clifford's vigorous strokes, -and skimmed lightly along through the silver-linked pools, shaded by -trees that were smothered by poison-ivy and wild-grape vines, that -trailed in the water with their purple-laden tendrils of ripening fruit. -At length they reached the bank near young Warlow's dwelling, after a -journey which he thought had lasted for an age, but which, to be -correct, was just four minutes in duration. There had been an attempt on -her part at conversation, but seeing the far-away look in his eyes and -the expression of haggard misery on his white, handsome face, she became -more cold and reserved than ever, and sat with averted face, trailing a -gaudy cardinal-flower through the water. - -On landing, he again encountered her hand, which did not fail to send an -electric shock through him, as he assisted her ashore, and for a moment -he thought that she held his hand longer than the occasion required, and -he raised his eyes to her face with a quick flash of joy; but the -downcast look and pale cheeks which he saw, sent the blood back to his -heart with a sickening chill, and they walked together in silence up -toward his dwelling. - -When they reached the house he led the way to the spring and motioning -her to a seat under the shade of that giant elm, he drew the wills forth -and handed them to her saying:-- - -"Here, Miss Estill, is what makes you the greatest heiress in this -western land!" then, as she silently read them through and lifted a -puzzled face to his, he handed her the Journal of Ivarene, and watched -breathlessly, while she became flushed and pale by turns while perusing -the faded and time-worn paper. - -"Ah! poor, ill-fated Ivarene! what could have become of her and that -helpless infant,--and brave Bruce too?" she cried, with tears in her -eyes. - -"The parents were murdered, no doubt, by that mad hunter, and the child -was stolen and left at Estill's ranch along with a locket containing the -name of Morelia and the pictures of Bruce and Ivarene. The mysterious -kinsman buried on the hill-top was Olin Estill, who was only the mad -hunter in disguise, who stole that blue-eyed, dark-haired daughter, -named Morelia." - -"Ah! you believe me to be the daughter of Bruce and his lovely wife!" -said Mora, springing to her feet, while tears rained from her eyes, and -her hands were wrung with deep emotion. - -"Yes, I am certain that you are Morelia Walraven. I had suspected this -from the hour that father called you Ivarene, and I set to work -earnestly to recover the lost fortune, which I believed was buried near -this spot. I worked faithfully, Miss Estill, to restore it all to you, -knowing full well, all the while, that when found it would only widen -the gulf between me and the cattle-king's daughter an hundred-fold. I -will not dwell on the horrors of that fortune hunt, nor its perils, when -I fought that gray-robed demon, which glared at you upon the -grave-capped hill; how I struggled with that murderous spectre in the -darkness of midnight, after being greeted in a noisome pit by a gigantic -rattlesnake, which I slew as it writhed at my feet, with certain death -in its fangs; nor the horror I felt when it was dead, at length, to -grasp a human skull, that mocked me with eyeless sockets and grinning -teeth when I snatched it from the buried cask--hoping I had found the -casket of gems. - -"But come with me, and I will show you that the Warlow honor and pride -is no vain boast; that the poor planter's son can face danger and death -for the sake of right alone." - -Then, as she followed, pale and trembling, into the room, he threw back -the lid of the treasure-chest, and the red gold, the glorious rays from -frosty pearls, sparkling diamonds, blood-red rubies, and strange green -emeralds mingled, in a dazzling glare, with the sheen of fire-opals and -the glint of amethysts of purple, lilac, and rose. - -"Here, Morelia Walraven, is your lost treasure, your million of gems and -gold, your proud name and ancestral hall, which I restore," as he handed -her the deed of Monteluma. "To-morrow I shall leave home and country, -friends dearer than life, to prove--to prove to you I am not that vile -thing which you take me for--a Fortune Hunter!" - -She merely glanced at the pile of dazzling wealth; then raised her eyes -that glittered through her tears like the turquois among the gold, and -while he poured forth a torrent of hot words that seemed to come from -his very soul, her color came and went until a burning blush spread over -her face, and in a choking gasp she essayed to speak. When he had -ceased, she gazed a moment up into his face, seamed and drawn in lines -of white agony, then she cried out:-- - -"Oh! what do I care for all this dross, whose daughter I may be, or my -pride of ancestry? Clifford--oh, Clifford!--you shall never leave me. I -will die if you do. I love you! Oh, will I have to say it?--yes, I love -you better than all the world beside. No, no! you shall never leave me!" -she said, with her white arms about his neck and her soft, warm cheek -pressed close to his; and--and--well, I just skipped out there, leaving -them alone with a scene that was growing too unutterably "rich for my -blood," to use a Western phrase; but half an hour later, as they -strolled back to the boat I overheard him say:-- - -"But why, my love, did you look so proud and cold in the hall when I -came in at your house only the other night?" - -"Proud and cold, indeed," she replied, with a gay laugh, as she shot a -look of mingled love and amazement into his beaming eyes. "Now, that -shows how well you can read a woman's heart, sir. Dear Clifford," she -added, tearfully, "do you know, you dear blind boy, that at that very -time I was wretched and miserable, and longed to kiss you and say that I -had waited for years for just such an ideal as you are?" - -"It is not too late now for that!" he cried rapturously, as they passed -under the boughs of a drooping tree, then followed a sound so explosive -that I beat a hasty retreat from such a danger-fraught vicinity, and -never came near again until their boat touched shore. Maud came to them -as they landed, and said:-- - -"Where have you been, truants? I have missed you for an hour." - -"In paradise," replied Clifford, with such a look of happy abandon that -Maud started joyfully; then Mora said, with a blush, as she clasped her -arms about the form of delighted Maud:-- - -"Yes, I have coaxed him to stay forever; but I had to propose to the -selfish being before he would promise at all." - -Then Maud, seeing the tears of earnestness that began to start, kissed -her new sister and Clifford very tenderly, saying, between her smiles -and tears:-- - -"Oh, this is happiness indeed!" which sentiment seemed to be fully -shared by the radiant couple whom she addressed. - -Maud was not long in finding an excuse to leave the lovers to -themselves; and when she had disappeared among the throng, they -sauntered on to a secluded seat, under a vine-canopied tree, where the -trailing bitter-sweet swept the closely-cropped grass with its graceful -tendrils, loaded with a burden of orange and pink berries. Here, secure -from intrusion, they could see the crowd of well-dressed people -loitering about in detached groups, but were far enough removed from -them to talk in that confidential strain peculiar to newly-mated young -people, with no fear of interruption. - -"When shall we reveal to your parents the discoveries which I disclosed -to you to-day, Mora?" said Clifford, in a low tone. - -"Let us be in no haste, Clifford," she replied; "for father is away, and -mother would be unnerved and agitated at the revelation. Then we will -have several guests to entertain for the next week, as Mrs. Potter and -Miss Hanford will remain with us after the picnic. So I believe it would -be best to defer it for a week or two." - -"But what shall be done in the meantime with the treasure, Mora dear? -There is a million dollars in gold and gems lying there in that chest. I -tremble to think what the result might be if its existence were -suspected in such an unprotected spot." - -"Well, sir, you must nerve yourself to the task of not only caring for -it, but of me also in the future," she replied, with a furtive caress; -and, judging from his looks, he appeared to be equal to the latter -responsibility at least. - -"I have made arrangements to start to Abilene in the morning to commute -my homestead and secure a title to it before the great sale of public -lands Monday, which, it is said, will be sold at a very low figure," he -replied, returning her caress with compound interest. - -"Clifford, it looks mercenary and not at all sentimental for us to talk -of business at such a time; but still we can love one another no less -for that. The time is very short before that sale. It is a critical -moment. I advise you to buy all the land that you can Monday; it will be -very valuable soon," she said, with that mingling of sentiment and -business peculiar to Western women. - -"I shall invest what little I possess in that way, Mora; it is secure at -least. I have always longed to own more of the land to the north of the -corral; and this is, as you say, a golden opportunity to acquire it." - -Then there was silence for a moment as Clifford sadly thought how little -he really had for investment compared to the hoard that was lying -useless in the chest. His father's gold was there still, but he had no -real claim upon it ("I must deliver it to-night," he mentally -concluded); and an involuntary sigh escaped him at the thought that -strangers yet might control all that rolling, fertile prairie to the -north, which he had vainly dreamed of owning. - -As if divining his thoughts, Mora quickly said, as her hand sought his -own with a gentle clasp:-- - -"Why not use some of that idle treasure for this purpose, Clifford? If -it is mine, as it really seems to be, there will be no harm in investing -part of it in that way. The emergency is great for decision and swift -action, so I really believe you should take a large sum along for that -purpose, not less than fifty thousand dollars of the recovered treasure, -at least." - -"You dear, clear-headed little woman!" he replied radiantly; "that is a -capital plan indeed; so, if you think it best, I will take that sum with -me, and invest it in land for your benefit." - -"No, no; you misunderstand me, Clifford; it is for your benefit that I -made the suggestion. You may take it as a loan, and repay me some time -in the future," she added, demurely. - -He was on the point of making some laughing rejoinder, when he started -at the recollection that it seemed like fate when he recalled the loan -of exactly fifty thousand dollars which Ivarene had tendered his -father, of which Mora was in total ignorance. Then, in a low tone, he -told her of the strange coincidence, where history was repeating itself; -but he had not finished the story when a summons to dinner was heard, -and he accompanied Mora to the Estill carriage, finishing the recital as -they walked slowly thither. - -There were several guests clustered about the carriage, and Clifford -accepted an invitation to remain for dinner, which Mrs. Estill gave him, -and with Mora and young Downels, Miss Hanford and Mrs. Potter, Clifford -was soon busy helping to spread the dinner on the snowy cloth beneath -the shade of a dense-foliaged elm. When the hampers were unpacked and -they were all seated upon the grass about the cloth, it was evident that -the Estills could not be taxed with the sin of inhospitality, for they -had brought enough in their hampers for an extra dozen guests. - -There was boned turkey, hinting of sweet marjoram, garnished with -quivering moulds of cherry-jelly; chicken salad, with sprays of parsley; -tankards of silver and glass, filled with creamy milk; tall glasses of -jelly--pink, amber, and crimson; pyramids of cake, bronzed and frosty, -that conveyed a faint suspicion they were only meant for show; great -baskets of silver, marvels of frostwork on flower and vine, piled high -with purple grapes, peaches of white and crimson, and golden -oranges,--all of which, alas! were the contribution of far-off -California. - -Young Downels sat near Mora, who was as fascinating and gracious as -ever; but Clifford felt a contentment and trust too deep for jealousy, -and was gay and witty to such a degree that Downels began to have a -suspicion of the true situation, which was in no wise allayed when he -saw their eyes meet in a quick flash of love and admiration; so he -speedily transferred his attentions to Miss Hanford, who seemed not at -all averse to receiving them "_ad infinitum_." - -An afternoon of unalloyed bliss followed, and when our hero placed Mora -in the carriage, he had given her a promise to ride down on his return -from Abilene, the following week; then, as the stately barouche rolled -away, he hurried homeward to complete his preparations for to-morrow's -journey. - -At the supper-table, which was spread at a later hour than usual, -Colonel Warlow looked grave and care-worn, while his wife was sad and -thoughtful, remembering that Clifford was to leave them, perhaps -forever, and this was his last night under the home-roof, a delusion -which he was soon to dispel. Maud's face wore a look of cheerfulness -which puzzled her parents, who had not witnessed their son's -manoeuvres during the day; and Rob's eyes fairly danced with -suppressed excitement. - - - - -Chapter XX. - - -"My boy, it is a sad day for us all when you leave the home nest. We -shall miss you more than I can express," said the colonel at length. -"Ah! I had hoped to see you settled near us in our old age in this grand -country. Clifford, I have seen a great many regions on this continent -famous for their beauty and fertility, but this is the only place that I -have ever seen where I would be perfectly content to live and die. You -have yet to learn that 'distant hills' are no greener than those of -home, and you will travel the wide world over and find no other place to -compare with this, my son. I have been thinking to-day, Clifford," -continued his father, as he pushed his plate of untasted food back on -the table and folded his napkin--"that if I had only a tithe of the -fortune that I once lost on this spot, it might be enhanced an -hundred-fold at the great land-sale Monday; for I learn by to-day's -_Times_ that the Mastodon Bank has failed, carrying down in its collapse -all the parties who had the lands condemned for sale, so now they are -unable to bid at the auction, and hundreds of thousands of acres will be -sold at a few cents an acre without competition. Oh, I realize that it -is bitter, indeed, to be poor, my boy, for it is only your ambition that -drives you from us," and, rising, he paced back and forth with bowed -head, while Mrs. Warlow's tears flowed unchecked as she thought of the -long, dreary years that might drag on before her beloved boy returned. - -The Warlow family were never demonstrative. There was always a -matter-of-fact regard for each other; but this moment of sorrow brought -to the surface a depth of family affection of which Clifford had never -dreamed, and, as his father proceeded, he became more deeply affected -than he ever had been before. - -He thought, "The old days of trial and poverty are over forever," and as -the realization of the great change, and his narrow escape from the -misery, of self-exile flashed upon him, he leaned his head upon his -hands, and a great sob shook his frame, while hot tears--yes, tears, -which danger and the despair of a hopeless love had failed to wring--now -fell in a torrent, as the storm of emotion, new and strange, surged in -his breast. - -"Oh, Clifford--Clifford! I thought you were not going," cried Maud, -white with anguish. - -"Cliff, I can't bear to see you leave," sobbed Robbie, while he clung to -Clifford with the desperation born of his grief at the very thought of -parting with his only brother. - -"Clifford, what does this mean?" said Maud, seized by a nameless dread; -but Clifford only answered by pushing back the table, the cover of which -swept the floor and had concealed the object that was now revealed in -the lamp-light. - -"Gold! gold!" cried Maud in amazement, as her eyes caught the glitter -of doubloons heaped upon the floor. - -"Oh God!--my lost fortune!" said the colonel in a hoarse whisper, as he -knelt beside the half-emptied sacks, which he remembered at a glance. - -"My brother--Clifford--you are a grand hero," shrieked Maud, wild with -excitement and relief, and then ensued a contest between herself and -mother who should first strangle our young friend in their embraces. - -"Hero, nothing!" said Rob, who had just blown his nose upon the -table-cloth with a snort like a porpoise, and who was still blubbering -in a suspicious manner; "heroes don't drip at the nose like a hydrant; -but all the same he is a damn good fellow," he added, with a vigorous -slap on his brother's back. - -"I have something else to show you over at my dwelling," said Clifford, -recovering from his emotion, and smiling up at Rob; "and, if you will -drive around there, I will row ahead and light the lamps;" then, without -waiting to explain, he hurried out into the night. Although they were -devoured by curiosity, they soon concealed the gold, and were driven -rapidly up to the corral. - -"I bet my boot-heels that Cliff has got that old spook chained up here, -feeding him like a pauper," said Rob, in a tone of confidence, to -Maud--a remark which elicited no reply, however, for she was puzzling -over the strange discovery which she knew Clifford had made. - -When they arrived at his dwelling he met them at the door, which he -closely locked behind them; then, going to the sunken chest, he threw -back the lid, and a wavering glare of gems and red gold flashed out with -a splendor which dazzled and almost blinded the astonished group. - -"The treasure of Monteluma!" exclaimed the colonel, in a tone of deep -emotion. - -"Oh, those frosty, glimmering pearls!" said Maud, exulting in the -splendor of the jewels that she loved so well, and had always dreamed of -owning. - -"What a pile of lucre!" cried Rob, dancing about in delight. "Lordy! if -I owned all this tin, I'd make the shekels fly for awhile, you bet! -First, I'd swap that slow, flea-bitten broncho for Ed Porter's white -pony, if I had to give even _twenty dollars_ to boot; then next I'd have -me a brand-new hat--a broad brim, too--none of your flimsy old wool -things, but an eight-dollar sombrero, thick as a board, with a leather -band an inch wide; then two cravats--and--" - -"And?" said Clifford with a quizzical smile, as Rob began to show signs -of an embarrassment of riches. - -"Well, that's all, unless it is a pair of high-top boots, like Johnnie -Russell's--with stars and new moons of red and yellow leather on 'em." - -"You are a reckless spendthrift, Rob. Thirty-five dollars gone already!" -said Clifford, laughingly, as his young brother's eyes continued to -gloat over the million of heaped-up riches in the chest. - -"Clifford, my son, how did you find all this treasure? It seems like -enchantment," Mrs. Warlow asked, in an anxious tone. - -"Mother, it is too long a story to relate now; but when I return from -Abilene I'll give all the particulars. It is ten now," he said, glancing -at his watch, "and we must start at six sharp, in the morning, so there -is but little time to spare." - -"Yes," said the colonel, recovering from the stupor of amazement into -which he had fallen, "we will start to the land-office early in the -morning; for I have determined to invest twenty thousand of our -new-found money in land; it seems providential that it should come just -now. I had been grieving so much of late that this golden opportunity -would pass by; but, thank God! it will come out right yet." - -Maud, ever tactful and alert, seeing that Clifford was unwilling to -explain the particulars of the discovery, hurried their departure for -home. When they had all driven away, young Warlow filled one of the -sacks with coin, and placed it in a trunk of clothing that was ready -packed, locked the door behind, and slowly rowed down; but he had -delayed long enough to be certain of finding that they had all retired -when he arrived home. - -In the morning Colonel Warlow was too unwell to appear at the -breakfast-table, and finding that his indisposition was of too serious a -nature to admit of his traveling that day, Clifford received twenty -thousand dollars--nearly thirteen hundred Mexican doubloons--from his -father, with the instruction to invest it in land at his discretion. The -colonel told Clifford at parting to consider half of the money as his -own; so with a light heart the youth started out on his third essay at -"fortune hunting." - -Accompanied by Squire Moreland and Ralph, who had unconsciously helped -to load the Warlow carriage with more than seventy thousand dollars in -gold, secreted in two innocent-looking trunks, Clifford took the winding -trail for Abilene just as the sun appeared above the rim of the eastern -hills. It was a cool, dry July morning, very favorable for producing -that Western phenomenon, the mirage; and as they emerged from the -corn-fields and tall thickets of blue-stem of the valley onto the -rolling uplands, carpeted with buffalo-grass, a scene of mysterious -grandeur burst upon their sight. - -Objects that were miles away appeared close at hand, plain and distinct -in the pure, clear air; and although a lofty ridge twenty miles wide -interposed, all the valley of the Smoky Hill was rolled out like a map -before them. The winding river, fringed by trees and groves; the wide -prairie valley, flecked with white villages; a long train on the Union -Pacific, "fleeing like a dragon through the level fields and leaving a -breath of smoke behind," seemed but a few miles away. - -The Iron Mound, sixty miles distant, loomed off to the north-west, and -far beyond appeared the faint outline of the Soldier's Cap--a towering -headland, that, like a giant's helmet, seemed to guard all the Saline -Valley, but now dwarfed, by the hundred miles which intervened, to a -mere dot upon the horizon. - -The Smoky Hills flamed up in a long line of purple, jagged buttes on the -west, while to the south stretched away the fat prairies of the Russian -Mennonite colony, their quaint, old-world villages of thatch and -white-plastered adobe clustering thickly over the level plain that was -begemmed by lakes of waving water, or what appeared to be such, but -which in reality was only an optical illusion caused by a glare of -rarefied atmosphere. Soon these phantom lakes began to flood the prairie -with a wavering shimmer. Broad rivers became momentarily wider, until -all the landscape was submerged and the villages swam in a sea of water -a moment, sinking down at length like foundered ships, the white -buildings towering up strangely like masts, which, at last, all sank -from sight, leaving only a glare of silver behind. - -Soon nature resumed her wonted aspect, though it seemed strangely unreal -to see the Iron Mound sink slowly as they ascended the ridge, until it -was lost to view, and what had been the Smoky Valley but a moment before -was now the rolling highland which they had to traverse for hours before -reaching their destination. For a space of twenty miles square, not a -solitary house was to be seen. In fact, after leaving the valley the -only sign of life visible was a distant herd along some timber-fringed -stream, by which the picturesque and fertile tract was threaded, or a -long line of antelope, that would cautiously keep to the highest ridges -as they loped away in single file. - -The ridged and travel worn-trail, where in former years the herds of -Texas and New Mexico had been driven along to Abilene, was now disused -and lonely, as the traffic had been transferred to more western points; -so our friends were relieved on reaching their destination after a -monotonous drive of half a day. - -Driving to a bank, Clifford deposited the unsealed bags of gold within -the safe of that institution, while his two companions were looking for -a hotel; then, next, young Warlow wrote a long and carefully worded -dispatch to the American minister at Mexico, inquiring for information -concerning Bruce Walraven and his wife, Herr Von Brunn and his wife -Labella, and also the status of Monteluma, with a request for an -immediate reply, that was no doubt facilitated by the information which -the banker telegraphed, at Clifford's request, for the privilege of -reference. - -Without difficulty Clifford perfected the title to his homestead before -the land officers. Then, in a fever of restlessness, our hero passed the -intervening time until Monday morning, when he received a dispatch from -the minister at the City of Mexico, stating that no trace could be found -of either of the parties inquired for; that the old mansion of Monteluma -had been confiscated during the "French invasion," but the estate was -held by a wealthy foreign nobleman; that the agent of that nobleman was -absent at Durango, so no further particulars could be learned until his -return, etc. - -"This is the last evidence in the proof that Mora is heiress to all the -new-found treasure," mentally exclaimed young Warlow as he hurried into -the land-office and elbowed his way through the dense throng of -spectators to the desk, where the receiver was gloomily saying, "that -the sale would be a failure, unless the agent of Lord Scholeigh arrived, -which was improbable now, owing to the storm near St. Louis, that had -prostrated the wires and stopped travel." - -"Proceed with the sale, if you please; I would like to bid in a tract," -said Clifford quietly. Then, after several tracts in small bodies had -been purchased by the bystanders, he began to bid in section after -section at fifty cents an acre; and when the amount ran up to ten, -twenty, and twenty-three thousand acres, the crowd began to grow -curious, and jostled each other to get a better view of the man who -could bid in so quietly a six-mile square tract without faltering; but -the grave-faced and gray-clad young ranchman, with no ornament about him -save a gold buckle to the collar of his brown flannel shirt, kept -steadily on, without any opposition, perfectly heedless of the scrutiny. - -"He is a son of Colonel Warlow on the Cottonwood, who fell heir to a -cool million from California, the other day," said a man, in a tone just -loud enough to reach Clifford's ears, and the receiver wondered what the -handsome young man found to smile at as he bid in the last section of -sixty-nine thousand acres; but how should he know that Clifford was -amused at the remark, thinking that the small legacy had grown, like the -story of the "five black crows." - -"Young man," said the receiver, in a tone of arrogant suspicion. "I -shall insist on some proof of your ability to pay such a large sum -before I proceed further." - -"Very well, sir," replied Clifford, blowing a wreath of cigar-smoke into -the official's face as he coolly handed him his certificate of deposit, -subject to check of seventy thousand dollars, given Saturday evening -after the banker had counted the gold. Then, young Warlow began to -realize the prestige which wealth gives, as he saw the look of insolence -on the officer's face quickly give place to respectful wonder, as he -proceeded at once with the auction. - -When the figures had reached a hundred thousand acres the crowd gave way -to cheers, which swelled to a perfect tumult when six townships--nearly -one hundred and thirty-nine thousand acres--were knocked down to the -young bidder, who refused to bid any further, and the sale closed. - -Clifford wrote out a check for the sum of sixty-nine thousand one -hundred and twenty dollars, and received the receiver's certificate, -which entitled the purchaser to a deed for the tract. As the officer -closed the sale and the papers changed hands in the bank, a noted -"wheat-king" hurried in and told Clifford that the New York agent of -Lord Scholeigh was coming on a special train, fast as steam could carry -him, and requested our young friend to await the arrival, as the agent -had been detained by storms and wash-outs while _en route_ to the sale; -and the kingly real estate agent further intimated that a fine profit -on the purchase could be realized if Clifford was willing to sell. - -So our hero consented to remain, and when the agent arrived he was -almost stunned by the offer of double the price he had paid; the agent -offering to take the entire tract at one dollar an acre. After some -deliberation Clifford consummated a sale of seventy-five thousand acres, -keeping a township, six miles square, for himself, and forty thousand -acres for his father; and finding that he had seventy-five thousand -dollars left. "Equal," the wheat-king said, "to the Dutchman's profit of -ten per schent." - -Clifford found it was an easy matter to induce the receiver to accept -the agent's certified check on New York in exchange for his own. Then he -arranged to leave the bag of doubloons, sealed, and only left for safety -until he could return them to the chest; but the twenty-five thousand -dollars of profit he deposited with the bank, subject to check. Having -bought a heavy steel safe, with time-lock, and leaving orders for it to -be delivered at once, he returned home on Tuesday morning, proud and -happy over the result of his transaction. - -When he arrived at home, he was met by Rob, who was pale and excited. -When Clifford had hurriedly asked after his father's welfare, Rob -replied that their parent was well, but a strange accident had occurred -out near the secret cavern. He proceeded to tell how the gray-robed -spectre had darted out from among the tall blue-stem, while one of -their workmen was mowing near there. The apparition had so startled the -horses that they became unmanageable, and when the strange figure, in a -reckless manner, had sprung at their heads, they had whirled, throwing -the crazied being under the sickle and mangling him so horribly that he -only lived a moment. His body was carried to the cell, where it was now -lying. This had occurred only a few hours before, and all the family -were up there awaiting Clifford's return. - -Mounting a fresh horse, Clifford galloped rapidly up the winding -pathway, fearing--he hardly dared to think what. "Could it be that he -would soon stand beside the mangled form of Bruce Walraven, Mora's -father?" he was thinking as he dismounted at the well-remembered -plum-thicket, and hitched his horse to a tree. - -A moment later Maud flew out with a low cry of delight, and while -embracing Clifford, she cried tearfully:-- - -"Oh, I am inexpressibly relieved. It is not Bruce, as we feared, but -it's that blood-stained Eagle Beak, Olin Estill's partner in crime and -final victim." - -"Why, Maud! how do you know?" said he, breathless with suspense. - -"They found a silver breastplate, such as were worn by chiefs in the -early days, and on the medal was an engraving of the beak of an eagle; -while on the reverse, now worn dim, was the name, 'Eagle Beak.' This -large plate was hung about his neck by a heavy chain of silver, which -was riveted so it is impossible to remove it without filing it through, -and the links have worn into the flesh--oh, horrible!" she replied, with -a shudder of disgust. - -With reluctant steps Clifford sought the cavern, where his parents and -the Moreland family were grouped about the door; and after a few minutes -of greeting, he went in alone to where the corpse was lying cold and -still; and when he had removed the white sheet from its face, he stood -long and silently regarding the revolting picture of depravity and -ferocious cunning that even yet showed on every feature, frozen in the -rigid calm of death. - -"No, thank God! this is not the face of noble Bruce; but still it is -that of a white man--some wretched desperado, who had fled from the -avenging arm of justice, and had gained sway over a band of savages as -brutal and vicious, but less daring and cunning than himself," thought -young Warlow. "This certainly is a sermon on the retribution which -Providence holds in store for those who perpetrate such crimes of -inhuman atrocity as this wretch is stained with," he said, as Maud came -into the cell. - -They buried the remains upon a lofty hill near by, the top of which was -visible from their homes in the valley; no ceremony was observed, but -the horrible details of burial were delegated to a few workmen from the -hay-field, and by three that afternoon only a small mound of clay -remained to tell of a life that had been but a fever of bloody deeds. - -Once--long years after--as Clifford stood in the twilight with Maud, -they heard the jabbering wail of a wolf on the grave-crowned hill, and -Clifford said:-- - -"If the departed soul does hover about the grave after death, seeking -re-embodiment, then Eagle Beak has surely been born again in the form of -a wolf; for he was the very incarnation, no doubt, of such a beast -during his existence here. I never pass by that thistle-grown and -nettle-hidden grave without a shudder; and often in the dismal night, -when just such a piercing howl resounds from that hill-top, I vaguely -fancy it is the soul of Eagle Beak mourning because of the limited -sphere of deviltry in which his 'wolf-life' constrains his savage -spirit." - -"Oh, Clifford! will you never outgrow such idle fancies?" Maud -exclaimed. - -"No, never so long as I meet foxes, jackals, and hyenas every day, that -are only veiled by a human form--very thinly disguised often--and it is -God's goodness, alone, that finally denies them that mask." - -"Clifford, my brother, what a strange belief for 'Deacon' Warlow, pillar -of the Church, and first in all good deeds of Christian charity and -enterprise in his community, to entertain and express," she replied, -with a look of strange interest dawning in her beautiful but matronly -face. - -"Well, Maud, I find abundant proof in the Bible to substantiate this -faith," he answered, gravely, "while our lives teem with the evidence of -its truth." - -But I have digressed too long already, and will return to my theme. - -As they drove back home from the death-haunted cell, Clifford told his -parents of his search for the treasure; how, after discovering the gems, -he had been convinced that the gold was also secreted near, and his -ultimate success in discovering it buried in the grave that Roger Coble -had noticed when he rescued his father after the massacre. The finding -of Ivarene's Journal, his engagement to Mora, and discovery that she was -the daughter of Bruce and his ill-fated wife, and the successful -speculation in which he had figured with such great profit at Abilene, -were left unrevealed, as Clifford thought his father was not strong -enough to bear the strain of such excitement yet. - -With Maud he was not so reticent, and after supper he told of the -success at the land-office, and the use he had made at Mora's request of -part of the recovered treasure. - -After Maud had expressed her unbounded joy at the substantial results of -that venture, Clifford noticed a shade of anxiety and sadness settle -down on her face, and he hastened to say, while reaching up to gather a -spray of trumpet-flowers that swung its blossoms of black, crimson, and -salmon in heavy festoons over the latticed gateway: "Maud, you dear, -unselfish creature, I know that you and Ralph are about to begin life -together, and, when father offered me half of the twenty thousand -dollars, I just mentally concluded to give you the benefit of it. It -seems to me you ought to keep the pot boiling with twenty thousand -acres of good land." - -While Maud hung about his neck, her tearful face hidden on his shoulder, -her brother continued:-- - -"Poor Ralph will need a great deal of encouragement from you. I have -been in that very kind of a boat myself lately, and know how to -sympathize with him." - -Soon he was galloping down to the Estill ranch; but I will not intrude -upon the privacy of that meeting between himself and Mora, only leaving -it all to the imagination of the reader. Mr. Estill had not returned -yet, so they still deferred making any explanation of the strange -discoveries made since his departure. It was agreed, however, to reveal -all on his return. Plans for the future were discussed as they strolled -out on the terrace; and before he left, young Warlow had won a promise -that their wedding-day would be an early one--some time in September, -Mora said. - -"I have had such a strange dream, twice on successive nights, lately, -Clifford. It seemed as though I was Ivarene, and that I led a dual sort -of an existence, part of the time as myself, and at other times I was -that ill-fated Mexican bride, longing to meet Bruce once more. Some way, -Clifford, I never can reconcile myself to the belief that they are my -parents, and the suspense of this uncertainty is growing unbearable." - -Clifford was very thoughtful for a long while after this; but at length -he begged her to await the return of Mr. Estill before they divulged -the secret. Then, after a lingering parting, he returned home to begin, -on the morrow, preparations for the new life that was before him. - -Before leaving Abilene he had engaged a skillful stone-mason, who was to -begin enlarging his dwelling at once with a large force of workmen at -his command; and I will only briefly tell how soon the cottage grew into -a many-gabled mansion of red sandstone, with bay-windows and long wings, -terraces of stone, with balustrades of white magnesia, and marble vases -filled with blooming plants, that trailed down their sides with blossoms -of rose, creamy white and scarlet. - -A thousand head of cattle were bought, and hurrying workmen were busy -stacking vast ricks of prairie-hay near the large barn that was rising -like magic under the trowels of a score of masons. - -In these details I have anticipated somewhat, but will return to the -thread of my story. - -The suspicions of the colonel and Mrs. Warlow were at once aroused by -seeing a force of workmen beginning to enlarge Clifford's dwelling; and -on perceiving this, Clifford hastened to reveal all the discoveries and -transactions of the past few weeks. The journal deeply afflicted his -father, who at once came to the same conclusion which the younger -members of the family had arrived at on reading that document,--that -Bruce and his wife had been murdered by Olin Estill, who had stolen -their child and had left it at the Estill ranch; that Mora was that -child, and that the family had raised her as their own daughter. When -Clifford told of his success in the land transaction and of wishing that -Maud should have the twenty thousand acres meant for himself, his -parents seemed both pleased and proud of his course, although his father -cautioned him against using any more of the treasure until Mr. Estill -was made aware of the discovery. - -"Did not the Estills tell you that Mora was the daughter of Bruce and -Ivarene when they made their first visit here?" said Clifford, in -surprise. - -"Why, no, indeed!" replied his father; "they told us of the part which -they feared their nephew took in the massacre. They believed he murdered -the originals of the pictures which he left at their house soon after -that tragedy, but he appeared to be insane and they never saw him alive -again. It was months after when his skeleton was found on the prairie, -barely recognizable, which they buried on a hill near the ranch." - -"And that was all?" said Clifford, in a tone of anxiety. "But do you not -think that Mora is Bruce's daughter?" - -"I have no doubt of it; for she is the perfect counterpart of Ivarene in -voice, face, and expression, although her eyes are blue while those of -Ivarene were black. Still the same look is there that I shall never -forget. Why, when I meet her gaze, it always seems that Ivarene is -trying to speak to me once more," said the colonel with deep emotion. - -After this interview, Clifford lost no time in hurrying down to the -Estill ranch to seek an interview with Mora; and after they had met, -with all the demonstrations peculiar to lovers, he noticed a strange -look of trouble on her face, and when he tenderly asked its cause, she -faltered a moment, then bursting into tears, and hiding her face on his -breast, she confessed that the suspense of awaiting her father's return -had become at last unendurable, and she had told her mother all the -particulars of their engagement, the discovery of the treasure, their -subsequent use of a portion of it, and their well-founded belief that -she was the daughter of Bruce and Ivarene Walraven. - -"She confessed, then, that it was true?" said Clifford, in a tone of -suspense. - -"No, stranger still!" said Mora, as she raised a tear-stained face to -his--"no, Clifford, she seemed struck dumb with astonishment, and -reiterated the assertion solemnly that I was her only daughter, born -five years after that tragedy. I am convinced that it is true, Clifford; -nothing can convince me that she is trying to deceive us, for she is too -sincere to keep the truth from us now. Yes, I am an Estill; but she said -that my strange resemblance to the picture in the locket had always -perplexed her, and my father and they were very sensitive on the -subject. She saw you were startled by my lack of resemblance to any one -of the family, when you made your first visit here; but she is glad to -know that you are to be her son at last, Clifford." Had a thunderbolt -fallen at his feet, young Warlow could not have been more startled than -he was at this announcement. Then, after a moment of silence, he said: -"Ah! Mora darling, it does not matter whose daughter you may be, so -your heart is mine; but how strange it is that we should have arrived at -such a wrong conclusion!" Then, as he began to reflect, he found that -her mysterious resemblance to Ivarene was their strongest proof that she -was not an Estill. - -An interview with Mrs. Estill followed, in which she gave a willing -assent to the lovers' union; then she again asserted, with truth and -sincerity stamped upon her face and tone, that Mora was her only -daughter, born of her own flesh and blood, but that there was a mystery -connected with her birth which she had never revealed to any one but her -husband. - -"Mother! mother! what is it?" said Mora in great agitation, while -Clifford sprang up with a look of intense interest depicted upon his -face. - -"It is a strange and unreal thing to relate in this enlightened and -skeptical age, and I should never divulge it but for the events of the -last few days; but Mora's unaccountable resemblance to the face in the -locket, which is that of Ivarene, is not the only mystery that surrounds -her birth. In the autumn of 1849, September 16th--I remember the date -perfectly--one of our herders came in at night very much terrified by a -sight which he had just witnessed. He had seen two mysterious lights -flitting about the base of Antelope Butte, several miles up the valley, -where he had been looking after our cattle that had become scattered -while we were at Fort Riley--driven to take refuge there from the -Cheyenne Indians that were raiding the frontier settlements during -August. Why I remember the date so distinctly is from the fact that we -had only returned that day, finding our cabin in ashes. - -"Fearing it might be some signal of lurking savages, Mr. Estill and -myself ran with the herder to the bluff which overlooks the house on the -north, and saw a sight that was full of mystery; and which, in fact, was -never explained. - -"There were two large blue lights, of such an unnatural color and -appearance as to attract instant attention, flitting about up the -valley. They would seem to skim along in long, undulating swells, like -the flight of swallows, often rising hundreds of feet in the air, but -always darting back to the base of the butte. We were relieved to know -it was not Indians, and thinking it was one of those gaseous or igneous -phenomena peculiar to water-courses, we did not investigate further, but -only regarded their appearance with curiosity. - -"Their visits finally reached our premises, and I was horrified to see -them hovering about the house later in the season; but all our attempts -to approach them were frustrated, for they would recede as we advanced; -then we really began to feel how very unaccountable they were, and -became perplexed with the mystery. This state of affairs continued until -Christmas eve, 1852. As I was standing at a window with Hugh in my arms, -I saw the two lights come flitting down the valley together. When they -reached a point close to the house they halted, and, after hovering -about together for a while, the larger light darted off eastward, and -was never seen again. The lesser one remained flitting about the house, -or to and fro between here and Antelope Butte. Until, one night in May, -1854, the light, after hovering near by, disappeared forever. _That very -night Mora was born._ Seeing a resemblance in her childish face to that -within the locket--a likeness that has increased with her age, until now -she is the very image of poor, dead Ivarene--we named her Morelia -(shortened to Mora by her friends), a name that was engraved and set -with rubies upon the locket. We thought this the name, of course, of the -female face within the locket, but from the Journal of Ivarene it is -apparent that it was the name of her dead mother instead. - -"This precious locket had been flung at my feet by Olin Estill, a -renegade nephew of my husband, whom he had discarded on account of his -vicious tendencies, and who had been leading a mysterious existence, -connected, I now fear, with a band of outlaws that committed the -massacre at the corral. He had been absent from our house several -months, until the day after our return he suddenly appeared at the -tent-door, and, after glaring at me a moment, had flung the locket at my -feet, then, with a blood-chilling shriek, had fled away. We never saw -him alive after that day; but his skeleton, torn asunder by wolves and -barely recognizable, was found months after, and buried upon a hill-top -near here." - -"Did you never search Antelope Butte?" Clifford asked, with grave -thoughtfulness depicted in his face. - -"No; we never did, although we once talked of doing so, but forgot it -soon in the anxiety and care of our life," she answered. - -"I shall do so to-morrow," he said, "for I believe the mystery of their -fate is hidden there. Yes, Bruce and Ivarene must have died some -terrible death there at that bluff, and I shall never rest until the -cloud that wraps their fate is dispelled." - -On his return home he related to his parents the story which Mrs. Estill -had told. When he had finished, his mother was pale with a strange -excitement; and his father exclaimed in a hoarse voice of agitation:-- - -"Clifford, you should make a careful search on Antelope Butte in the -morning. I fear that Bruce and Ivarene perished there." - -"My son, I never have told you that only a few months before you were -born just such a light flashed into my room as the one that flitted -about the Estill ranch," said Mrs. Warlow, pale and trembling with -emotion. "It was on Christmas Eve, 1852, that I was sitting in the -firelit room waiting your father's return, when I saw a pale blue haze -dart past the window, hover a moment, then return; and as I raised the -sash I seemed to be smothered by a flash of thick, luminous fog, and -fell prostrated as by a stroke of lightning. I did not lose -consciousness, however, but called one of the negro women, who helped me -to a lounge, and lit the lamp. I was nervous about the occurrence; but -your father explained the phenomenon as being only a collection of -natural gas, generated in damp localities. The light flitted about for a -few months; but on the night of your birth, Clifford, it disappeared, -and was never seen again. How strange that one of those lights should -disappear from her house that night, and appear at mine, hundreds of -miles away! Then the similar circumstances under which those mysterious -halos vanished--the very night, it appears, of your birth and that of -Mora! She was born in May, 1854, so Mrs. Estill says." - -"We must search Antelope Butte in the morning," said Clifford, trying to -conceal his agitation and to speak calmly; "for I fear that the final -tragedy of Bruce and Ivarene was enacted there. I dread the discovery -that we may make, while, at the same time, I long to unravel the dark -mystery which enwraps their fate." Then he hurriedly left the room and -sought slumber in the quiet of his own bed-chamber; but it was in vain, -for strange fancies kept him awake and thoughtful while the hours slowly -dragged by. - -Since the night when he had seen that weird and unearthly phantom -war-dance around the long grave, Clifford had begun to entertain some -strange fancies, which slowly grew upon him as he reviewed the stories -which Mrs. Estill and his mother had told that evening, until finally he -said, as the gray of morning began to tinge the eastern sky with its -ashy pallor:-- - -"I am almost convinced that Bruce's theory is a true one. Father has -long believed me to be the reincarnation of the spirit of Bruce -Walraven. This, if true, will account for my strange resemblance to a -man who died, in all probability, long before I was born, and will also -account for the mysterious memories which always haunt me, like the -glimpses of a former life. Can it be possible that the soul, at will, -can take on a new body again after death, and profit by its past -mistakes? That would be a resurrection, indeed! Can it be that all the -air about us is peopled by the spiritual outlines of dead and -half-forgotten friends, only waiting their time to be re-born, and we -ourselves may be but bodies that are inhabited by the souls of people -who have lived before? If this theory is as correct as it is comforting, -then death has lost all its terrors; for what could inspire more delight -in the heart of an aged and care-worn person than the knowledge that, -after he had cast off his faded and wrinkled body, by that process which -we call death, he could walk again in all the freshness of youth and -beauty on earth, which, say what we may, is dearer than any other place -can ever be. - -"This theory I shall put to the test to-day," our hero said; "for if the -remains of Bruce and Ivarene are found near Antelope Butte--as I am -convinced that they will be--then my conjectures are confirmed and the -mystery of eternity, which has mocked and puzzled man from his creation, -is revealed. It will prove that those mysterious lights were their -spirits still hovering about their grave, waiting their opportunity to -be re-born. This looks no more improbable than many of the mysteries of -science did a few years ago. But, then, life itself would still remain a -grand mystery, as would sight, sound, and hearing." - -By this time he had arisen, and, after dressing, he seated himself -before the tall mirror. - -"This strange belief has been growing upon me since I heard Mrs. -Estill's and mother's revelations until it has become almost conviction, -and if we find that on Antelope Butte, which I feel we will--then it -will convince me that Mora is--God how strange that sounds!--Ivarene -born again to enjoy the happiness which her untimely fate prevented her -securing in her brief life." - -As he scanned his own reflection in the mirror, by the sunlight, which -now was flooding the eastern hills in its golden mantle, while a look of -growing wonder and strange curiosity came over his face, he exclaimed, -with a start: "Then Bruce Walraven is--myself!" - -After a moment of serious reflection, he continued: "Well, there is -nothing so very improbable or uncanny in the thought, at last; for it is -just as probable that God may have given me a soul that had lived -before, as one that had not. No; human nature has too much wisdom to -ever have gained it by one life." - -If our hero's theory was true, then Bruce could not have asked a better -fate than to live his life again as the handsome youth reflected there, -with his crisp golden hair, eyes of pansy blue, and the flush of young -manhood on his glossy cheeks. - - - - -Chapter XXI. - - -An hour later found the Warlow family at the foot of Antelope Butte, -whither they had all driven to make a search for--what they shrank from -saying. They had been there only a short time when they saw the Estill -carriage coming. When it drew near they discovered that it was Mrs. -Estill and Mora, who, when they were assisted to alight, said they had -seen the Warlow carriage with their field-glass, and suspecting the -meaning of its visit to the butte, they had hurried up to join the -search with their friends. - -As Clifford, Rob, and Ralph were carefully searching the face of the -declivity, Mrs. Warlow told Mrs. Estill of the remarkable fact that she -had also seen that mystic light on the night it had disappeared from -Estill Ranch; then, as Mora drew near, she gave a circumstantial account -of the event, which caused her hearers to exchange looks of perplexed -amazement. - -Mora became thoughtfully silent, and, leaving the others, she wandered -restlessly back and forth at the foot of the bluff, watching the -searchers intently. - -She was startled at length by a cry of astonishment from Clifford, and -with the others she hastened up the steep acclivity to where he stood in -a recess of the cliff. When she reached his side he was leaning heavily -against the rocky wall, white and trembling. - -"Oh, Clifford! speak! what is it?" she cried, breathless with a strange -dread. - -He could only point to the face of the rock with an unsteady finger, -while the sweat-drops rained down from his white face, wrung by an agony -of emotion which he vainly strove to repress. - -Sinking down upon the sloping mound, matted with grass, and kneeling -there at the foot of the cliff she read with a startled gaze the -inscription which was carved in faint, moss-grown letters, upon the -magnesian stone:-- - -"My Ivarene, my lost love, lies dead beside me with our little child, -cold and still, on her breast. I am wounded and dying; but death is -sweet now. We were coming here to watch for the trains when we were -assaulted by the strange hunter, who shot us both. My love only breathed -one breath. I carried her here. The child was pierced by the same shot. -My eyes are growing dim; but I welcome death. Oh, farewell, bright -world! I feel my life ebbing fast away, but would not stay without my -darling. I go to meet her where there will be no more parting. Oh, the -joy and bliss to see her smile again! It makes me long for death. We -shall live again! Bru--" - -With a wild cry of agonized grief, Mora covered her face, while the -others read, with streaming eyes, that last message from the tomb. Then, -as they drew back and waited with broken sobs and smothered weeping, -Ralph and Robbie began tenderly to remove the _debris_ and soil which -time had formed into a mound below the inscription. - -When, at last, there was revealed two skeletons, locked together in the -last clasp of love, which even death could not sever, Maud cried aloud -with a wail of anguish:-- - -"Oh, _can this be the last_ of beautiful Ivarene and dear, brave Bruce?" - -Choking back their sobs, they all knelt in a circle, while Mrs. Warlow's -voice rose in a passionate, fervid prayer; then tenderly, with loving -care, they carried the remains down to the Warlow carriage, leaving Mora -and Clifford still lingering by the vacant mound. - -They stood in silence a moment, the only sound the soft rustle of -wild-ivy that half draped the cliff in its mottled foliage of crimson, -green, and bronze; the radiant sunlight from the cloudless sky lit up -the sunflowers and gentian that grew in stunted clusters on the -hillside, while the sumac flaunted its plumes of scarlet, gold, and -purple along the rifts of the white, rocky wall. - -Lifting their gaze from the open grave, their eyes met in a swift flash -of joy, while a half-puzzled look of delight and recognition struggled -over their faces; then, bounding lightly over the open grave, Clifford -whispered in a tone of unspeakable love and yearning:-- - -"Oh, Ivarene, my sweetheart of long ago, we meet at last!" - -"Then it is as I have dreamed--and you are Bruce!" she answered, with a -sob of joy, while springing into his outstretched arms. - -"Yes, love, I am convinced that we meet again after all these years of -waiting. Though to the world we may be only Mora and Clifford, yet, -darling, to each other we will ever be Ivarene and Bruce," he replied, -while raining kisses upon her upturned, radiant face. - -Ah! how can I tell of the serene wedding morn that marked that happy day -when Clifford and Mora paced back and forth on the sunlighted terrace at -the Stone Corral, now no longer a modest cottage, but a stately though -quaint mansion of red sandstone. The tender, blue haze of Indian summer -brooded over the valley, where the fields of wheat shone dewy and green, -and the newly-mown meadows stretched away like a verdant carpet far out -onto the highlands, miles upon miles--all their own. The marble fountain -threw a glittering sheen of silver high in the air, while the breeze -swept the blossom-laden tendrils that trailed down the showy vases, and -swayed the limbs of the old elm to and fro about the gables of the -elegant home. - -"Oh, Ivarene, dear love! how strange it is to take up the thread of our -happiness on the spot, almost where our lives went out in such black -despair just twenty-six years ago! I know why you wish to have our -bridal here, darling; for it was here, at the Old Corral, that our -former trials overwhelmed us, and it is doubly sweet to begin happiness -again on this spot." - -"Bruce, my darling, I can remember nothing of the old life and its -trials, that ended at our grave on Antelope Butte; but my love for -you--ah! that can never perish. It has survived even the horrors of that -lonesome tomb. It is strange we only recognized each other at that empty -grave; but I had always felt such a longing to meet some one, that now I -know it was the spirit within me crying dumbly for you; and oh! the -unutterable content when at length I met you, and the joy of only being -with you now,--it is more than Eden!" - -"Sweet Ivarene, do you ever ponder on what eternity means for us, now we -have its secret?--a limitless succession of life in all its phases; that -the grave is only the door to life again, when we can choose another -birth--passing through all the freshening scenes of infancy and youth; -growing up again as boy and girl; seeking each other out for another -union like this, where we shall always recognize each other, but forget -the old life,--it is _this_ which gives hope and zest to this happy day; -for we know that we shall really never be separated." - -"We will pass a happy life together, my love; and from out our abundance -we can sweeten the lives of many others who have not been blessed with -great riches," he continued, in a tender tone. - -"Yes, dear Bruce, and the treasure of Monteluma should be dedicated to -charity alone, for we have enough without it," she replied; then, -pointing to a newly-sodded grave at the foot of the lawn--a mound that -was marked by a marble slab on which only was engraved, - - "BRUCE AND IVARENE," - -she continued, with a smile of ineffable peace on her beaming face: -"That is for the eyes of the world, dear Bruce; but we know that we are -they, only masquerading under the names of Mora and Clifford." - -At that moment Maud, Ralph, Hugh, and Grace came on to the terrace -above, and Hugh, in a voice husky with emotion, said:-- - -"Come, Mora and Clifford, the minister waits." - -Tarrying a moment, while the others moved on along the terrace, the -happy pair stood gazing out over the tranquil valley, then, drawing -aside her veil, which trailed liked a mist down over her robe of -glistening satin, white as a snow-drift, she raised a radiant face to -his, and said:-- - -"My Bruce, we live again--we live again!" - -Stooping, while their lips met, he murmured:-- - -"Yes, Ivarene, dear bride, and this--oh! this is heaven!" - -A moment more, and they had disappeared within the flower-wreathed -doorway. - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A FORTUNE HUNTER; OR, THE OLD STONE -CORRAL*** - - -******* This file should be named 40546.txt or 40546.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/0/5/4/40546 - - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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