a summer in a canyon-第35章

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anxious　to　keep　their　Indians　from　running　away；　lest　they　should
show　the　wilder　tribes　the　way　to　get　in　and　commit　depredations。
These　peaceable　Indians　paid　tribute　to　intermediary　tribes　to　hold
the　passes　and　do　their　fighting。　　Those　about　the　Mission　gave　corn
and　cereals　and　hides　and　the　products　of　the　sea；　and　got　in
exchange　pinones　（pine　nuts）。　　One　of　these　Indians；　named　Valerio；
was　a　strong；　brave；　handsome　youth；　whose　haughty　spirit　revolted　at
his　servitude；　and；　after　seeking　an　opportunity　for　many　weeks　he
finally　escaped　to　the　Santa　Ynez　mountains；　where　he　found　a　cave　in
which　he　hid　himself；　drawing　himself　up　by　a　rope　and　taking　it　in
after　him。　　The　Indians　had　unlimited　belief　in　Valerio's　mysterious
and　wonderful　powers。　　Pancho　says　that　he　could　make　himself
invisible　at　will；　that　locks　and　keys　were　powerless　against　him；
and　that　no　one　could　hinder　his　taking　money；　horses；　or　food。　　All
sorts　of　things　disappeared　mysteriously　by　day　and　by　night；　and　the
robberies　were　one　and　all　laid　to　the　door　of　Valerio。　　But　after　a
while　Valerio　grew　lonely　in　his　mountain　retreat。　　He　longed　for
human　companionship；　and　at　length；　becoming　desperate；　he　descended
on　the　Mission　settlement　and　kidnapped　a　young　Indian　boy　named
Chito；　took　him　to　his　cave；　and　admitted　him　into　his　wild　and
lawless　life。　　But　Chito　was　not　contented。　　He　liked　home　and
comfortable　slavery　better　than　the　new；　strange　life；　so　he　seized
the　first　opportunity；　and　being　a　bright；　daring　little　lad；　and
fleet　of　foot；　he　escaped　and　made　his　way　to　the　Mission。　　Arriving
there　he　told　wonderful　stories　of　Valerio　and　his　life；　how　his
marvellous　white　mare　seemed　to　fly；　rather　than　gallop；　and　leaped
from　rock　to　rock　like　a　chamois；　and　how　they　lived　upon　wheat…
bread；　cheeses；　wine；　and　other　delicacies　instead　of　the　coarse　fare
of　the　Indians。　　He　told　them　the　location　of　the　cave　and　described
the　way　thither；　so　the　Alcalde　（he　was　the　mayor　or　judge；　you　know；
Elsie）；　got　out　the　troops　with　their　muskets；　and　the　padres
gathered　the　Mission　Indians　with　their　bows　and　arrows；　and　they　all
started　in　pursuit　of　the　outlaw。　　Among　the　troops　were　two
hechiceros　（wizards　or　medicine…men）；　whose　bowed　shoulders　and
grizzled　beards　showed　them　to　be　men　of　many　years　and　much　wisdom。
When　asked　to　give　their　advice；　they　declared　that　Valerio　could　not
be　killed　by　any　ordinary　weapons；　but　that　special　means　must　be
used　to　be　of　any　avail　against　his　supernatural　powers。
Accordingly；　one　of　the　hechiceros　broke　off　the　head　of　his　arrow；
cast　a　charm　over　it；　and　predicted　that　this　would　deal　the　fatal
blow。　　The　party　started　out　with　Chito　as　a　guide；　and；　after　many
miles　of　wearisome　travel　up　rugged　mountain　sides　and　over　steep　and
almost　impassable　mountain　trails；　they　paused　at　the　base　of　a
cliff；　and　saw；　far　up　the　height；　the　mouth　of　Valerio's　cave；　and；
what　was　more；　Valerio　himself　sitting　in　the　doorway　fast　asleep。
Alas！　he　had　been　drinking　too　heavily　of　his　stolen　wine；　or　he
would　never　have　so　exposed　himself　to　the　enemy。　　They　fired　a
volley　at　him。　　One　shot　only　took　effect；　and　even　this　would　not
have　been　possible　save　that　the　spell　was　not　upon　him　because　of
his　sleep；　but　the　one　shot　woke　him　and；　half　rising；　he　staggered
and　fell　from　the　mouth　of　the　cave　to　a　ledge　of　rocks　beneath。　　He
sprang　to　his　feet　in　a　second　and　ran　like　a　deer　towards　a　tree
where　his　white　mare　was　fastened。　　They　fired　another　volley；　but；
though　the　shots　flew　in　every　direction；　Valerio　passed　on　unharmed；
but　just　as　he　was　disappearing　from　view　the　hechicero　raised　his
bow　and　the　headless　arrow　whizzed　through　space　and　pierced　him
through　the　heart。　　They　clambered　up　the　cliffs　with　shouts　of
triumph　and　surrounded　him　on　every　side；　but　poor　Valerio　had
surrendered　to　a　more　powerful　enemy　than　they！　　Wonderful　to　relate；
he　still　breathed；　though　the　wound　should　have　been　instantly　fatal。
They　lifted　him　from　the　ground　and　tied　him　on　his　snow…white　mare；
his　long　hair　reaching　almost　to　the　ground；　his　handsome　face　as
pale　as　death；　the　blood　trickling　from　his　wound；　but　the　mysterious
power　that　he　possessed　seemed　to　keep　him　alive　in　spite　of　his
suffering。　　Finally　one　of　the　hechiceros　decided　that　the　spell　lay
in　the　buckskin　cord　that　he　wore　about　his　throata　rough　sort　of
necklace　hung　with　bears'　claws　and　snake　rattlesand　that　he　never
would　die　until　the　magic　cord　was　cut。　　This；　after　some
consultation；　was　done。　　Valerio　drew　his　last　breath　as　it　parted
asunder；　and　they　bore　his　dead　body　home　in　triumph　to　the　Mission。

'But　he　is　not　forgotten。　　Stories　are　still　told　of　his　wonderful
deeds；　and　people　still　go　in　search　of　money　that　he　is　supposed　to
have　hidden　in　his　cave。　　The　Mexican　women　who　tell　suertes；　or
fortunes；　describe　the　location　of　the　money；　but；　as　soon　as　any　one
reaches　the　cave；　he　is　warned　away　by　a　little　old　man　who　stands　in
the　door　and　protects　the　buried　treasure。　　An　Indian　lad；　who　was
riding　over　the　hills　one　day　with　his　horse　and　his　dogs；　dismounted
to　search　for　his　moccasin；　when　he　suddenly　noticed　that　the　dogs
had　chased　something　into　a　cave　in　the　rocks。　　He　followed；　and；
peering　into　the　darkness；　saw　two　gleaming　eyes。　　He　thrust　his
knife　between　them；　but　struck　the　air；　and；　though　he　had　been
standing　directly　in　front　of　the　opening；　so　that　nothing　could　have
passed　him；　yet　he　heard　the　clatter　of　hoofs　and　the　tinkle　of
spurs；　and；　turning；　saw　a　mysterious　horseman；　whose　pale　face　and
streaming　hair　melted　into　the　mountain　mist；　as　it　floated　down　from
the　purple　Santa　Ynez　peaks　into　the　lap　of　the　vine…covered　foot…
hills　below。'



CHAPTER　X：　　MORE　CAMP…FIRE　STORIES



'And　still　they　watched　the　flickering　of　the　blaze；
And　talked　together　of　the　good　old　days。'


'Brava！'　　'Bravissima！'　　'Splendid；　Polly！'　exclaimed　the　boys。
'Bell；　you're　a　great　author！'

'Couldn't　have　done　better　myselfgive　you　my　word！'　cried　Jack；
bowing　profoundly　to　Bell　and　Polly　in　turn；　and　presenting　them　with
bouquets　of　faded　leaves　hastily　gathered　from　the　ground。

'Polly　covered　herself　with　glory；'　said　the　doctor；　'and　I　am　very
proud　of　your　part　in　it；　too；　my　little　daughter。　　I　have　some
knowledge　of　Pancho's　capabilities　as　a　narrator；　and　I　think　the
〃Story　of　Valerio〃　owes　a　good　deal　to　you。　　Now；　who　comes　next？
Margery？'

'No；　please；'　said　Margery；　'for　I　have　another　story。　　Take　one　of
the　boys；　and　let's　have　more　facts。'

'Yes；　something　historic　and　profound；　out　of　the　encyclopaedia；　from
Jack；'　said　Polly；　saucily。

'Thanks；　Miss　Oliver。　　With　you　for　an　audience　any　man　might　be
inspired；　but'

'But　not　a　BOY？'

'Mother；　dear；　remove　that　child　from　my　sight；　or　I　shall　certainly
shake　her！　　Phil；　go　on；　just　to　keep　Polly　quiet。'

'Very　well。　　Being　the　oldest　Californian　present；　I'

'What　about　Dr。　Paul？'　asked　the　irrepressible　Polly。

'He　wasn't　born　here；'　responded　Philip；　dryly；　'and　I　was。'

'I　think　that's　a　quibble；'　interrupted　Bell。　　'Papa　was　here　twenty
years　before　you　were。'

'It's　not　my　fault　that　he　came　first；'　answered　Philip。　　'Margery
and　I　are　not　only　the　oldest　Californians　present；　but　the　only
ones。　　Isn't　that　so；　sir？'

'Quite　correct。'

'Oh；　if　you　mean　that　way；　I　suppose　you　are；　but　still　papa　helped
frame　the　Constitution；　and　was　here　on　the　first　Admission　Day；　and
was　one　of　the　Vigilantesand　I　think　that　makes　him　more　of　a　real
Californian　than　you。　　You've　just　〃grown　up　with　the　country。〃'

'Bless　my　soul！　　What　else　could　I　do？　　I　would　have　been　glad　to
frame　the　Constitution；　admit　the　State；　and　serve　on　the　Vigilance
Committee；　if　they　had　only　waited　for　me；　but　they　went　straight
ahead　with　the　business；　and　when　I　was　born　there　was　nothing　to　do
but　stand　round　and　criticise　what　they　had　done；　or；　as　you　express
it；　〃grow　up　with　the　country。〃　　Well；　as　I　was　saying　when　I　was
interrupted'

'Beg　pardon。'

'Don't　mention　it。　　Uncle　Doc　has　asked　me　to　tell　Mrs。　Howard　and
Elsie　how　they　ca