by Frank Fowler
CHAPTER XXXI.
THE TREASURE OF MONTEZUMA.
The shadows of evening had fallen and a cool breeze was blowingin off the Gulf of Mexico when a group of persons, among whomwere the Broncho Rider Boys, gathered around the bedside of thesick man.
It was as the physician had predicted, and when Santiago hadawakened after his long sleep, he had regained his senses,although he was very weak. But as the day declined and the heatlessened he had become stronger, and now at his own request,Lucia and her friends drew around to listen to his tale.
At one side of the bed stood Lucia, the three boys and DonEsteban. At the other stood Mr. Black, Josie and the physician,while at the foot of the bed was Strong, with Ambrosio in hisarms, and a couple of soldiers who had the mountebank incustody.
"As my daughter knows," began Santiago in a feeble voice, "I am adirect descendant of the great Montezuma. My ancestor was theguardian of the treasure which had been accumulated by the Azteckings for years. After the overthrow of my race by the Spanishconquerors, there was given to my first great ancestor thekeeping of the secret of the source of the gold which had madethe city of Anahuac such a rich prize.
"This secret has been handed down through all these generations,the one object being to use this knowledge in freeing Mexico fromthe Spanish yoke. This secret I, as the last of my race,possess."
The aged man paused, his strength being hardly able to the taskhe had set himself.
"It is much as I suspected," whispered Don Esteban to Donald,while Lucia bent over and smoothed the brow of the sick man.
"A few years ago," Santiago finally continued, "I began to see anopportunity for the people to assert their rights. In our goodSenor Madero I saw the one who should lead the common people outof their bondage. I went to him and offered him all the wealth atmy command. He accepted the trust and we began our work. It wasat that time that I placed the money with Don Esteban. Also thebox, containing the secret of the mine, of which only I andMadero knew.
"You all know what has happened since that time. Madero won, buthe was betrayed. His betrayer now seeks to rule the republic, buthe can never do it. He must be overthrown."
The aged man became greatly excited and the physician cautionedhim to be careful. In a few minutes he became more peaceful andcontinued:
"I have always been a great friend of the Americans. I admiredtheir integrity and their government. I spent many years of myyouth in the United States. I have known many of their great men.I was sure they would be pleased with Madero, and they were. Butafter he was betrayed, then I began to fear them, as I was toldthat the usurper, Huerta, had been helped by them."
"Who told you that?" asked Billie, almost without thinking.
"That man there," and Santiago pointed with his long bony fingerat the mountebank, Strong. "That man, Francisco Rodriguez, whoclaims to be an American, but who is a traitor to his country. Hefed me with lies, as I now know, and he wormed out of me thesecret of Montezuma's Mine."
Again the aged man's excitement nearly overcame him, but again herallied with an almost superhuman effort.
"It was because of his lies that I made him my trusted agent;but he betrayed me as he has others. It was to him I gave the tenthousand pounds which the young senor took away from my servant,Pablo Ojeda--who is not an Ojeda, but whom I have allowed to usethat name. I desire that the money become the property of theyoung senor," and he feebly extended his hand toward Billie, "whohas always been such a good friend to me and mine. The secret ofthe mine is to be found in the box which I left with Don Esteban.I am getting to be an old man, and if you will now bring in thebox, I will turn it over to my daughter Lucia, who is my onlydescendant."
Don Esteban made no move to comply with the request, but lookedat the boys in such a perplexed manner that the sick man wasquick to take notice.
"What is it?" he asked, rising on his elbow and looking at DonEsteban with burning gaze. "What is it? Has anything happened tothe box?"
"Yes," faltered the banker, "it has been stolen."
"Stolen!" almost shrieked Santiago. "Stolen! Then there standsthe thief!" and he pointed to Strong, who stood with blanchedface.
"We know that," said Billie, "but the box has been stolen againand no one knows where it has gone."
"You are wrong," muttered Strong. "It has not been stolen. It isin the bank where it always was."
"Impossible!" cried Don Esteban. "How could it be back in thevault?"
"Ask Ambrosio," replied Strong, with a wan smile. "He can tell."
"Of course he cannot tell," almost shouted Don Esteban.
"Then we shall never know; but I am sure the box is there."
"Send for it! Send for it!" cried Santiago. "Send for it at oncethat I may turn over to my daughter the secret of the mine."
"That you will never be able to do," said Strong. "It has beendestroyed."
"Destroyed!" burst from almost every lip. "Destroyed? How?"
Strong shook his head.
"I can't tell. Again you'll have to ask Ambrosio. It is he whodestroyed it."
"By George!" exclaimed Billie, "I knew I ought to have killedthat monk the first time I had any dealings with him. I'm sorrynow that I didn't."
"At any rate," declared Don Esteban, "I shall send for the box."
He turned to Santiago, who had fallen back upon his pillow, andover whom the physician was bending and feeling his pulse.
"I shall send for it at once," he repeated.
Slowly the physician raised his head and loosed his hold upon thesick man's wrist.
"It is too late," he said. "He will not need it. He is dead."
* * * * *
On board a returning army transport bound for New York stood theBroncho Rider Boys casting their last glance shoreward as the sunwas setting behind the mountains that form the background of thecity of Vera Cruz. Over the city still waved the Stars andStripes, and as the darkness fell and the tip of Mt. Orizabagradually faded from sight, Billie turned to the others and in avoice tinged with sadness remarked:
"There's only one thing about the whole country that I admire."
"What's, that?" asked Adrian. "Lucia?"
"No; it's the wholesome respect the Mexicans show forBrigadier-General Funston."
"Yes, and if he is let alone, he'll make them respect theAmerican flag," echoed Donald.
"Long may it wave!" was Adrian's sententious comment.
But it did not wave long over Vera Cruz, for the followingNovember, Huerta having been obliged to leave the country in themeantime and Gen. Carranza having established himself for thetime being in the City of Mexico, the American forces werewithdrawn and the Carranza forces took possession of Vera Cruz.Some months later Carranza was recognized by the United States,and at this writing is establishing his government, whichpromises to be a continuation of the one established by Madero.
Thus it will be seen that Santiago's work for his country wasproductive of good, as are all efforts to bring liberty to thepeople and to free them from the rule of a few.
Before sailing for home, the boys had the satisfaction of knowingthat the man known as Strong had been properly punished, andthat, in accordance with Santiago's dying wish, the ten thousandpounds which he had practically given to Billie months before onthe Rio Grande, were placed to the lad's credit in the bankinghouse of Don Esteban.
The fate of Ambrosio, the ape which caused so much trouble, wasleft in the hands of the keeper of the prison to which Strong wassentenced. It is to be hoped that his behavior will improve.
THE END.
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TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES
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