THE TREASURE OF MONTEZUMA.
The shadows of evening had fallen and a cool breeze was blowing
in off the Gulf of Mexico when a group of persons, among whom
were the Broncho Rider Boys, gathered around the bedside of the
sick man.
It was as the physician had predicted, and when Santiago had
awakened after his long sleep, he had regained his senses,
although he was very weak. But as the day declined and the heat
lessened 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 Don
Esteban. At the other stood Mr. Black, Josie and the physician,
while at the foot of the bed was Strong, with Ambrosio in his
arms, and a couple of soldiers who had the mountebank in
custody.
"As my daughter knows," began Santiago in a feeble voice, "I am a
direct descendant of the great Montezuma. My ancestor was the
guardian of the treasure which had been accumulated by the Aztec
kings for years. After the overthrow of my race by the Spanish
conquerors, there was given to my first great ancestor the
keeping of the secret of the source of the gold which had made
the 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 from
the Spanish yoke. This secret I, as the last of my race,
possess."
The aged man paused, his strength being hardly able to the task
he 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 an
opportunity for the people to assert their rights. In our good
Señor Madero I saw the one who should lead the common people out
of their bondage. I went to him and offered him all the wealth at
my command. He accepted the trust and we began our work. It was
at that time that I placed the money with Don Esteban. Also the
box, containing the secret of the mine, of which only I and
Madero knew.
"You all know what has happened since that time. Madero won, but
he was betrayed. His betrayer now seeks to rule the republic, but
he can never do it. He must be overthrown."
The aged man became greatly excited and the physician cautioned
him to be careful. In a few minutes he became more peaceful and
continued:
"I have always been a great friend of the Americans. I admired
their integrity and their government. I spent many years of my
youth in the United States. I have known many of their great men.
I was sure they would be pleased with Madero, and they were. But
after he was betrayed, then I began to fear them, as I was told
that 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 finger
at the mountebank, Strong. "That man, Francisco Rodriguez, who
claims to be an American, but who is a traitor to his country. He
fed me with lies, as I now know, and he wormed out of me the
secret of Montezuma's Mine."
Again the aged man's excitement nearly overcame him, but again he
rallied 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 ten
thousand pounds which the young señor took away from my servant,
Pablo Ojeda--who is not an Ojeda, but whom I have allowed to use
that name. I desire that the money become the property of the
young señor," and he feebly extended his hand toward Billie, "who
has always been such a good friend to me and mine. The secret of
the 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 the
box, I will turn it over to my daughter Lucia, who is my only
descendant."
Don Esteban made no move to comply with the request, but looked
at the boys in such a perplexed manner that the sick man was
quick to take notice.
"What is it?" he asked, rising on his elbow and looking at Don
Esteban with burning gaze. "What is it? Has anything happened to
the box?"
"Yes," faltered the banker, "it has been stolen."
"Stolen!" almost shrieked Santiago. "Stolen! Then there stands
the thief!" and he pointed to Strong, who stood with blanched
face.
"We know that," said Billie, "but the box has been stolen again
and no one knows where it has gone."
"You are wrong," muttered Strong. "It has not been stolen. It is
in the bank where it always was."
"Impossible!" cried Don Esteban. "How could it be back in the
vault?"
"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 once
that I may turn over to my daughter the secret of the mine."
"That you will never be able to do," said Strong. "It has been
destroyed."
"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 who
destroyed it."
"By George!" exclaimed Billie, "I knew I ought to have killed
that monk the first time I had any dealings with him. I'm sorry
now 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, and
over 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 the
sick 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 the
Broncho Rider Boys casting their last glance shoreward as the sun
was setting behind the mountains that form the background of the
city of Vera Cruz. Over the city still waved the Stars and
Stripes, and as the darkness fell and the tip of Mt. Orizaba
gradually faded from sight, Billie turned to the others and in a
voice 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 for
Brigadier-General Funston."
"Yes, and if he is let alone, he'll make them respect the
American flag," echoed Donald.
"Long may it wave!" was Adrian's sententious comment.
But it did not wave long over Vera Cruz, for the following
November, Huerta having been obliged to leave the country in the
meantime and Gen. Carranza having established himself for the
time being in the City of Mexico, the American forces were
withdrawn 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, which
promises to be a continuation of the one established by Madero.
Thus it will be seen that Santiago's work for his country was
productive of good, as are all efforts to bring liberty to the
people and to free them from the rule of a few.
Before sailing for home, the boys had the satisfaction of knowing
that the man known as Strong had been properly punished, and
that, in accordance with Santiago's dying wish, the ten thousand
pounds which he had practically given to Billie months before on
the Rio Grande, were placed to the lad's credit in the banking
house of Don Esteban.
The fate of Ambrosio, the ape which caused so much trouble, was
left in the hands of the keeper of the prison to which Strong was
sentenced. It is to be hoped that his behavior will improve.
THE END.
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TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES
Page 48: Removed extra quotation mark.
Page 60: Changed "moso" to "mozo."
Page 62: Changed typo "gaurd" to "guard."
Page 87: Changed typo "variey" to "variety."
Pages 123, 132: Left words "blue-jackets" and "bluejackets" as
printed.
Page 140: Added closing quotation mark.
Page 197: Added missing period.
Pages 206, 214, 224: Left words "kipnaped" and "kipnapped" as
printed.