Part 24 (2/2)

”Dear daughter:--

”I am under the necessity of putting on your young shoulders more responsibility than I think you should bear. But I find that of a sudden I am confined to an output of one letter a month, and that one to you.

As I write in English, and these about me read (if they are able to read at all) nothing but Spanish, I have some chance of getting information and instructions to my partners in Ohio, by this means, and by this means only.

”First of all, I will a.s.sure you, dear child, that my health is quite, quite good. There is nothing the matter with me save that I am a 'guest of the State,' as they pompously call it, and I cannot safely work the mining property. I am not going to dig ore for the benefit of either the Federal forces or the Const.i.tutionalists.

”I shall stay to watch the property, however, and meanwhile the Zapatist chief in power here watches me. He takes pleasure in nagging and interfering with me in every possible way; so issues this last decree limiting the number of letters to one a month.

”He would do more, but he dare not. I happen to be on friendly terms with a chief who is this fellow's superior. If the chief in charge here should harm me and my friend should feel so inclined, he might ride up here, and stand my enemy up against an adobe wall. The fellow knows it--and is aware of my friend's rather uncertain temper. That temper, my dear Janice, known to all who have ever heard of Juan Dicampa, and his abundant health, is the wall between me and a possibly sudden and very unpleasant end.”

There was a great deal more to the letter, but at first Janice could not go on with it for surprise. The clerkly writer with the abundance of flowery phrases, Juan Dicampa was, then, a Mexican chieftain--perhaps a half-breed Yaqui murderer! The thought rather startled Janice. Yet she was thankful to remember how warmly the man had written of her father.

Much of what followed in her father's letter she had to transmit to the bank officials and others of his business a.s.sociates in her old home town. But the important thing, it seemed all the time to Janice, was Juan Dicampa.

She thought about him a great deal during the next few days. Mostly she thought about his health, and the chances of his being shot in some battle down there in Mexico.

She began to read even more than heretofore of the Mexican situation in the daily papers. She began to look for mention of Dicampa, and tried to learn what manner of leader he was among his people.

If Juan Dicampa should be removed what, then, would happen to Broxton Day?

CHAPTER XVI

ONE MATTER COMES TO A HEAD

That was a black week for Janice as well as for the young schoolmaster.

She could barely keep her mind upon her studies at the seminary.

Nelson Haley's salvation was the attention he was forced to give to his cla.s.ses in the Polktown school.

One or another of the four committeemen who had const.i.tuted themselves his enemies, were hovering about Nelson all the time. He felt himself to be continually watched and suspected.

Mr. Middler, who had been away on an exchange over Sunday, returned to find his parish split all but in two by the accusation against Nelson Haley. Mr. Middler was the fifth member of the School Committee, and both sides in the controversy clamored for him to take a hand in the case.

”Gentlemen,” he said to his four brother committeemen in Ma.s.sey's back room, ”I have not a doubt in my mind that you are all honestly convinced that Mr. Haley has stolen the coins. Otherwise you would not have made a matter public that was quite sure to ruin the young man's reputation.”

The four committeemen writhed under this thrust, and the minister went on:

”On the other hand, I have no doubt in my mind that Mr. Haley is just as innocent as I am of the robbery.”

”Ye say that 'cause you air a clergyman,” said Cross Moore bluntly.

”It's your business to be allus seeing the good side of folks, whether they've got a good side, or not.”

The minister flushed. ”I thank G.o.d I can see the good side of my fellow men,” he said quickly. ”I can even see your good side, Mr.

Moore, when you are willing to uncover it. You do not show it now, when you persecute this young man----”

”'Persecute'? We oughter prosecute,” flashed forth Cross Moore. ”The fellow's as guilty as can be. n.o.body else could have done it.”

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