Frank Merriwell in Mexico: The Search for the Silver Palace — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO. re o ’ were astir with life. In the patios beauti- the old man. ful gardens were blooming, and through | could be seen. | | his face. Many of the senoritas ‘Had come forth, | ; For some moments the man seemed tod. agitated to proceed, but he finally went. ns { and were strolling in groups of threes or) fours, dressed in pink and white lawn, on. with Spanish vails and fans. The most of| ‘‘My son—my boy fell into the hands. them wore white stockings and red- heeled | of this wretched bandit. Pacheco took. ‘slippers. ‘hin captive. Then he sent word to me. Many a witching glance was shyly cast. ‘that he would murder my son if I did not” at Frank, but. his mind was so occupied | appear and pay two thousand dollars ran. | that he heeded none of them. - . |gsom money. Two thousand dollars! I did The hotel was reached, and they were|not have it in the world. But I had a dismounting when a battered and tattered little home. I sold it—I sold ever: thing old man, about whose shoulders were east|t0 raise the money to save my boy. I ob=. a ragged blanket, and whose face was tained it. And then—then, my friends, Lr hidden bya scraggly white beard, ) came Tecelved another letter, Then Pach 1eCO. up with a faltering step. oeuienass three thousand dollars.”’ ‘‘Pardon me,’’? he said, in a thin,; ‘‘Der brice vos on der jump, 7 aut, _eracked voice, ‘‘I see you are Americans, ;mured Hans: | natives of the States, Yankees, and, asI} ‘‘But that i is not the worst!” exied the happen to be from Michigan, I hasten to;old “man, waving his arms excitedly. speak to you. I know you will have pity ‘Oh, the monster—the demon!”’ , on an unfortunate countryman. My story! He wrung his hands and groaned as sif is short. Myson came to this wretched! with great anguish. land to try to make a fortune. He went; ‘‘Be calm, be calm,’’ urged Professor into the mines, and was doing well. He} Scotch. OMy dear sir, you are working. sent me home money; and I puta little| yourself into a dreadful state.’ aside, so that'I had a snug little sum} ‘‘Almost as pad as der Sdate uf New after atime. Then he fell into the hands Jersey,’’ muttered the irrepressible Dutch: of Pacheco, the bandit. You have leard| boy, catching his breath convulsively.<- of Pacheco, gentlemen ?”’ | ‘How can I be calm!’ groaned. the. “(We have,’’ said Frank, who was en- |stranger. ‘‘It is not possible to be calm : deavoring to get a fair look into the old, and think of such a terrible thing!” man’s eyes. : “We surely have,”’ aormed the pio- fessor. we do not know what yoy mean.”’ “Vell, you can pet my poots on dot,” nodded Hans. 7 “The ‘wretch—the cut-throat!’’ cried| boy’s little fingers!” the old man, sHaking his clinched hand ‘in the air. ‘‘Why didn’t he kill me? He has robbed me of everything—evety- thing!? ‘Tell us—finish your story,’’ urged “ professor. | _ Frank said nothing. The light from a fastened on the face of "the old man. you dot, do I?” “Horrible! horrible! pis Frank was waiting for the man to change’ iron gates easy-chairs and Rammocks his position so the Hehty would shine ony ‘What terrible thing?’ asked Frank! : “You have not told the entire story, and. ‘True, true. Listen! With that letter. Pacheco—the monster !—sent one of my “Shimminy Gristmas! I don’d toldt: The professor and Hans uttered these. exclamations, but Frank was calm and: apparently unmoved, still with his 8, - comlichooks (CO) in