The Crusade of the Excelsior

beyond the bay, and for a moment lingered on the deck of a passing steamer like an arresting memory. But only for an instant; the Omete

appeared some strange mutations in the town and its inhabitants. On the beach below the Presidio was the unfinished skeleton of a small sea-going vessel on rude stocks; on the plaza rose the framed walls and roofless rafters of a wooden building; near the Embarcadero was the tall adobe chimney of some inchoate manufactory whose walls had half risen from their foundations; but all of these objects had evidently succumbed to the drowsy influence

, bearing the legend, painted in glowing letters, "Excelsior Silver Mining Co., J. Crosby, Superintendent;" and in the midst of certain excavations assailing the

fing rings of smoke into the still air. Both of these young gentlemen were dressed in exaggerated Mexican costumes; the silver buttons fringing the edge of Crosby's calza, open from the knee down to show a glim

cco," said Brace. "I think I'll

rosby. "You know he was going to revolutionize

the Comandante's stock; but I'm out of favor with the old man since Winslow and I wrecked that fishing-boat on the rocks off yon

for our laziness. We might have worked on it nights withou

e against us, you know; he, and the priest, the Comandante, and Nelly Keene make up the real Council of Todos Santos. Between them they've shoved out the poor little Alcalde, who's ready to give up everything to dance attendance on Mrs. Brimmer. They run the whole concern, and

black-eyed sister of the Alcalde calls

pressement, "is a lady of position, and

knows by this time all about your old attentions

e of an ordinary acquaintance, and were never

as Miss Keene did Y

ed quickly, and saw Banks approaching. He was dressed as a vaquero, but with his companions' like exaggeration of detail; yet, while hi

said, appro

" said

repeat

ion, the three Americans re

to-day?" queried Crosby,

ave all the Apostles on your pay-roll, so to speak, but to have a lot of fellows run in on you as saints, and some of them not even men or women, but IDEAS, is piling up the agony! I don't wonder they call the place 'All Saints.' The only thing to do," continued Banks severely, "is to open communication with the desert, and run in some of the heathen tribes outside. I've made a proposition to the Council offering to

ship," answered Cr

that Mexican ship is about due now. And I ain't basing my figures on anything the Mexican Go

looked towards him. Ba

resh supply always comes from the Bishop of Guadalajara, with instructions from the Church. Now, gentlemen, my opinion is that the Church, and the Church only, knows the secret of the pas

ts of Brimmer, Markham, and Keene," said Br

nquinambo. Then supposing she's found out, and the whole story is known-although everything's against such a proposition-the news has got to go back to San Francisco before the real search will be begun. As to any clue that might come from Captain Bunker, that's still more remote. Allowing he crossed the bar and got out of the channel, he wasn't at the right time for meeting a passing steamer; and the only coasters are Me

race arose lazily, lounged into

or the day?" sai

on't know but I'd take a little pasear

big madrono, if he has not already wound himself up with his lariat by walking round it. Those Mexican horses

ike to get into town j

other of their shiftless practices. Two hours out of every day-that's a day out of the week-s

ed his eyes, as if to r

as evident that the handsome young foreigner, who had paid them the compliment of extravagantly adopting their national costume, was neither an unfamiliar nor an unpleasing spectacle. When he reached the posada at the top of the hilly street, he even carried his simulation of the local customs to the point of charging the veranda at full speed, and pulling up suddenly at the threshold, after the usual fashion of vaqueros. The impetuous apparition brought a short stout man to the door, who, welcoming him with effusive polite

imitated Banks, "is a man of ideas, and a power in Todos Santos. He would control all the votes in h

mous nation of which his friend was such a noble representative; that, indeed, he might say it was an inherited taste, for had not his gran

you think he's a little like Banks, you know-a sort of Mexican edition. And there is Ruiz, he's a cattle dealer; he'd be a good friend of Banks if

to show his comprehension; and a

ncano of your beautiful country known. He have buy t

no American ship-no ship at all-h

ez, lowered his voice and lifted his eyelashes at the same moment,

-on the beach-t

you might have heard before, only you were afraid of compromising yourselves by talking with the people. You get it into your heads-and the Comandante helped you to get it there-that Todos Santos was a sort of Sleepy Hollow, and that no one knew anything of the political changes for the last fifty years. Well, what's the fa

" asked Brace hesitatingly,

ccept, they will not proclaim the Republic to the people. They shut their eyes, so-. They fold their hands, so-. They say, 'Sicut era principio et nunc et semper in secula seculorum!' Look yo

e?" aske

als of Todos Santos. "Oh! he's no fool-is Martinez, nor Ruiz either! And while you've been flirting with Dona Isabel, and Banks has b

arently not trusting himself to speak, checked of

surety! God

o, why haven't the

ez glanced a

ana!" he s

'Hasta manana!'" said B

antos is in rebellion against the present Government of Mexico, or she is independent of any. Her present Government, in any event, don't rep

rasping a hand of Brace and Winslow

urn seizing the other disengaged hands of th

horus from their host and a few lo

uth, but it struck him that his attitude was by no means consistent

ch' conspiracy; but you're forgetting

vernment. When it no longer exists, t

fellows pref

you understand. The first Amer

ould not be compromised; he might even be able to extend some protection over he

ecrecy," he said, with a laugh; "sh

d quarrel at once, and go back on each other. No; my idea is to let some ou

a certain small political cunning and shrew

e made a first-class caucu

and the soil-ain't half developed. I reckon I can show Banks something that beats lobbying and log-rolling for contracts. I've let you into this thi

t envied. The latter even lingered on the veranda, as if he would have asked Winslow another question; but, l

he public hitching-post-gnawn and nibbled by the teeth of generations of mustangs-and turned into the narrow lane flanked by the walls of the Alcalde's garden. Halfway down he stopped before a slight breach in the upper part of the adobe barrie