Adventure Magazine Cover, December 18, 1919 — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

The Seven Cities of Cibola Il AYBREAK found Andres hard at work at his new tasks. As scout- master for Coronado, he would have no light labors. On him, would fall all re- sponsibility for the right road. being — taken, for camps supplied, under God, with water, wood and forage, for nego- tiations with what Indians they might meet and a score of other details. “Here—” to a man who sat splicing a lance stave—“‘do not splice a lance. Get a new shaft. None but a fool would trust his life to a mended stave. “You—” to another, who was fitting reins to a bridle—“‘never use leather reins in a campaign where your life may hang on your control of your horse. An In- dian cuts at the head. If the reins be cut, you can not turn your horse. short chain next the bits.” The ‘man nodded knowingly to his neighbor. “A proper man to lead our scouts. ‘Whence comes he?” “Out of the south, men say. All good men come from the south. I was born far to the south: myself.” e than once Coronado, checking his allies of men and supplies, dropped them all to see how his new scoutmaster had taken hold. He came back with a satisfied air. He had not been mistaken in his man. All was well. He had picked the man of all men for the place. The quick braying of a_ trumpet brought him to his feet and to the win- dow, ffom which he saw_a great crowd pouring into the plaza, where a small platform had been erected overnight, on which men were draping the golden flag of Spain along with a blue standard on which showed the red crescents of the great house of Fonseca. “What is taking place?’ he asked of a passing soldier. Mendoza, entering the! door behind him, answered : “Fonseca makes the yearly gathering of the king’s taxes. It is a sight well worth seeing. In all the years that you have lived in New Spain have you never seen it?” : v “Never. I have lived on the frontier, winning new lands for the king. Once the lands are conquered and the cattle Put a- 63 herded by us soldiers, wortny civilians come to do the milking.” Mendoza laughed. “Dare you tell that to Fonseca? He thinks he is a better soldier than fiscal. Here is your scoutmaster. What now, Don Andres ?” “A tally of the men and guns, senores.’ “Let the tally wait,” said Mendes. “Come with me. I see the ladies seating themselves upon the platform, and yon- der goes Fonseca. Let us go to the plaza and see the fiscal shear his sheep.” On the platform, Fonseca had seated himself by Mercedes. She bowed coldly, whereat he only laughed. Behind them were gathered the officers and ladies of the vice-gerent’s court, for the tax-gathering was a formal occasion. The platform arranged. for the fiscal- filled one side of the square. To each side was formed a mail-clad guard stand- ing rigidly beneath the red and green and yellow peloncillos on their short lances. 3 On the fourth side was gathered a great crowd of Indians who had come from every barrio of that district, with the taxes that they must pay from their concessions granted them by the governor. They bore packages and rolls of every sort and description, for there were many commodities among them? Some were wrapped in white cotton cloth, some in delicate buckskin that had been chewed by the Women to make it soft and pliable when wet; others again, and these were the real center of attraction for Spanish eyes, were little cubes, perhaps a foot square, wrapped in carefully corded raw- hide tied with thongs. The governor and Coronado took their places next the fiscal, who glowered at Andres as the scoutmaster took his place behind the chair where Mercedes sat. — She dropped her glove and half turned as he quickly picked it up, acknowledging with a~bow and smile her—“Gracias, senor.” “No hay de qui, senorita.” ~ “You are a stranger—I should say were a stranger till last night, were you not ?” “T thank you. longer.” I feel a stranger no “You came from the south, did you COMNCIOONKS <€ com