On the Pacific Slope
kinder, his manner more gentle. A heavy and unusual rain, that had been falling, passed off that very day, so that the destruction from flood, which had been prophesied at the missions, was stayed, and the clergy sang "Te Deam" in the church, The old commandant never, to his dying day, had the heart confess that the evil eye was only a glass one.
THE PRISONER IN AMERICAN SHAFT
AN Indian seldom forgets an injury or omits to revenge it, be it a real or a fancied one.
A young native of the New Alamaden district, in California, fell in love with a girl of the same race, and supposed that he was prospering in his suit, for he was ardent and the girl was, seemingly, not averse to him; but suddenly she became cold, avoided him, and answered his greetings, if they met, in single words. He affected to care not greatly for this change, but he took no rest until he had discovered the cause of it. Her parents had conceived a dislike to him that later events proved to be well founded, and had ordered or persuaded her to deny his suit. His retaliation was prompt and Indian-like.
He killed the father and mother at the first opportunity, seized the girl when she was at a distance from the village, and carried her to the deserted quicksilver mine near Spanish Camp. In a tunnel that branched
263
