Show goi en OF LOST IN ES ow N u BU 9 SPANISH BULLION upon a time there were two 0 ONCE young prospectors they had been tramping w the new mexico mountains for some time and as winter was drawing near they were short cutting across the ranges toward home they were somewhere in the rough country which comprises the southwestern corner of the state late one afternoon snow began to fall well have to hole up for the night george sold said one of the men to the other first likely looking cave care we come coine to well call it a lay day looks like one ahead there said the other and they quickened their steps the cave proved to be a 8 fair sized cavern but they built a fire near its mouth to keep warmth in and wild animals out and soon they were mere corn comfortably fort ably frying bacon and boiling coffee after supper relaxed before the fire they looked about them at the tar far end of the cave care a second smaller hole appeared some 10 feet up the rocky wall the snow had stopped falling and everything was peaceful well we find any hidden treasure this trip said the man called george no and we never will there any why oh I 1 dont know ive heard listen bill did anyone ever tell you about the lost treasure of the golden giant clant nope sounds like a fairy tale I 1 suppose the giant ate up all the no this golden giant la Is a mine at mons altos south of here it has been gop hered just under the surface and from the extent of the workings id say that a lot of ore was taken out or of that mine one time and another its supposed to have been worked by the spaniards who lived at santa rita the local legend says that the span lards got out a fabulous fortune whatever that means and the next nest thin thing to do was to take it over to santa rita where the fort was wag so they loaded it on burros and set out santa rita Is about 23 25 miles southeast of altos as the crow flies files but burros dont fly and they had bad to go around the got up above where hurley now stands and I 1 suppose they were congratulating themselves that they were on the last lap when when the golden giant woke up and came after them politely inquired bill no you dummy 1 nothing like that it was indians that showed up about then good old hoss tile apaches the priest la irk charge of the pack train just had time to j get et them up on the mesa and hastily bury the gold then the apaches got too near tor for comfort and although the spaniards put up a bra brave ve fight they were all killed ill bet that right in these very mountains theres treasure cached away if a person could know where to look a big lt if moralized moralizer zed bill what mint do you say we get some sleep the next nest morning bill looking about him with a practiced eye for traces of ore noticed again the small cave to in the rear of their lod lodging lodged giD it was an ordinary looking hole but for some undefined reason he felt a lively interest in it im going to look and see in that little cave he told his big partner who mho was ready to start on now chos got funny ideas about hidden treasure jeered george come on no use climbing up in that hole bole im going to look anyway replied bill here goes ile he managed to scramble up the rocky wall and landed safely in the darkness of the little cave it was hard to see anything he lit a natch match another hey george he called urgently george who had started on heard the summons and came back what do you want he be demanded rather crossly give me a flashlight and hurry up I 1 the matter now ile he unpacked the flashlight and banded it up to bill whose hand trembled a little what have you got for answer anaw er bill threw down a dusty heavy small oblong that fell with a thud on the floor of the cave george bent over to pick it up but he straightened up again and looked at bill as it if he were seeing a ghost G goldt he stammered weakly G gold b bars I 1 you will talk about golden giants will you roared bill well heres hidden treasure for you more than lou and I 1 can carry ile he jumped down went over to the door of the cave and looked out then he turned back or ato am I 1 going crazy he be rauni mumbled bled no lie he was not crazy though the two mo behaved like idiots for a while bile in the exuberance of their emotions finally they calmed do down long enough to plan that tile they y would take the he gold home then return 1 in the spring and hunt for tie he mine from which it came and here bill and george pass into tile the vill valhalla halla of legendary heroes no 0 o one knols anything further about thet them and whether they ever returned ind and found the mine remains a secret not even a legend remains to explain the source of df that hidden t treasure r eat sure |