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"But how ca to that It was some trouble with the French in Bienville's day Only a few escaped, and they were driven into these hills; yet 't is said they saved a considerable amount of treasure which had coether with sos It is forty years since they discovered this dell, and only the older men have any memory of the discovery"

"What do they call themselves?"

"'Nalmas' was the word the Queen used, but they are that same people e knew about in New Orleans as 'Natchez'; their old country was called Tlapalan"

I sat silent, pondering upon his words, but before I thought out further questioning, a warrior, bearing food, entered the hut Setting this down upon the ground before us, he drew back into the gathering night shadoithout uttering a word That which I had just heard caused e--with neakened interest, and I could not help observing again hoidely the type differed fro border life had rendered me familiar Not only was this man of fairer, clearer complexion, but his cheek-bones were not in the least prominent, his nose ide at the base and somewhat flattened, while his forehead sloped sharply backward in such peculiar form as to warrant the opinion that the deformity arose from a coh worn long and flowing down the back, was decidedly wavy, and not coarse; the color was a ruddy brown The eyes of these Indians were bold, cruel, crafty, yet in ; the average stature was greater than that of those other Indians that I knew In short, they i all that was claimed, a distinct race, with characteristics olian than to the surrounding red races As I figured this out somewhat slowly, De Noyan busted hiot the topic of our conversation

"And did this Queen Naladi clai thus to test his observation

"Why not?" he asked in return, suspending operations, and glancing up at hter of the Sun,' once saying that her ancestors ruled over this people for a thousand years"

"She told you that?"

"At least so the black interpreted her words Why question it?"