"The Journey Continues...Day Two" an original frametale by Michelle Wilson

"The Red Jack Gang's Outlaw Loot"

"The Lost Opata Mine"




     It was dark when they arose. Soon the sky filled with a glorious golden sunrise. All of them watched  as they ate and packed. By late morning the sunrise was a distant memory having faded to a clear azure blue. As they traveled, Jeb regaled them with the story of Red Jack Almer.
   "Now Red Jack was an outlaw here in Arizona back in the 1880's. Some knew him as Jack Averill, but by either name, he and his gang preyed on stagecoaches carrying precious goods. 'Specially ones along the San Pedro Rio. One time, it was in August of '83, they robbed a stage near Riverside.  The Wells Fargo man claimed that there weren't no gold on that stagecoach and made to resist the band of robbers. No sooner than you could say jackrabbit, a female jumped out of the passenger area and called him a liar. Turns out it weren't no female. It were Red Jack dressed as a woman! He'd seen the agent load the gold beneath a seat and signaled to his gang to take the stage. Now the Wells Fargo man went for his gun but Jack was quicker.He pulled a gun from his skirts and shot him dead. The gang made away with near $3000 in gold. Later in October that same year, Sheriff Bob Paul and his posse tracked down the gang.  They found Almer near Wilcox, Arizona. Red Jack was kill't in the gun battle that followed. It's rumored that the gang buried $8000 in gold somewhere near Prescott. Yes sir! Somewhere that gold is  still waiting!"
    Sedona was about to ask a question when Christian noticed a reflection in the distance. Her question forgotten, she led the group toward the gleam. When they arrived, they were astonished to find it came from a silver flask that lay atop the mummified remains of a man. In his hand was clutched a map.
    "I wonder who this poor soul was?" mused Danny.
    "Ely Johnson," replied Christian promptly.
    "How do you know?" exclaimed Natasha.
    "It's engraved on this gent's flask, or at least I assume it's his," said Christian examining the body.
    "Shouldn't we go back and report this? Since it's  human remains the law requires that we do," stated Natasha worriedly.
    "He's kept all this time, he'll keep a few more days. Get your camera and take some pictures and when we get back we'll go to the sheriff. I am sure Jeb can find him again," asserted Sedona.
     "She's right, we've come this far, we might as well keep going. He's not getting any deader," acknowledged Christian.  Danny agreed and Natasha, feeling outnumbered, took the pictures. As the others left, Sedona pried the map from his hand and pocketed it to look at later.


    The five traveled until the sun set. Suddenly their senses were assailed by the smell of cooking food. They went to investigate. A young Indian woman in traditional dress was tending a fire. She was beautiful in the fading dusk but her eyes were shadowed. She moved as one who bore a great burden upon the soul. She looked up as the visitors approached.
    "Who are you?" she asked hostilely.
    "We are travelers on a quest, fair maid," said Danny bowing.
    "More likely you are scavenging for a meal," she snorted.
     "We wouldn't turn food down... If you're offering," replied Danny charmingly.
    "I have enough to share," she said in accented English.
    "Aren't you afraid here alone?" asked Natasha.
    "There are worse things then being alone," she replied unblinkingly.
    Her name was Meeca and her first tongue was Cahita they found as the night passed. She never shared why she was alone in the desert but she seemed quite capable of living off the land. They talked and told tales as the stars rose.
    Finally Meeca said, "I have a story and a warning to those who traverse this land. In 1766 Spanish missionaries discovered silver south of Tuscon. They used the Opata and Papago Indians as miners. The Opata preferred one mine above the rest.It was profitable so the Spanish allowed them to work it. A great store of silver was amassed in a room at the back of the mine. The missionaries tried to convert the Opata, but by night they performed their traditional rites in the mine. In truth,they had mixed their old religion with Catholicism.  One day twin Mayo Indian princesses were out riding in the desert when a great storm blew in and separated them. The sister called  Taa'a was seen by the Opata chief who thought she was the next Virgin Mary and had her kidnapped. They took her to the mine and told her she must marry the chief and produce a child savior. She refused and they planned to sacrifice her to their gods. They tied her to a silver mound and cut her hands and rubbed poison in the wounds, telling her the sunrise would bring her death. They sang and danced about her. As morning came, a missionary heard them and found the dead princess with the Opata cavorting about her. He and his brothers ran the Indians out and sealed the mine with the silver and the dead princess within. Horrified, they never returned. Somewhere halfway between the Guadalupe Mine and the Pure Conception Mine, her tomb and the silver lay hidden near the old Tumacacori Mission. I only hope her spirit escaped free."
    The group was shocked by Taa'a's fate.
    "Them was hard times. It was dangerous back then. You never knew what fate held," Jeb offered.
    "It's still dangerous and fate is as cruel as ever," replied Meeca.
    "What happened to the other sister?" asked Danny  suddenly.
    "Keep following the path you're on and you'll find out soon enough," Meeca said cryptically. Then she turned her back on them and lay down, her face turned toward the darkness. Long after everyone had bedded down, Danny remained awake, wondering what she had meant by her mysterious words....

     
                          

Author's note: This is the next chapter of the original frametale.This time the two stories of lost treasure are from Arizona. No changes were made to the story of Red Jack Almer. I chose this story because a cross-dressing outlaw was too much fun not to use. I chose the second story because it encompassed the Spanish, Indians, a princess and ,of course, treasure! The only change made to the second story was to make it about two sisters instead of just one. This was a necessary plot device for the rest of the frametale. All will be explained but you have to keep reading! The suspense is killing me and I'm the one telling the story!

Stage Coach image found at: Wild West Gallery
Mummy image found at: Wilson World History
Indian Maiden image found at: DavidPenfound  

Bibliography Information:
"Red Jack Gang's Outlaw Loot"
found at Legends of America.com, A Travel Site for the Nostalgic and Historic Minded.
Author unknown. Posted September 2004

"Red Jack Gang's Stage Coach Loot"
The Longest List of the Longest Stuff at the Longest Domain Name at Long Last.com
Author unknown.


"The Lost Opata Mine"
found at Legends of America.com, A Travel Site for the Nostalgic and Historic Minded.
Author unknown. Posted September 2004

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