But the elements of nature with relentless fingers have played about this relic of the past, until but a small vestige is left to remind us of what has been. [Illustration: An Electric Train.] When a grant to the Corte Madera del Presidio Rancho was given to John Read he began building his home, and in order to construct a large, commodious adobe, he erected a sawmill in the vicinity, and there the lumber for his home was whipsawed. Thus, it is this mill, which is still standing in undisturbed repose these many years, which gave the surrounding valley its name. Read had barely finished his adobe when he died, and the place subsequently passed into the hands of the boldest bandit of Marin. The terror of the surrounding counties--whose very name sent a chill even to the bravest heart--was Barnardino Garcia, otherwise called "Three-fingered Jack." He possessed all the daring and bravery of a dauntless marauder, and the anecdotes of his bloody adventures form many a weird and ghostly tale when told by the flickering firelight of a winter's night, sending the listener to bed inwardly quaking, with eyes peering into dark corners. [Illustration: A Relic of the Past.] The most widely known of his crimes was committed shortly after the raising of the Bear Flag at Sonoma, which proclaimed the Golden West to be the Republic of California. The Bear Flag party being short of ammunition and a rumor gaining circulation to the effect that General Vallejo had a cache of powder stored on the Sotoyome Rancho near the present town of Healdsburg, it was decided to send men to procure some. Cowie and Fowler volunteered to go, although the journey was known to be a perilous one; but the need was great, and these pioneers considered it no risk. [Illustration: Mill Valley Depot.] They were warned, however, to avoid the way through Santa Rosa, and to confine their paths to the hills out of the ken of Garcia and his band. Whether the Americans failed to heed the warning, or whether Garcia's men discovered them in the hills, will never be known. They were taken prisoners, under a pledge that their lives would be spared, but were finally murdered with great cruelty. When Cowie and Fowler did not return to Sonoma within a reasonable time, great anxiety was felt in the little garrison. Finally a searching party was sent out, but it soon returned with news of the murder. The Bear Flag leaders swore revenge on the murderers, and eventually captured a number of Garcia's band, although he himself escaped. A fugitive from justice, he journeyed south, becoming lieutenant to the famous desperado, Joaquin Murietta, only to be subsequently shot in 1853 by Captain Harry Love's Rangers. His hand of three fingers was sent as a trophy to the commandant. [Illustration: The Three Wells.] Thus ended the career of this bold adventurer. [Illustration: The Cascade.]