Butte record., 1855-11-24

] llOurloNment. AQu 10 lulS lue ldliSue
and anxiety he had suffered. and it viii
not be a matter of surprise that he threw
! himself in a state of utter exhaustion on
a mattrass which lay on the ground and
was soon aslerp.
This beirg ascertaincd through the
loop hole in the wall, one OF the officers
returned to his own house
His Young and handsome wife was sit
ting on a yellow cushion PLAYING the
guitar.
"Benita," said he, "ve have, we
think, taken a French spy, but he pre-
tends TO be in the Russian service; that
may be but pretext; nevertheless, we
have not bccn able to make him betrav
himself Woman's art will sometimes
avail where mans sagacity has failed;
come with me to the guard house,
In that country of faithl'ss wives,
duennas and intrigues, Bonita loved her
husband. Her guitar was quickly laid
aside, her yellow cushion rolled away,
her mantilla thrown over her black hair.
Arrived there, tie s. anish officer bade
her look through the loop hole at the
sleeping yoath.
81 will wait here" said he, edo you
70 in W til & Limp, and throwing the
light suddenly on his fee, awaken him
VIII thus thrown off his guard, listen
to what he says, and watch his ges-
lures"
Bonita bowed her head in token Of
obedience. The jailor opened the door
noiselessly. and she entered.
LeekInski had been asleep about two
hours when some one softly approached
his couch. 1t was Ben.ta. A hand
was held before the lamp to shade the
glare from his cy' 5, and when the hand
was Withdrawn he felt gentle tap on
his shoulder, and a sweet toned voice
uttered the words in French:
"Wi.l you have some supper"
Bonita had a true woman's heart.
She dreaded the idea of being accessory
to the evil planned for this young man
! His unprotected stu ltion and his early
years filed her heart with pity. Still
she dared not disobey. As he spoke
she grasp"d his wrist with frmness,
which recalled his scattered senses as he
awoke
The young Pole, thus suddenly arous-
ed from his siumbers by the glare of
light and the words of the young woman,
accompanied by tap on his shoulder,
was about to forget himself, when the
pressure of his wrist, by exciting his
wonder, brought the circumstances of
his situation clearly before him.
He raised himself quickly and with
out opening his eyes, asked in German:
"What do you say"
"S,nd him some supper" exclaimed
Castanos, upon nearing the result of his
trial, SADDLE his horse, and let him con-
tinue his journey. He is no Frenchman.
How could he have kept on the mask
when thus taken by surprise; the thing
is impossible"
But CaStanos did not exercise undi-
vided authority. Leckinski's supper
was sent him, but he was not permitted
to leave the dungeon until morning. He
Was then led to the place whence he
could behold the mutilated bodies of ten
French who had been caught and mas
sacred by the Spanish peasantry. Here
for the space of several hours he was
watched by eyes and ears eager 10 catch
at any unguarded word or gesture
''Gentlemen," said Gen Castanos to
his brother officers, IL am as fully aware
as you Of the importance of preventing
communication between the different
French commanders at present in Spain;
but We cannot with Justice convict this
young man upon the mere assertion Of ID
peasant, who may be mistaken through
Resemblance, or misled by his ianatical
pat,iotism'
1t was a cheering relief to Leckinski
be led back to prison; although his mind
was haunted bv horrid immages and
melancholy forebodiDgs, he nevertne-
less fell second lime into a profound
sleep.
Another snare was now laid for him.
Amid the silence which prevailed in the
dung on, the dour opened, and the same
armonious voice which bad addressed
him the night before, said in low tone:
Rise and follow me-you are saved
your horse is waiting"