Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-08-27
MORNING LEADER.
THE RED PEITICOAT:
OR, THE LIEUTENANT'S CONFESSION.
BY NARY W gANvRIN. AuIHoR OF rEAcE."
ConcIndsd

Concluded
"Halfpast seven by my watch had passed,
and l settled myself into the fixed belief that
either the girl could not evade t'eir scrutiny,
or Antonio had betrayed me, when 1 was start
led by a rustlinr sound in the leaves aboye-a
suppressed whispeT-and, looking upward, |
saw the mass of foliage moving, and detected
family the gray garments OF the nun, then
caught sight of pallid face and eyes Of dusky
backness framed among the dark green grape
leaves as she leaned over the wall
"'Hist = said q soft voice among the fUliagc,
hist l am net alone. Sister Agatha is with
mel mean, she is in the garden belOw-but
she is very deaf, ana dare say will not hear
me- bat she Is suspicious Il was long time
ere l could persuade her to let me Climb up
here, for grapesl' and a little silvery laugh
fOlted down to me from the wall. But be pa
tient ! have little time-it was hard to set
away at all 1 have learned to be cunning
here in the convent. Listen, SenOr American
must trust you wholly. They keep me here
against my will-they would make me q sister
OF San Marie, where but entered 4 scholar
Mother Bertha and Father ATosemena eOvet my
gold for the church. The padre is my guar
dian; aud while my own poor father lay dy-
ing, he stroye to make him bid me enter the
convent; but my parent, Thoughts good Catho-
lONtu Gullus ua4G lA4c AlE u llAN ohu
mind.
''But the padre has given me no peace At
first he spoke in gentle words, and brought to
me Mother Bertha, the Superior, who kissed
me and called me dear daughter and talked Of
the pace and rest poor mOurners found in the
bosom of the church-ihen bade me come
hither as pupil. i came; for 4 time she was
kind-and all seemed SO beautiful and calm
that in my loneliness, | entered the nOvitiaie
course.
But ah, senor it was a terrible mistake -
Too late, when l saw their cruelty and wicked
ness, when would have gone back, they would
not let me. They keep me elOsely-I am
prisoner In another week they will cut off
my tresses and bind my head with the fatal
veil. They will bury me heIe-a nun Of San
Marie ~ and / heard quick sob from the
vines.
"'Clemenrv-siatar :lemence-come down
Thou art very long in gathering grapes. What
art thou reaching so far over the wall for = /
/ heard a gruff voice on the other aide OF the
wall in the convent garden
"'Sister Agatha grows inpatient J said the
girl softly, dropping down two OF three tempt
| inc clusters of grapes to her. she will sus-
pect something and betray me. Senior Ameri-
| can, cannot you save met she exclaimed, IN ac-
cents whose paihos thrilled me, giancing down
with eyes which could have sworn were filled
]
with tears.
..'By Heaven, will . I answered impetu-
ously. Cast yourself down into my arms -
Why did you not tell me to bring rope lad
der! | could have thrown it up and rescued
you. But stay-don't jumpl the fall would
iniure you; besides that pratting old nun would
straightway reveal all p"
"'Sister, come down. OF a verify, believe
thou art holding converse with some one below.
Come down directly, OF l will alarm Mother
Bertha - heard again in the gruf accents
of Sister Agatha
- i must go she suspects J exclaimed Glenn
/ ence, in 4 clear, sad whisper.
! Here, Agatha, here are the largest and most
delicious grapes = and she again threw down
/ several clusters You are foolish, Agatha "
she said, loudly TO the nun below. Let me ga
ther some more-yOu are fond Of grapes, Aga
tina = then, coming again to the wall, she said
rapidly, i dare not linger have Plan-lt 1t
fails, the Virgin protect me Get two fleet
horses, and watch at to mOuOws sunset from
the erom the grove of olives yonIer- Do not
come beneath the convent walls-somebody
might suspect YOU. If l can steal out, L Will
climb the wall, and then you come with ropes
and save me-
o.But 1 could not see you from that dis
tanee. I can barely distinguish the grape To-
1 ssd
"sNo. Padre Martinez Is rowing everywhere,
and might see YOU Two horses under the
convent wall would excite his suspiciOns.-
You must not venture from the olives till l am
here. ! will give you a tOken-l will wear
concealed bright scarlet robe, under my nun $
dress, and betray it to your gaze from among
the green. You will know then that l am
here
"sClemenee, not another moment The gates
will be locked. Come down!
"sOne moment Agatha . shouted Clemenee.
IF possible, tomorrow eve at this hOur-it not
tomorrow, any night that am not watched =
, But perhaps YOU cannot come then J. she whis-
pered rapidly.
..sAH days are alike to me till you are safe
1 will be at the olive grove every night, tll YOU
5 give the signal from the wall BE prudent
feign strict obedience to the padres wishes
and trust to me to save you, Now, adleu an'
gop | said. lingering till l had heard the las
Tustle of the foliage, followed by the gruif rep
rimands of Sister Agatha, mingled with th'
soothing accents of the beautiful Clemence
Then | sauntered leisurely back TO the elt.
i by the light of the just rising nom, TO tind An
] tonic awaiting me on the church steps, read.
Y and eager to share my contemplated adventur
for the ensuing night, and quite delighted VIII
: At seven, next night, accompanied by tn
), faithful bov, took up my station in the oliy'
!. grove with gaze fastened on the distant con
vent wall, eager for the FIRST fuiter Of crimson
drapery frem among the vine leaves But
was doomed to disappointment-slowlyt the SUI
e set faded-vainly l strained my gaze-no nui
was there
aHeart sick, slowly rode back to the city
. Antonio in the same mood, following. l sav
: the padre to-day and fancied he looked wicked
< er than ever, Senor,' said the lad, with hf
h calm, quiet, inguirng smile, thrusting his han'
=. into his bosom
j go No, you must not pOniard him, Antonio
It I firmly replied for saw that the boys hatre'
L was growing into a deep seated sentiment o
& revenge = Ii may be that she could not ge
- away from the evening vespers.'
: The mOrrow's eve, add still the morrow S
e for four consecutive nights found Us still IN tn
e olive grove-and still, alas l beheld no signal
Once or twice would have ventured beneatl
the wall, had not the voice ofprudence restrain
e ed me; and well was II, for once at the sunse
e hour. saw the padre, walking slowly, and rath
Il er clumsily it must be cOufessel-for this holl
father, like Others of his fraternity, was oil
& and obese as well as gOdly-walking slowl,
g without the walls.
! Hope almost died / imagined a gloom
,s cell, where they immured Ciemenee- saw he
pale and weeping and began to contemPlat
taking band Of my brave marines, and storm
IS ing the convent or rushing into the church an
al rescuing her at the eleventh hour of the ap
preaching ceremonial of the Sabbath.
- There was bot one day more the Saturda..
g before the Sunday appointed for Clemenee'
E confrmation-and already / had heard 1t sPo
ken Of ia CaliZ that a nun was TO take the We
:; next day in the church Of San Marie and yO
u may imagine the feeling with which gain re
paired TO the grove of olives Even Antoni'
~ looked hopeless, and rode his nimbe and spirit