Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-04-21


worth his weight in gold to u.s."
"He will be dearer than that, if the
Spanish authorities, as fear, order us to
leave Puerta Muerta."
While he was still speaking, pair of
civil guards appeared, and one of them
serYed upon me summons to appear i'm
mediately before the military governor OF
the town.
Till now, although employed by our own
government, our operations had been con-
Quoted as private persons; purely COM
mercial enterprise suffers from official rec
Ognition. But feeling that now we were in
some danger of misconstruction, hastily
put on my uniform and went to the citadel.
| was received most courteously. The
uniform did that. Directly | entered, the
commandant turned to the chief of the po-
lice and said, rather sharply:
"He is an English officer, you see. This
can go no further, captain" he said to me,
pardon our suspicious. Some wise peo-
pie have discovered a dangerous conspiracy
in your doings. Tell me the truth. Wlat
is your object here"
We are buying mules"
"That know, but for what purpose ?"
"To send them to the East"
For the British government"
off you must know, yesP
I'VE heard you were drilling and rails
ing a force of insurgents, and that you
meant to seize the citadel for-Prim.
Forgive me. Will you take cigar ?"
He was decorated with the Moorish war
medal, and perhaps was not violently op-
posed to Marshal Prim.
My interview with the authorities ended
| thus. But we were not yet out of the wood
saw from the face of the chief of the DO
lice that he was not satisfied, and | meant
to put Enrique on his guard directly he re-
turned to his post. But he never returned,
for obvious reasons. Two civil guards
mounted sentry night and day at the gates
OF the bull ring, and made it their business
to examine everybody who went in and out
Clayton was now quite convinced of
Enrique's guilt. We must have nothing
more to do with the man, that was plain.
wassorry for my mysterious muleteer.
| had seen enough of him to gather that he
was person of superior station, and | had
no desire to help him to exile at the Philip
pines, or perhaps to be shot with only
form of trial and then his daughter, the
Spanish beauty? had seen or heard moth
ing whatever of her since the day at AL
mama junction.
A few days passed. Then the first steam
ship arrived to load up with mules, and we
proceeded to embark our first batch. While
| was "telling off" the muleteers and the
animals, and preparing to send them-miss-
ing Enrique's services at every instant-a
note was put into my hands.
"When can | speak to you Your uni
form courtesy and kindness lead me to
throw myself at your feet. Will you add
the other favor to the many / am in your
debt. The bearer will bring you to me at
the hour named tonight. ENRIQUE"
was punctual, and was led by ragged
lad down several back streets, and at length
below low archway down into sort OF
vault. There, shrouded in his big cloak,
was Enrique, and with him was his daugh-
! ter.
lie did the honors of his cellar as if it
had been palace. was presented to his
daughter. She might have been princess.
81 will not waste your time, Capt. Gay
thorne," he said, speaking in Spanish.
"What | ask is that you should send me in
your steamer to Alexandria tomorrow"
"You are anxious to leave the country ?"
~ am"
Compromised %
There is a price upon my head"
{" 1t might involve me, and, worse than
that, my government" | really hesitated.
"Oh, sir, for the love of God, have pity D
His daughter had seized my arm. Tears
filled her large eyes. How eloquent they
were!
"Concha !" said her father, "you must
restrain yourself. | respect your scruples."
he said to me- But believe me, | am not
a very hardened offender. | am more
sinned against than SHINING. l was led to
pronounce y
"You are an officer?"
"Of course" He drew himself up. as if
he wondered how l could have doubted it.
"My father is y
I interrupted her.
| had rather not know, senorita. But
he can command me to the utmost of my
power. 1t may not be easy to get him on
board; the police are on the alert, and we
must be very circumspect."
| lett them as soon as possible, although
it was sweet to hear Conchas voluble
thanks, and to look into her grateful eyes.
A watch, unobtrusive but close, was kept
upon the ship Civil guards patrolled the
wharf; the chief of the police came on
board several times, and | was obliged to
show him every attention. He made sew
eral visits to the mule deck, and inspected
our muleteers every day. To the very mo-
ment of starting he hovered about, his myr-
midons within call, as if he suspected to
the last.
: But the good ship Sophonisba at length
cleared for sea. Warp after warp was
r cast adrift, and she forged slowly ahead
past the mole then her bows swung round
she gained the open sea and went fairly off
under full steam, pausing only to pick up
one of her boats which appeared to be wait
t ing for her outside.
s Enrique was in this boat.
S Years passed, and / heard nothing more
of the mysterious muleteer-years of tur-
e moil and dissension in Spain. First, Isa-
e bella fled before the insurrection of Mont.
pensier and Prim; then came the Republi.
! can risings, quenched in torrents of blood
! next, Amadeo and the assassination of the
i king maker last of all the Carlist inva
son and the bitter civil war;
| Concha | had never quite forgotten
l. Often | had wished to revisit Spain. Ii
j all the changes and chances of these very
years perchance her father might have
1t found himself at the top of the tree per
S, haps, also
&c Then rowing spirit took me to th'
northern provinces. San Sebastian was be
0, sieged must needs push forward and SCI
ID all could, when suddenly found mysel
n. surrounded and prisoner in the hands o
the Alphonsist troops.
d. spoke in Spanish, and said l was al
II Englishman.
y There were Englishmen among the Car
n lists; my knowledge of Spanish did no
befriend me. was evidently suspicion
person. The subaltern officer in comman,
III was for disposing of me at once My fat