The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-12-22

/ er0uS dew she Will drop you ike Y
broken toy, and look elsewhere for a
rainmaker."
yes, but such an avaricious trollop
as she is would exhaust the treasures of
Pactolus," rejoined Salano.
4Let me advise you in the premises"
returned Don Alamada. Drop La
Bonita at once and forever. Have the
satisfaction of letting the town know
that you have voluntarily shaken her.
rather than the modification of per,
hitting her to boast that she had dis
carded you, and thereby become a
target for the gibes and pasquinades of
the wits of the university" | could do
"Ah, Dios! would that
So" exclaimed Salano with feeling. 81
will confess to you, my friend, that am
desperately enamored of this girl, heart
less though know her to be. My heart
is so entangled in the witchery of her
charms that | can not break the spell
even if | would, and the thought of
yielding her to another drives me almost
to distraction"
" Is she 50 very inordinate in her de-
mands p
"Aye, she is as extravagant as
Cleopatra"
"Well, can not see wherein you are
less sensible than Marc Antony, for
Cleopatra was already dipping her
fingers in the rough box of forty when
she captivated the sturdy Roman"
laughed Don Alamada.
"The more lavish on her the more
her cupidity DESIRES" continued Salano,
H., IL. TO- II
a shop on the Gale de Los Santos is a
diamond set ring of much value which
she covets for New Years gift, and
have not the means at present to pur-
chase, since my father constantly up
braids me with my extravaganza. She
writes me to-day that certain
wealthy merchandise rendered the ring,
and wishes to be informed by me whether
or not she will accept the gift The gist
of the matter is this: must give her
the ring or she will accept the merchants
BRIDE"
&c see," responded Don Alamada,
"your inamorata is like nothing 50
much as a hungry mosquito. Having
once tasted your blood she will buzz
around you until she has drank her fill
OF course you will purchase the ring"
he continued, in tone between COM
miseration and a sheer.
" She must have the ring at any cost"
replied young oalano, desperately, "and
| have scarcely pstole in my posses
sion. She has ruined me; still cannot
nay, l will not-giver her up"
Yes, yes, amigo mic, give her the
ring by all means, but where will you
procure the dinero (money) to pay for it ?
The sum of twenty thousand Valencian
reals cannot be found under every citron
tree" said Alamada.
"Harkee friend" uttered Salano in a
low tone, I" have a scheme by which !
hope to realize enough to buy the bauble
for my mistress, as we'll as rid myself
from the rascally Israelities whose debtor
| am. Ere times you and I have been
necessitated to resort to shifts of ques-
tionable honesty when our affairs have
been desperate, and trust you will not
fail me now"
Don Alamada laughed, for it seemed
ridiculous to hear his etfeminate COM
panion talk so bravely, but without
needing him Salano continued:
Meet me flush at eleven o'clock to-
night in the Plaza de Barca, and | will
then disclose my scheme more fully.
Come to the rendezvous well armed,
however, and provide yourself with a
domiSo."
After few moments further CONVEX
sation on commonplace topics, the two
friends arose and left the cas1 de
publico.
Some adventure of desperate char
acter was undoubtedly on foot What
crimes may not desperate man com
nit when fully resolved on deeds of
violence? Aye, and what deeds of
darkness may not lovely woman commit
when urged by greed, jealousy, or re-
venge?
1t was night, and eleven o'clock was
pealing from the ponderous bell of the
Cathedral del Espirito Santo, which
stands fast by the Plaza de Barca, named
according to local tradition after
Amilicar Barca, the father of the Roman
General Hannibal, by whom Barcelona
was refunded. The city was anciently
called Bareico. The waves of vibrant
sounds had not ceased Ginning over the
silent city when Salano and Don Ala
mazda met at their tryst in the now de-
serted plaza. The figure of each was
mutfled in cloak, and each wore a
broad-brimmed sombrero well drawn
over the face, and they moved as noise
less as shadows, and when either spoke
it was in tones so low and guarded as to
be almost indistinct.
Salano was talking to Don Alamada
in whisper, and from an occasional i'm
patient gesture, it appeared as though
he did not fully indorse Salano's pro-
gramme. Finally they glided noise
lessly away into the darkness and gloom
of the city.
Salano led his companion through the
narrow and sinuOus streets forming the
old or northwest division, cautiously
cropping in the shadows and picking his
way through the often ill-paved alleys
and courts, until he reached a house of
considerable dimensions, and of the
Cinque-Cento style of architecture. This
edificc was the residence of one of the
wealthiest bankers in the city.
Salano seemed perfectly familiar with
the neighborhood, for he halted before a
small postern in the wall, and drawing a
key from his pocket he opened it, and
the twain entered.
=" You see, Alamada," uttered Salano
In whisper, that | am master of the
situation. The bankers daughter has a
maid in her employ named Faca, and /
have been under the necessity of making
love to the girl for some time past in
order to get at her masters tesoro, and
as Faca is far from being old or ill-look