Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1878-09-19
LEFT TO DIE.

COnchtOWn.
Its inhabitants are mostly Of
Spanish descent and are called
Conches.
They are indolent, semi. amphib
ious race, who make living by
catching fish, collecting spongcs
sea shells and coral, which they sell
or barter, and thus procure the few
articles requisite to support life in a
warm climate.
Among the most promising young
men in Conchtown were Pedro
Nunez and Leon Fernandez.
Pedro was square butt, black
eyed and passionate, while Leon
was blue eyed, brown haired, and OF
a cheerful, obligipg disposition.
Different as they were in personal
appearance and temperament, the
two young men were for several
years almost inseparable.
Being joint owners of a sail-b"at
and fishing net, they labored to
gether, and IN their moments OF
leisure were seldom far apart.
How long their amlcable rela-
tions would have continued under
ordinary circumstances is uncertain,
but feeling of GOODNESS sprang up
between them when they discovered
that they were both in love with
Anita Porcallo, the belle of Conch-
town.
Though Pedro and Leon, owing
to their partnership, continued to
fish together, they began to avoid
each other while on shore.
For sometime it seemed doubt
full which OF her suitors Anita would
favor.
But this state of uncertainty did
not continue long.
One night while Leon was visi-
ting at Porcallo's, Pedro, prompt
ed by Jealousy, fingered about the
house, and saw his rival kiss Anita
when he parted with her at the
door.
Pedro was wild with rage, his
hand instinctively sought the han
die of his knife, and if some people
had not been approaching at the
time, it is more than possible he
would have stabbed Leon to the
heart.
Controlling himself by a power
full effort, Pedro skunk away un-
observed, but before he slept that
night, he natured plan for riding
himself of his rival forever.
The next morning Pedro and
Leon went off in their boat as usual.
Long after dark Pedro returned
alone, and reported that while div
ing for sponges Leon had been torn
to pieces and devoured by shark,
When Anita was told of her low
er's fate, she swooued away, and or
reviving, sunk into deep and ap-
parent!y incurable melancholy.
Intuitively coming to the con-
clnsion that Lem came to his enc
through the Vaccinations of Pedro
she regarded him with unconcealec
aversion, and positively refused t,
receive his visits,
At first the conduct of Anita wal
attributed to the effects of diseas.
ed imagination. But Pedro's con
duct soon aroused the suspicious o
others be became moody and sui
len, and took 70 hard drink.
About two months mad elaspet
since the disappearance of Leon
when Pedro, while half-crazed b,
liquor, let fal! words SO snsgestiv,
of foul play that on their being re-
ported in Key West the authoritie
determined to have him arrested.
AS Pedro was habitually ava,
during the daytime, the officer
came TO arrest him in the night.
When they knocked at his door
Pedro peeped through the crevic
between the logs OF his cabin, re
, cognized his visitors, slipped out {
: the back window, crept down to tn
cove, and embarked on his sail boa
!. A storm was just beginning t
rage, but dreading arrest more tha
he did the terrors of the deep, Pc
dro hoisted sail, and the light hos
. dartcd away over the huge wave
n WHICH threatened every moment t
!. ingnlf it.
< Though Pedro had not actualI
struck the fatal blow, be was
d heart as much of a murderer as
i he had dyed his hands in Leon
/ hearts blood.
q The morning they left Conct
L town together, Pedro proposed th
o they should devote the day in co
Fl lccting sea'bird's eggs, instead
ne ne fishing.
= I; To this Leon readily agreed, al
: they sailed in among the low Fl
I islands between Key West and Il
r Dry Tortugas.
Passing from point to point, th
continued their search until t