The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-05-07
FABLE THE FOURTH CONTINUED.

the bank above bin, evidently bent for
the river, too. Unluckily, the sun was
full in his face, SC that he could not see
the Uniform even then.
What. cavalier laughed the sweet
est of voices, in Portuguese. is that
how Your most chivalrous nation re-
ceIves a lady-at the point of DE car
bine?"
"a woman he exclaimed, in En-
glish somewhat more forclble than is
here set down.
'Ah- an English soldier said she,
n his own tongue, and with only just
enough accent to show she was not
English born. Worse and worse.
could have understood if it had been
some miserable Portuguese. But an
English soldier, Sir, | am ashamed"
"And, by the Lord Harry, so am l."
said he, ,hading his eyes from the sun
with his hand. He looked: and he
could no@ but own that TO find two
such Big Hack eyes was at least as good
as find ne one whole cheese The eyes
were enough to make any face beauti-
ful, they shOne and sparkled so, with
the promise Of passion and the actual
presence of fun. For the rest. she was
a handsome WOman-nOt in her very
first youth, but none the less attractive
for being full-blown; and her voice was
still fresh and Young, rs well rs rich
and full. She was dressed in the Span
ish fash;on-a costume which in itself
had a fascination for Dick Blackthorn's
Ia - 1.
a handsome Spanish lady, speaking
English almost like j native. to ride
alone under the midday heat through a
country over-run with war? Was She
well. II that She ought to be? But
such Il Su~piciOn rs that could never
dwell for moment in Dick Black
thorn's mind. Evary woman was al
WAYS what she ought to be-especially
with eyes ike hose.
But then another idea came into his
mind while he was gazing. and as he
sat in the sunlight, "a if posed for a
picture, smiling down upon him. and
PLAYING with her horses name. He had
not been a trooper iii the LuSitanian
Legion without hearing a great many
wonderful stories of spies, with whom
Spain was supposed to swarm. Had he
been with General Wellesley, he might
hare heard even little more There
were said to be spies of all sorts and
kinds, high ana low, count and peasant.
church and Jay, he and She especially
shc-and of ali nations besides. Il
must he l-conioundedly care
full. = thought he
"Weli?' asked the lady; a propos of
things at large.
I'm afrald-rm sfraid," said he,
with a deep sign, equally q prOpos,
THAT / must trouble you to show me
Your pass. I'm very sorry-but-y
see duty must De dope"
''Oh, yes. Duty; that is the English
mans word. Pray no excuse, sir; be-
fore duty, courtesy must yield. But
what if | have no paper to show?'
''Then-then it would be my painful
i mean my deli@hful-duty TO be
your escort to Escalona-n
"Ah; | see that YOU understand
courtesy and du,y too. There is none
like an English soldier for courtesy
none. But suppose | turn my horse.
and gallop away? l should have the
start. YOU see.
L SilOtliNA ilstNC 10 lOllDh, SSCiu DICh,
his spirits rising at the idea.
And suppose you should not catch
me?"
Il should catch you-your horse isn't
patch on mine. And if you got away.
should just raise my carbine and
shoot
Me! OH
God forbid! But your horse. And
he would be good for beef" he sighed,
"thcse bad times
She suddenly brought pistol to bear
at his head. with all the advantage of
position and sun. for she was above
him on the bank, and the glare was in
his eyes. But what if l shoot first
not your horse. but yOu?'
Then you'd have to do it-that's
ALL" said he. I'm no good for beef
and m no good for much else, it seems
to me. And I'm hanged if Iwouldn be
ten times sooner shot by as pretty 4
hand as yours, than"
Now, for that gallant speech, sir.
You shall De spared. The idea of
man who can say things like that being
no good at all. am afraid you have
had much practice, though YOU are
young. / am sorry YOU are young: else
/ should ask you to advise. For | am
an unhappy woman, for all NAV seem.
Alas! would | We're the only unhappy
woman in Spain this day"
Young? Az. in the shoulders. But
/ always was old in the head; ALWAYS.
from a child. | can advise ANYBODY,
none better, through thick and thin"
Il want counsel You see | know |
how to defend my life and my honor:
but there Is nothing more l can do.
have no papers, sir. And vet TO Esca- /
Iona | can not and will not go.
He pushed up his cap and scratched
his forehead. "Why?" asked he.
Did you ever hear of the Count de
Ca5ra. that braves: of men, who was
killed at SornoSierra but seven months
ago? All, if he were alive-but forgive
me; must not waste a soldiers time
with wOmaI'S troubles: he would
have no time for fighting, not an hour.
/ am Countess de Cabra; widow of that !
brave man. | have neither father. nor |
husband. nor home. nor child. nor
friend. The accused Frenchmea and /
Corsicans - they have DESTROYED all. | !
have Just seen my dead husbands castle |
at Cabra sacked and burned; seen it
with my very eyes. 1t is a marvel | es-
caped-I don't mean with my life only |
that is nothing; but the French, they |
are devils, ogreS, fiendS. l have ridden, |
ridde-s, ridden, night and day, My one
last hope is to reach the Spanish lines,
to tell General Cuesta my story, so that
he may know it when he takes revenge. |
Think, sir, of widowed wife, mother,