Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-04-05

ing stone once took to thinking, it would
become too heavy to roll. His thoughts
may safely be summed up in the hope ol
hnding some wretched village or otheI
IN which cheese and bottle of wine
might still be found.
he was watering his horse at a con-
venient shelf in the river, and medita-
ting on the stupidity of Nature in not
making her streams of Almagro or Val
de Penas, as if she had more care OF
creatures with four legs than of crea-
lures with two. when his horse, having
satisfied his simple tastes, threw his
head up and his ears back and neighed.
Dick pricked his ears also, and pres
\ emily he heard the sound of hoofs COM
ing at quick trot towards him. Now
DICK, after his usual reckless fashion,
had foraged rather far; and it came
into his head, somewhat late in the day,
that If his Lusitanians were at Escalona,
on the right bank of the Alperche, Mar
shal Victor and the French were in force
at Santa Olalla, on the left; and that
they required to forage. too. So he got
ready with his carbine. The hoofs did
not sound as if it would prove more
than one to one, and a French dragoon
out plundering might be as good as
village to the man who caught him. He
was sick of soldering. but he had al
ways dearly loved fight, man to man,
and when it had nothing to do with dis.
cipline or duty.
The bank of the river prevented him
from telling whether it were friend or
foe, as well as himself from being seen,
until his calbine was at present. and
until the horse and rider appeared on
the bank above him, evidently bent for
the river, too. Unluckily. the sun was
full in his face, so that he could not see
the uniform even then.
"What, cavalier laughed the sweet
est of voices, in Portuguese "ls that
how your most chivalrous nation re-
ceives lady-at the point of the car
| bine?"
"A woman" he exclaimed, in En-
glish somewhat more forclble than is
| here set down.
"Ah-an English soldier!'' said she,
in his own tongue, and with only just
enough accent to show she was not
English born. Worse and worse! l
could have understood if it had been
some miserable Portuguese. But an
English soldier! Sir. l am ashamed"
'.And, by the Lord Harry, so am l."
said he. shading his eyes from the sun
with his hand. He looked; and he
could not but own that to find two
such big black eyes was at least rs good
as finding one whole cheese. The eyes
were enough to make any face beauti-
full, they shone and sparkled SO, with
the promise of passion and the actual
presence of fun. For the rest, she was
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, as well as rich
and full. She was dressed in the Span
ish fashion-a costume which in itself
had fascination for Dick Blackthorn's
susceptible soul. But what should bring
handsome Spanish lady, speaking
English almost like Q native, to ride
alone under the midday heat through a
country over-run with war? Was She
well. all that she ought to be? But
such suspicion as that could never
dwell for a moment in Dick Black
thorn's mind. Every woman was al
ways what she ought to be-especiatly
with eyes like those.
But then another idea came into his
mind. while he was gazing, and as he
sat in the sunlight, as if posed for a
picture, smiling down upon him, and
playing with her horses name He had
not been a trooper in 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
have heard even little more. There
were said to be spies of all sorts and
kinds, high and sCs, count and peasant,
church and lay, he and she-especially
she-and of all nations besides Il
must be careful-confounded care
full. thought he.
"Well?" asked the lady; a propos of
things at large.
Pm afraid-rm afraid,' said he,
with a deep sigh, equally propos,
THAT l must trouble you to show me
your pass. I'm very sorry-but-you
see-duty must be done"
'Oh, yes. Duty; that is the English
mans word. Pray no excuse, sir; be-
fore duty, courtesy must yield. But |
what if l have no paper to show?"
''Then-then it would be my painful |
Il mean my delightful to be
your escort to Escalona-"
"Ah; see that you understand
courtesy and duty too. There is none
like an English soldier for courtesy
none. But suppose l turn my horse,
and gallop away? l should have the
start, you see"
Il should have to follow said Dick,
his spirits rising at the idea.
'And suppose you should not catch |
me?"
II should catch you-your horse isn'i |
a patch on mine. And if you got away
l should just raise my carbine and
shoot"
"Me! Oh"
"God forbid! But your horse. .nd
he would be good for beef" he sighed,
"these 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 1 shoot first
not your horse, but you?"
'Then you'd have to do it-that's
all, " said he. "Fm no good for beef
and I'm no good for much else, it seems
to me. And I'm hanged if l wouldn' be
ten times sooner shot by as pretty a
hand as yours, than"
Nov, for that gallant speech, sir,
you shall be 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 arc
young: l am sorry You are young; else
should ask YOU to advise. For I am