Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-04-23

The bank of the river prevented him
from telling whether it were friend or
foe, as well as himself from being seen,
until his carbine 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. .s1s that
how your most chivalrous nation re-
celves a lady-at the point of the car
bine?'
ga woman!" he exclaimed, in En-
glish somewhat more forclble than is
here set down.
'.Ah-an English soldierI' said she,
In 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, 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
Soulo IlOt Dut OWL lndt 10 IUu Two
such big black eyes was at least as 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
a handsome wOman-not in her very
hrst youth. but none the less attractive
for being full-blown; and her voice was
~rh
and full. She was dressed in the Span
iSh fashiOn-a costume which in itself
had fascination for Dick Blackthorn
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 moment in Dick Black
thorn's mind. Every woman was al
ways what she ought to be-especially
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 Il trooper in the Lusitanian
Legion without hearing great many
wonderful stories of spies, with whom
Spain was supposed to swarm. Had he
been with General Wellesley, he might
have heard even a little more. There
were said to be spies of all sorts and
kinds, high and low. count and peasant,
church and lay, he and she-especially
she-and of all nations besides. Il
must be carefril-confounde care
full. " thought he.
'Wen?n asked the lady; fropos of
things at large.
Pm afraid-rm afraid" said he,
with deep sigh, equally propos,
''that 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 have no paper to SHOVE"
''Then-then it would be my painful
i mean my delightful duty to be
your escort to Escalona-"
..Ah; l 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 gailop 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
II should catch you-your horse isn't
patch on mine. And if you got away.
l should just raise my carbine and
shoot"
me, Ohr'
"God forbid! But your horse And
he would be good for beef he sighed,
"these bad times"
She suddenly brought pistol to bear
st 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 you2'
"Then you'd have to do it-that's
and m no good for much else, it seems
to me. And I'm hanged if wouldn' be
ten times sooner shot by as pretty a
hand as yours, than"
Now. for that gallant speech, sir.
you shall be spared. The idea of a
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
l should ask YOU to advise. For l am
an unhappy woman, for all 1 may seem.
Alas! would 1 Were the only unhappy
woman in Spain this day!''
Young? Ay, in the shoulders. But
l always was old in the head; always,
from child. l can advise ANYBODY,
none better, through thick and thin
Il want counsel. You see I know
how to defend my life and my honor:
but there is nothing more l can do.
Iona L can not and will not 60
He pushed up his cap and scratched
his forehead. Why's asked he.
Ibid you ever hear of the Count de
Cabra, that bravest of men, who was
killed at Sornosierra but seven months
ago? All. if he were alive-but forgive
me; L must not waste n soldiers time
with woman'S troubles; he would
have no time for fighting, not an hour.
I am Countess de Cabra; widow of that
brave man. 1 have neither father, nor
husband, nor home, nor child, nor
friend. The accursed Frenchmen and
Corsicans - they have destroyed all. l
have Just seen my dead husbands castle
at Cabra sacked and burned; seen it
with my very eyes. 1t is marvel es-
caped-I don't mean with my life only
that is nothing; but the French, they
are devils, ogres, tiends. l have ridden,
ridded, 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.
who has lost her all-eyen her tears