The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-10-22

"Manuela!" he cried, where in the name
of the foul fiend are you2"
Preparing your supper, mi padre,' an
swered distant voice, and presently Manu.
ella appeared, bringing the meal.
He seized her by the wrists and scanned
her face fiercely by the freight. She was a
trifle pale but her clear. bright eyes returned
his look unfinchingly. She served he faith
er, removed the dishes, and seemed absorbed
in his welfare But her mind was in a whirl.
Something must be done, and that soon.
She had overheard enough to know that the
band was in great danger, mainly through
the active exertions of Quederos' family.
But her father was especially watchful of
her movements that evening, and il was not
until she heard his snores that she was able
to say word to her lover. He rose and
dressed, as she babe him, though trembling
from weakness in every limb. When he was
ready she tied colored handkerchief round
his head, placed bundle of clothes over his
shoulder and opening a door, of which he
had till then been ignorant led him along
dark pathway. They then emerged into a
curved passage, lighted at intervals with
torches. Sometimes they thought they heard
voices, and Manuela would gently push
ouederos into recess. But no one dis
turped them, and after Hong journey they
came TO the mouth of the cave.
Manuela let her lover out, and babe him
tender farewell.
But surely you are coming with me?" he
cried. u had rather die than leayesssyou to
meet your fathers anger alone"
mo, no." she said. ''The only thing YOU
can do to help me is to come back with a
great band of armed men. BY that time /
will have placed my father in safety, and
shall he ready to go with you. But do not
betray my father" she added quickly
Say only that am in bondage in cave"
Then with kiss and an assurance that 4
he would soon return for her, they parted,
and Quederos was on his journey home.
Don Pablo meanwhile had walked from his
sleep, and sought his guests room. But the
bird had flown. Mad with rage, he turned
to his daughters room, and stumbling over
the two servants snoring on the floor Man.
urla was not to be found.
Fools !! blind pigsr' he cried to the serv-
ants as they stood trembling before him; "do
you not see that both the prisoner and my
daughter have made their escape while you
have been sleeping?" Then, having beaten
them he tied them by their wrists to two
rings in the walls, from which their feet
could hardly touch the ground, and then dis
appeared in the darkness. In the curved
passage Don Pablo suddenly confronted
Manuela coming toward him.
Where is Quedoros?'' he said sternly.
Gone to his home,' Manuela said quiz |
city,,
''Traitress-that thou art" cried Don |
Pablo. Take what thou deservest," and he |
gave her blow in the face that felled her to |
the ground In a moment more his knife |
glittered in the torchlight ana he stabbed |
Manuela MORALLY.
By superhuman effort she gasped, "Save |
myself and thine-he promised to give thee |
two days to escape-I have not betrayed |
thee :" and with groan she fell back |
dead.
For a long time Don Pablo stood as though |
paralyzed with horror But there was no
time to be lost. He stretched and composed |
Manuela's limbs, took off the gold coins |
hanging in her hair and all the jewels on her |
person. Then he hurried away.
'DogsW he said, as he cut down the |
slaves, remove the treasures quickly; the |
hell-hounds are upon u.s."
In few hours the little company had es-
capped, leaving a withered branch marked |
with cross and dagger across the mouth |
of the cave.
The cave was empty, and only the torches |
in the curved passage flared down upon the |
mutilated face of Manuela.
Fired with rage and hatred, Quederos and |
his troops captured the robbers and snug |
glers. They were taken to the City of Mex
leo and tried and sentenced.
Amidst the peaks of the Sierra Madre, not |
far from Monterey, stands small black |
cross bearing the name of 'Manuela When |
they found her in the passage of the cave,
Quederos and his men buried her tenderly |
among the mountains she loved so well; and |
only the little cross marks the spot where lie |
the mortal remains of the smuggler's daugh- |
ter.