, 1886-06-09
A STORY OF BRIGANDS.

" IA mi IL kltal SUI III
over Spain.
AS l was dining one evening with the
French consul the conversation turned on
stories of %brigands. The crimes of all the
Fra Diavolos of Spain were successfully
passed in review, and II | did not dream of
brigands that night it was because-the
dinner having been very elaborate, and
moistened with the best wine of the
try-my sleep, under this burning atmos-
phere of A~ndalusia, was unusually pro-
found. Before dinner the consul had
kindly presented me to some Of the nota-
bilities of the cities. and to n countryman
of ours, a rich capitalist held in high es-
TEEN by both natives and French, who had
invited mt TO visit Tim.
A few days later l went to see this new
friend, NJ. C., and, after a few ommon
places, the conversation again led up to
the brigands. l asked him then If he him
self believed these extraordinary stories.
"Assuredly, said he. II have very good
reasons to believe in brigands, for | have
very often found myself In forced rela-
tions with them. You know that | am the
director Of a lead mine in the Sierra Ne
vada's. Under my orders | have n large
number OF workingmen, who not only
work in the mine. but relieve the hard
ships Of that laborious toll and add to its
profits by occasionally following another
trade, smuggling, for example, or robbery
on the highways. But US | nm not charged
with the duties of police outside my own
works, and as everybody there does his
duty, / never bother myself about what
happens elsewhere.
zone day a young man with q fine face.
distinguished manners, a white and aristo-
cratic hand, neatly though modestly
dressed, came into my office and asked for
work in the mine. After looking him over
and hearing his request, proffered in the
purest Castillian, l told him that the kin
Of work ] had was hardly suited to the
daiioaey OF his hands or the distinction of
his tanners and his person, and ndvised
him to seek employment better suited to Il
man Of his position.
81 don't care how rough the work is
he answered. 4 must work for n living;
| am out OF work and absolutely without
a SOU
"The next day | put him in charge of n
squad Of miners. For about n month he
attended faithfully to his business and be
came a great favorite with his compan-
ions. But one morning he was taken
sick. ! wanted him to go INTO the infirm-
ary, but in spite OF all my efforts to detain
him he insisted on going away. and to all
my protests he replied that his compan
ions would take good care OF him.
The young fellow interested me, his
courage, his perseverance, his force Of will
touched me, and | ended by Offering to
go with him to Malaga, where l promised
to obtain him n place that would be
worthy OF his apparent station.
"'You are very kind, he said to me
with tears in his eyes, and it is n long
time since any one manifested so much in
terest in me. l thank you aud am very
grateful. Allow me to respond to your
generous offer with n confidence that will
show you why | can not accept 1t. | do
not wish you to believe hat / am migrate
full or indifferent. My name is l., and
the name OF Samarilla was given to me by
my comrades on account OF the cloak |
wore when | took refuge in the mountains.
l served several years as an officer in the
cavalry, and the future presented the most
brilliant prospects, when | met n young
lady at Seville with whom | fell desper-
ately In love Mt first sight. After some
happy maneuvers, / was presented to the
family. and soon acrepted as a betrothed
by the beautiful young woman, who gave
me permission to come in the evening to
talk with her at her window. | was
happy. Everything in the world seemed
to smile on me. My family was well to
do and well disposed toward me; l had n
charming %fiancee. good comrades, and was
patiently waiting my rank of captain in
order to marry.
One evening after having taken leave
OF the family Of my inamorata, | took a
little turn of the promenade and wa go
Ing back to my usual place under her bal
cony, when l thought | observed some
one in possession of that sacred spot. That,
you know, is n mortal insult that no good
Spaniard can endure, so. rubbing my eyes
to assure myself that | was not dreaming.
| quckened my steps. and, an instant later,
clearly distinguished IA man muffied in the
folds of his long cape
"Be of | cried to the stranger. This is
the balcony of my fiancee. II you do not
want to feel the blade of my navajo be off,
| say
"'My rival-for it could be none else
than n r~ival-drew his knife without n
word, and sprang upon me. But | had
rolled my cloak around my left arm. |
parted the blow, and, attacking him in
my turn, | struck him such n blow that he
COVE n piercing SHREK, and fell lifeless to
the ground.
"'Wha was TO be done' imagine that
| heard a cry respond to that Of my victim.
No doubt she had witnessed the combat
from her window.
""To fly was the only thing left me.
Windows began TO go up, whistles sounded
to call the night Waterman. | fled and
reached my house n prey to the ~liveliest
anguish, devoured by jealousy and rage
and terrified by a misfortune the conse-
quences OF which / could not conceal.
Being unable to rest in this uncertainty
until the next day and thinking tina /
might be sought ut my lodging, | went to
an ofiicer in the same regiment, and telling
him what had happened, asked him to go
Tor Information touching the consequences
OF the afiray. After an hour-an age to
me-he returned with the word that every
chance OF safety was closed against me.
that my rival belonged to one OF the most
distinguished families OF Madrid and to
to the party then in power, and that the
penalty FOR my crime would be terrible, no
one daring to defend me against such
powerful ndversaries. My relative him
self already seemed cold toward me.
then thought that, for the present at least
the wisest thing to do was to put the
mountain between justice and myself.
returned TO my house, gathered up the
little money that | possessed, saddled my
horse, and galloped on for the mountains.
"'You know that every man with a
weight on his conscience can easily hnd a
refuge In the hiding places OF the Snug
glers and bandits. | secreted myself and
lived some time on the little money / had
taken with me. The day came when | had
to sell my poor horse, my last faithful
friend. then appealed to my family. My
relatives responded that | had disgraced
them. and refused to assist me. NY
friends. like my relatives, denied my APP
peal Finally. one day | learned that a
price had been put on my head. and that
must no longer hope to resume my place
In society. IL was then that. having spent
my last sou, | went to you, and YOU gave