, 1888-02-16


bach again to tho crowded cafe. TIE
gambler moved his chair against tho wall,
crossed his legs, lighted another Of his In.
Vulnerable cigars, and all three Of US
chGttcd In q dcsultory way, while Tomaso
moved from table to table, noddlns t.
this friend and shaking hands with that,
as hc approached. News OF the trouble
had apparently got abroad, for the cafe
was crowded and every eye was fixed on
tho placid young Cuban
Ho was II good type of the tropical man
about town, clubmnn, yachtsman, and
dandy. His shoes wero ruasct leather
with high heels and tied with tiny bits Of
bluo ribbon, afrording u glimpse of sill;cn
hose. HIS coat, waiStcoat and trousers
were whitc flannel, cut by Parislan tailor
and almost nodded to his slim figure
and 5000 Panama hat with Tiny crest
In gold worked In tho top OF the crown,
was pushed back ON tho top Of his head.
Ho woro tho snowicst Of linens and the
general whitencss Of his attire was re.
loved by u brilliant scarlet scarf In which
there was u black diamond set In white
enamel. He woro several snowy rings.
There was something thpt relieved his
appearance Of all suggestions Of offemi.
macy, and think IL was the steady gaze
of his eyes. His face was clean cut and
regular, the mouth firm and the expires.
sion very winning when he chose TO smile.
Hc was the only son Of rich widow, had
tho cntree to the best houses in Havana,
and was moro Of favorltc among mer
than among women. This is tho best
recommendation any man can have.
had mot him in New York, and SO posed as
his Oldest friend among the queerly con
stitutcd trio that night, but wo had al
been in Havana Il month, and wo hac
been together constantly, so that hc wa
quite as wcll acquainted with the Ehglisl
noble'nan and tho Chicago gambler IA
with me.
When he finally got to our tablo ! {
pulled out shis Little ieweled watch auc
said:
1T Is beyond 10 o'clock, and 20 We Gt
20 tho ball"
When wo got to the Tacon theatre,
where tho masked ball was going on, th,
floor was crowded by men and women IN
carnival attire dancing u curious and sui;
gestlvo Cuban waltz. We went in TIE
box Immediately over tho governor gen.
erals, In the second tier. In an instant,
every head in the room was turned to-
wards Tonaso
There waS nothing new about the bail.
1t was the saclo old series OF wriggles and
contortions which invariably characterize
tho Cuban dance, and which mako 1t In
Its vulgar form tho grossest OF known
public umusements. We had all been up
late the night before, and am afraid !
was rather sleepy. At oil events, doscd
Off bit at the luck Of tho box wbilo the
music strurnned away monotonougly
Tho others TALKED and watched the crowd.
1t must have boon nearly = O'Clock, whou
young yachtsman pulled open the door
OF tho box, stuck u half scared face in nnd
nodded significantly to Toruaso. Tho lat.
ter raiaed bis eyebrows pcrceptibly and
Dmiled his thanks for the warning. II
was evident that tho duelst had arrived.
Tho gambler pulled my sleeve and told
mo in n Eoarse whisper to wake up, bat
tho suggestion WAS not needed, for saw
by tho movement IA the crowd that we
wera In for tho row mt last, A crowd Of
club men and loungerJ surgel IN Oh tie
floor, end with them YVES tho hero CT the
hour, with his face whitgr tscn cver cnd
his big eyes rolling from faCo TO facc. Tho
EnClishman had evidently Leen thinl.irq
deeply and 10 was very much pertu.lcd.
Al tho lttlo group Of rcundels puzzled
their WAY Oh tho door ha aroso and leaned
over tho young Cuban with . more
fGthcrly a!r than had over seen him ex.
hiSlt before.
~ wish you would come home, nv
boy" lie said, with n half sullen and hall
husky voice. ~ feel like criminal. ]
oaGht 10 havo spanked you aad put you 1;
bod three lOt.rJ ago. The trouble IL tA.i
the duel ID aisca a recognized Institute.
Ii these countries than an outsider c.t
never interferc, but it Ii pity that 80,
have to get into Uuy sort Of u gcr,Gntaac
with that white faced cat down there
the LCor"
''I. nust be, you know" said Il,
youu9ster resignealy. "It .s the custc;.
Of tho country, and il I showed tho L.
tnpf'n,,rz, To -t,,,l, 4 "a L.
Tienl and rclative Oh tho island"
Tho Englshman aanli back again int
his seat. Then proposed q walk throur
tho corridors We moved out slowly vi D
the gambler beside Tomaso, and the En-
HGhman acd | walEing together bes,c,
them. was rather surprised to Geo t..a,
none OF the Cuban3 came 10 Tomaso's side,
but learned the reason from one OF them u.
we walked along. He eG,d that Us ToinGsc
had deliberately chosen foreignerJ, mean.
1ng us, for his associates In tho troa5lc,
they thought 1t wcrld only be courtesy tc
respect hi3 wishes, but that they ell held
themselves a. lis rcrvices ct any time.
Thu | was told TO communicate to him by
the 2elEcr, whose good breeding appa.
rcH.Iy ISeTar.sd him 6rom upproacniBe
TC:. aso himself. Wo moved down the
broad liC-. CT stairs and into tho open
curt ~ ,J!nag The Tacon theatre. AZ lie
s-uic Llo-uent the Other party hurried
taicuis>G;IsIy out Of the further door, and
we Lead o;aasioa2l slurs and gibes leveied
ct AL,cv.ca15 Grd Lla Us .o.aa, including
four O. I've tlnitatioug Ct how we spoke
SDagi-G. rho limitations werc SO deity
AID clcyeriy !anGe LAT both the English.
man anu G.,unpd, but tae gambler and
Tor2Jrc wc.c app.,cEtly quite Crconsciour
of the luSt!cGc uf relllrss That were ieyS led
ut u. 1t tegGn to look - II wo werc in
for more " u rog Than wc had ut frat
suppressed. We wlgo walking directly
toward tae crowd, and il tho frcnt rank
stool the duellst, with sort OF stacc
suii,c on his thin lips, and his eyes 1yed
d.ccc;ly On thc slim boy who was wai...p:;
BY the gumbler's side.
had rather have Lad that famous Chi