The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-07-02
ON THE BRINK
A Tragic Story Of Mexi-
can Passion--Love
and Death.

The darkness was intense, and it hada
s%ingularly depressing effect on me as
CROPPED along, stealthily following the
rustling sound of a woman's dress. In
the pursuit, | had climbed many stone
s~tairways, and at last l found myself
walking on a narrow ledge, scarcely wide
enough to afford a safe footing. With
my cane I reached over the ledge, but
not far, as l could touch nothing, and a
feeling of dread came over me lest 1
should lose my balance. To my left was
the wall, which arched SO low above as
to compel me to stoop in walking. at
each step, the overhanging masonry
seemed to become lower and lower, as if
pressing me into the u~nfathomable
abyss. The darkness ~momentarily grew
more and more dense, oppressive, pal
pable-it forced itself on all the senses
at once. There was a damp, musty
smell in the air, and the dust which had
been undisturbed for years arose in a
sitting cloud. Numerous bats often
tapped their wings almost in my face,
and their harsh, ~squeaking notes gave a
fitting voice to the gloom.
The associations surrounding the I'M
canny place added to the horror of my
situation. The building was in a de-
serted quarter of the City of Mexico. The
massive pile had for many years been
abandoned by all reputable persons and
pursuits. Its labyrinthine interior was a
safe refuge for a horde of murderous
marauders. Many a brave officer of the
law, while searching for a criminal, had
been stabbed to his death by o hand sud-
denly thrust from one of the dark re-
cesses.
Only the week before a prominent and
respected citizen had been murdered
within these dread precincts. His beau
tiful daughter, Dolores, had formed an
attachment for a handsome and dashing
young prodigate named Manuel Lopez.
He was the leader of a band of freeboot-
ers who made their headquarters in the
building. The father took some deter
mined steps and thought he had broken
up the affair; but one day a rumor
reached his ears that Dolores often met
her lover in that i'll famed retreat. One
night he followed her, and, to his intense
grief. found that the rumor was true.
He awaited the meeting, and then rushed
at Lopez with the fury Of a tiger. The
next instant the father fell with a fatal
knife thrust in his heart. The shrieks of
the affrighted girl brought several officers
to the spot where the body was found,
spread throughout the city. The funeral
took place amid general hmentation, and
a large reward was offered for the appre-
hension of the murderer.
A number of mounted officers secured
the neighboring country; but from the
first / was convinced that Lopez had not
left his den. From what l could learn
of the girl l was also certain that she
had not wen yet entirely deserted her
lover.
My watch of seven days and nights
was now rewarded by the temperance
of the girl in tho building, and, notwith-
standing my fears, l cautiously followed
the rustling sound of the dress in the
darkness before me. By an occasional
glimmer it was evident that the girl had
a faint light to guide her steps. Fortu-
ndIcly SlS ulOfCO ohOW1JS III 4 WdS III
abled to follow closely by carefully feel
ing my way with my cane and out
stretched hand. My feet were muffled,
but l was in constant dread lest my
movements should be heard. For some
distance the wall to my left was solid, but
at last l perceived that it had numerous
narrow recesses, much deeper than l
could measure with my arm or can
This increased the horror of my situa-
ton, for at each opening 1 half expected
the murderous Spaniard to rush out and
hurl me into unknown depths below.
Suddenly l was checked in my pursuit
by a startling incident. The girl stopped,
the glimmering light entirely disap-
peared, and l heard a voice, low, but We
hement with rapturous delight.
dolores, my darling! l knew you
would come to me, that your love would
show you that I was not to blame. And
it was not my fault, l swear to you. He
sprang at me like a wild beast, and, not
knowing what l did, I drew my knife in
self defense-and killed him. / acted on
the swift impulse of the moment, and
surely you cannot blame me-"
II do not blame you, Manuel" the girl
said, slowly and with infinite sadness in
her tones; ''bNt we must part forever. I
came tonight to bid you a last farewell"
"Ah, do not say that, Lolita!" came
the mans voice, in desperate pleading;
''see, l could not act otherwise. For
your sake, l would never have harmed
him-yes, I could even have fought for
him; but he came upon me like the wind,
he gave me no time for thought knew
only that one of us must die. Consider,
how would it have been had he lived
had he killed me? Could you have been
his child again? No; you had chosen
me, and / but served your love when l
preserved my life. Think, dear one, you
were mine by fate's decree, and are you
the less mine that Iflave taken the only
course against a man who would have
killed me?"
at cannot be, it cannot be, Manuel"
rloaned the girl, hopelessly; my IA
theirs blood is upon your hands and we
must part forever"
"Come, come, Dolores, be not too
hasty. You must take time to think.
Come, let me lead you to a seat. Why
do you draw back from me? / know
evarv foot of tbn u-av hnra aud CON find