St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-07-21
THE DAGGER OF BLIND DOLORES.
How the Demon of Jealousy Led Wife to Murder.

is II True, COiOiSl, tudt Lie
Dolores is jtalOus?"
SIS that the prevailing gossip, major?"
II have heard it, at least"
The man addressed as colonel, a large,
dark-faced and extremely handsome
parsonage, laughed lightly as he lifted
his wine glass to his lips.
''Blind and yet jealous! Ha. ha! 1
hardly know what to say" he answered,
when he had emptied the glass, spilling
a few drops of the claret upon his white
shirt front, showing that he was either
very nervous or not altogether sober.
my wife. as you know, belongs to a
warm blooded family. By the way, her
mother let her jealousy get the upper
hand, and the unfortunate affair of the
Promenade Alameda is still fresh in the
public mind"
''But she had provoc ation."
90 "She thought so. at any rate. don't
defend her." Col. Moro shrugged his
ample shoulders. ''These women are
strange creatures nowadays. Husbands
can't look at pretty creature without
being scolded. Sometimes a dagger in
the dark plays an important part in the
drama, but l don't think it will go that
far in my case"
"You confess, then?"
81 confess what?''
"That CarlOtta, the beautiful feather
worker, has enme5hed YOU"
In moment the face of the Mexican
colonel grew dark.
81 confess nothing" said he. 'tBy
heavens, Maj. Menendez. do you init
mate that | am unfaithful to Dolores"
"Ho! don't fly to pieces" laughed
the other, who saw that his companion
was little the worse for the wine he
had taken. II did not intend to touch
you in tender spot. We are human,
colonel. haven't seen this fair feather
worker, but am told that she is per-
feet heart breaker-the fairest one, per-
haps, in the city of Mexico
This apology and explanation seemed
to mollify Col. Moro.
He softened somewhat to explain that
his wife, who was totally blind and one
of the most beautiful of women, was
jealous without cause; that he had seen
but not dallled with the young girl who
at that time was the talk of the prone
made, drawing room and cafe, and he
was ready to fight any one who was
disposed to link him to liaiSOn with
the feather worker.
Five minutes later the two men left
the wine shop, Col Moro leading the
way. As Maj. Menendez was in the
act of quitting the place he was touched
ON the arm and presented with a
crumpled bit of paper which the at
tache of the shop said he had dropped
on leaving the table.
MenendeZ was little surprised at
first, but with quick glance at Col.
Moro, who saw nothing of these pro-
ceedings, took the paper and gave the
man coin. A short distance from the
wine shop his companion babe him
good night and took car, while he
the major-went back to the light and
took the letter from his pocket.
A Fatal Missiye.
A smile oyerspread his face and his
eyes frightened while he read as fol-
lows in a cramped, though decidedly
feminine hand:
Tonight at 8 by the statute of eau
temoZin. ''CARLOTTA."
Il thought so, and this is proof
enough!" laughed Menendez, at the
same time taking out his watch and
noting the time. ''The lively Dolores
has cause for her Jealousy"
Menendez timed his gait so as to
reach the spot few minutes before s.
He was burning to witness the meeting
between Col. Moro and CarOtta the
feather worker. The girl had deity
captured the husband of Dolores, and
the crafty MenendeZ smiled when he
thought that by world he would be
able to render Dolores more jealous than
ever.
He approached near enough to the
bust to see its dark shape, even among
the shadows of the night, but he saw
nothing more.
A dark object lay at the fsot of the
statute. 1t was human in shape and
grew wildly so Menandez crept for
ward to investigate.
At length he bent over the object
which attracted him, and found that he
was looking down into the face of Car
lotta, the beautiful feather girl of Mex
leo!
His heart seemed to stand still while
he felt the blood CONCEAL in his veins.
When he touched the girls face he
found it still warm, though the stare of
the eyes and the attitude of the body
told that life had departed.
at was knife-thrust," thought the
major. The flower girl had made her
last conquest. He was about to quit
the spot, leaving the body to be diScoY-
cred by the rather sleepy police of the
capital, when football on the prone
made startled him. Stepping hastily be-
hind tree, he saw the giant form of
Col. Moro approaching.
The friend of Dolores was anxious to
see what the husband would do. he
held his breath and waited.
Col. Moro left the promenade and
came toward the bust. The next minute
he stopped, hOrror-stricken. and uttered
sharp cry of amazement. Then he
bent over Carlotta and found that she
was dead.
''If the police would come now there
would be scene." mentally calculated
Menendez. MY God! what is he going
to do!'
The exclamation was occasioned by
Col. Moro lifting the body of the feather
worker from the ground. Menendez saw
him carry it toward the canal. Had the
colonel killed the girl in fit of rage
and returned to the scene to dispose of
the corpse? Lovers quarrel in Mexico
as elsewhere, and the Vega canal has
many dark secrets, some of which will
never be brought to light till the day of
judgment.
The Waters of the Canal.
The Mexican major could not keep
his eyes off the man who was Juggling
the body OF Carlotta, the feather worker,
toward the dark waters of the canal.
He left his tree and followed with the
noiSeleSs tread of cat and the eyes of
night hawk.
He saw Col Moro pause at the edge of