Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-05-20

escape from an clubhouse in the distant cor
raj, pausing now and then to lis.en with
sickening dread for the sharp, clear sound
of dynamite exploding in the open air on
the veranda-not this time the dull report
of blasting among the hills!
| have often wondered since that time
how it was that l did not more distrust
the landlord. During the whole OF that
visit to Palos | had been oppressed with
the thought Of how great an injury was
unwillingly inflicting upon him. But this
evening had cast aside all suspicion, and,
but for being armed, according to my
habit, | had taken no precautions what
ever Diez might have been my father for
all the suspicion | then had of him. You
may think it was the champagne IL you
like, but really believe that made no diff
ference to me, except, perhaps, to exhil-
arate me little, and to make me whistle
tune ~ ! rose to take my candle and go
off to bed
Diez had called for the candle, but when
it was brought, lighted, noticed that his
face was as white as skin of that saffow
tint can become. thought he was Ill, and
told him so. He answered not a word,
though he seemed to try to speak, but took
the candle with trembling hand and
blew it outl
said was ready to go, but he pressed
me to stay little longer and take another
glass of wine. He himself sent for brandy,
which he gulped down at draught, and
sat in the darkness quite still and apparent
ly asleep. At last ! took the candle and
lighted it. j turned to the landlord IN
was about to go, and began to say some
thing about my early start on the morrow
VI 40 la L,I al
turned away and walked slowly along the
veranda the way | always went to my
room at the back of the house. As went
whAstied the tune had started before.
shall never forget it.
The engineer ceased speaking, and re-
manned a few moments in deep thought.
The absolute stiffness Of the night was aw-
full to me in the excited state of expecta-
ton to which had been gradually worked
up. When be resumed he spoke in an
awe struck tone, low but clear, and as IL
living those few moments over again. 81
shall never forget it," he said; the air
whistled went like this" and he whistled
softly an air l had often heard before He
was not half through it, when a piercing
shrek rent the silence of the night, then a
heavy fall, and all was still again.
The engineer turned pale, and seemed
rooted to his chair. | ran to the door,
opened 1t, and rushed into the hall, where
he joined me at once. The hall was dimly
lighted by one lamp near the outer door.
A gallery ran round it at a great height
from the floor There white figure, a
woman, WAS rising to its feet, and then an
other Of those awful shrieks, and she
rushed with arms outstretched along the
gallery. She bad turned the corner to our
left, when door opened close TO where the
woman had first fallen. 1t was a man this
time, who gided swiftly after the woman.
In his hand he held something which
flashed once dimly in the light of the lamp.
My companion started, ran forward, and
fired. The white figure stopped, but the
pursuer still ran on. He was near her now,
when another shot rang out. The man
fell forward and lay quite still
The following day the engineer intro
duced me to his beautiful wife, whose life
be had certainly saved that night 1t was
from her learned how that exciting scene
was the sequel and completion of her hus-
bands story. It was Antonio, the Span
lard, who had met his fate at the moment
when he was about to take his revenge,
nursed now for two long years He and
bis uncle. the worthy Diez, had, IL seems,
conspired to kill the engineer by means OF
a dynamite cartridge made to initiate the
lower part OF q candle. To this cartridge
very small piece Of candle WAS fixed with
little gunpowder cartridge inserted in
the top Of the dynamite. The whole
looked like a good sized piece of candle
Two OF three minutes and the dynamite
would explode, and certainly kill the
bearer of the candle.
Juanita had discovered the plot, as in
deed her object for several days before had
been to learn what the miners, and espe-
cially her relatives, were plotting against
the engineer, the man she loved. Unfortu-
nately, she had been herself suspected by
her father, and shut up in the corral away
from the inn. She had escaped, but only
just in time to snatch the candle from her
lovers hand and hurl it down into the ra-
vine below, where it exploded harmlessly
before it reached the ground.
The happy pair had escaped to the con
vent and been married there; but the ex-
element Of that day had left its mark on
Juanita. At times she would walk in her
sleep, and go through in fancy the scene
she could never forget. But the shock Of
that other scene where she awoke on the
gallery Of the New York hotel effectually
cured her. Only her husband remained to
remind her Of the plot Of the candle end
Chambers Journal