Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-11-19

confession is this said Don Maurizio:
He is notorious desperate. a semi
outlaw. who II brigandage had not beef
made so unpleasant and dangerous &c
all concerned in it would have embraced
that profession. AS it is. he Is known
to have been concerned in many crimes.
He is cousin of the ranchero at whose
house you spent the night, and CHANGED
to be there on that occasion. although il
is not likely that you saw him. Fernan.
DEE did. however. and probably his idea
flashed upon him at the sight OF such an
instrument. The man says that he told
him guardedly, but in language suf1i-
GENTLY clear to be understood. that you
carried money. and that he was at lib
erty To shoot and rob you. He was kind
enough u remark that il was not neces-
sary to kill you outright. although II
such an accident occurred he would not
deplore it. That accounts for the fact
that when the robber found you sense
less he dragged you back into the road
and left you alive. Had you been con.
scious he would no doubt have killed
you.
How could Fernandez be sure that |
would give him an opportunity by fall
ing behind the rest of the partyg
"He reckoned. it is to be supposed, on
the GOODNESS between himself and you.
and on the fact that you could not talk
to Amanda or the lnozos A man in such
case generally rides alone and is easily
left behind He told this poor tool OF
his-whose name, by the way. is Lopez
that If he, Fernandez. were with you
no harm was to De done. but if he found
you alone he might do what he pleased.
The scoundrell" said Derwent be-
tween his teeth. THAT meant that if
he found me plant tool | should be
spared. He offered me the mine, with
many plausible explanations again that
day, and again refused it. Then he
left me to the fate he had prepared-the
infamous scoundrelr
Certainly an infamous scoundrel,
said Don Maurizio. He left you coolly
to your fate. and when he found after
ward that things were not going very
smoothly from his point of view. that
yon had found powerful friend-for
may say that Of myself-and that in
quiry was growing hot upon his tracks,
he met one day the man whom he had
tempted to put his life in jeopardy, and
tainted him with having done his work
so badly. with having spared your life
~ ba
to him, that dead men never tell any
tales. 1t is not likely that he meant by
this that the work should still be done
in more satisfactory manner; but SC
Lopez took il. he fancied that it might
be safer for himself If you were out Of
the way. and the result was simple, Hi
hung about the hacienda. discovered
that you were III the habit of visiting
the canala-a place that seemed mad,
for his purpose-and watched for yor
there with the intention of putting al
end to Fernandez taunts. The rest WI
know
Yes. said Derwent, I'VE know tina
God sent an angel to Illustrate his pur
pose-why. he alone knowsl am SUR
my life seems unworthy of being saved
in such manner"
Think. then. Of poor Barrera," sale
Don Maurizio. smiling. HE absolutely
wept-and you know how much of thu
impassive Indian calm our Mexicani
have-when he heard of the confession
had sent for him. and he arrived jus
after it had been taken down
g | do think of him. and am most sin
cerely grateful on his account as well a
on my own" said Derwent. But wha
will be the result to fernandez
The result viii be, of course, that h
will deny the story, and his powerful
friends will hush the matter up prob
ably But it will put a quietus upoI
! him in many ways. With such charg'
hanging over him he will make himself
less obnoxious for some time to come"
Il shall let him know that if h
crosses my path will shoot him like |
dog.
He will not cross your path" sait
the other significantly. And if he does
you can afford to scorn him. The blooC
Of this poor creature is upon his soul
Let that suffice
Yes, it might well suffice. Derwen
said to himself a little later, as he passet
across the patio on his way to his owl
apartment, feeling exhausted by thu
manifold excitements of the day. Within
the short space of twelve hours man,
things had occurred that he should neve
forget. That moment of close and dead
ly danger, the instant when he had seer
Zarifa standing before him with he
flashing glance and her lifted pistol, he
womanly anguish at the sight of thu
fatally wounded assassin struck dow