Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1892-02-06

In sucn manner
Think, then, of poor Barrera," said
Don Maurizio, smiling. He absolutely
wept-and you know how much Of the
impassive Indian calm our Mexicans
have-when he heard of the confession.
had sent for him, and he arrived just
after it had been taken down"
81 do think of him, and am most sim
cerely grateful on his account as well as
on my own" said Derwent. But what
will be the result to fernandez"
'The result will be- Of course, that he
will deny the story, and his powerful
friends will hush the matter up prob
ably. But it win put quietus upon
him in many ways. With such a charge
hanging over him he will make himself
less obnoxious for some time TO come"
Il shall let him know that if he
crosses my path | will shoot him like
dog"
He will not cross your path" said
the other significantly. "And if he does,
you can afford to scorn him. The blood
Of this poor creature is upon his soul
Let that suffice"
Yes. it might well suffice, Derwent
said to himself little later, as he passed
| across the patio on his way to his own
apartment. feeling exhausted by the
manifold excitements Of the day Within
! the short space OF twelve hours many
! things bad occurred that he should never
forget That moment of close and dead
| ~ danger. the instant when he had seen
| Zarifa standing before him with hel
| flashing glance and her lifted pistol, her
womanly anguish at the sight of the
fatally wounded assassin struck down
| by her own hand, her swift summons Ct
assistance-these things We're burned in
| slIaceably upon his memory. And not
| less vivid was the recollection Of the mo
menys in the twilight quiet Of the clois-
| tered court. when Zarifa and himself
| had stood alone together. and she had
| spoken with a confidence so touching
that il had ainost led him to n betrayal
| that be felt would be the depth of folly.
Then he had walled beside her as she
made one of the procession that followed
| Padre Francisco as, with accompanying
acolytes, with shining tapers and silver
| bell and al the sweet and solemn state
which the ritual prescribes, he bore the
| holy Host to the dying man. And what
| 3 scene that was ppon which they en-
! tered. The hushed quiet. the hneelipg
! forms and the radiance Of lighted can
| dies ceuteriug about the bed where he
I lay who in the morning had been
| murderer in intent, and who now-oh,
| wonderful mystery of eternal love and
/ pardon!--was to 20 forth on his last
| dread Journey with that sacrament so
| fitly called the Viaticum of the dying.
Zarifa lnelt just outside the door of the
room, shielded from observation alike
by her black draperies and by the dusk
of the court but a few minutes after the
communion, as she rose to go, Padre
Francisco came out to her "He wishes
to speak to you" he said, NAY, do not
| fear"-as she shrank back-"what he
has to say viii not distress you. He
begs you to come"
She could not refuse then. Derwent
saw her gather herself together with
supreme effort and very quietly, though
pale as any statue, she followed Padre
! Francisco into the room. The young
man almost held his breath as he gazed
at the picture which she made, standing
| beside the bed looking down with a face
which might have served a painter for
that of the Mother of Mercy upon the
worn, brown countepance out of which
| the dark eyes shone with a calm aud
solemn gaze, the gaze of man whose
t,sE ~ tlAr
upon time
"Senorita," he said, so low that she
stopped to hear him. yet so clear that
| Derwent, leaning against the door, heard
every word, Il have asked you to come
that | may thank you for saving me
from the crime | should have COM
mitted this morning, know that you
are kind and gentle; have thought that
| you might be sorry; and | wish to tell
you that it is well for me that am here.
| | have been very wicked NANNY soul
is stained with many crimes-and it is
| likely that | should have died as | have
lived had you not brought me here, to
make my peace with God. 1t is more
than deserve--far more than | deserve,
senorita Thank God when you think
of me, and pray for my poor soul"
80 long as | live," she answered very
gently, 81 shall pray for you, and | shall
have the holy sacrifice offered for the
repose of your soul"
at is more than | Deserve" he re-
peated again. Tell the senior whom
tried to kill that thank God for pre-
serving him, and beg his forgiveness
with all my heart have told the padre
where his watch can be found, but the
money, alas! is spent and gone"
"Tell him." said Derwent, when this
was translated, that forgive him
| heartily, and that he need not trouble