Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1892-01-23


that" he thought, for he knew how dear
the gentle priest was to every one at
Mirafores. He had heard from Don
Maurizio that he belonged to one of the
prescribed religious orders, which,
robbed, exiled and defrauded by the gov
ernment, are yet quietly doing the work
of God in poverty and obscurity all over
Mexico.
The young man was thinking of that
figure, and of all the long line Of such
figures which had Christianized and
civilized savage people, as he worked
with facility that surprised himself.
Perhaps the stimulus was the desire to
crafty Dona Zarifa-for love can do
wonderful things and develop powers
almost undreamed of-or perhaps he
possessed more talent than he had hither-
to imagined. At all events his sketch
was growing in the most satisfactory
manner, and he was so absorbed in its
progress that he had almost forgotten to
wonder if Dona Zarifa would appear ac-
cording to her promise, when suddenly,
in such quick succession as to be almost
/
the air, the last-a rife ball-just graz
ing his ear and then fattening itself on
the stone column beside which he sat.
The book dropped from his hand and
the sheet of paper on which he was sketch
ing was borne by current OF air over
the railing and futtered unheeded into
the current below, as with a violent start
he looked up to see Dona Zarifa stand
ing on the path below, with still smok-
ing pistol in her uplifted hand.
In an instant he was by her side, for
instinct told him that the shot had not
been fred idly. "For Gods sake, what
is it," he cried, gazing with astonishment
at the pale, set face, the shining eyes and
the uplifted hand pointing so steadily
without tremor in the direction of the
pavilion.
"There is man, an assassin, behind
yonder rock" she answered, in clear,
vibrant tone, pointing to a low, long
bowlder that crowned the hill which rose
Immediately in the rear of the pavilion.
81 saw him about to shoot you, and I
fired just as he had his finger on the trig-
ger. His aim swerved and he fell. think
killed him."
81 will see," said Derwent, turning
quickly; but she stopped him by mo-
ton and extended the pistol. "He may
be merely wounded" she said. "Be
cautious"
With no recollection of his weakness
he sprang forward and fastened up the
steep ascent. Eighteen or twenty yards
brought him to the bowlder, and there
on the ground behind it was the assassin,
his rifle where it had fallen beside him.
At the first glance Derwent thought he
was dead, but ON examination discovered
that, though insensible, he was still
breathing. Throwing open his loose
white upper garment, the young man
saw that the pistol ball had entered his
chest some little distance below the
heart. A stream of dark blood was
flowing from it, and Derwent's first act
was to place his thumb on the bullet
hole. The next moment he heard step,
and turning his head saw Zarifa stand
ing beside him, looking dorn at the
mans face with an expression of in
tense pain. But she asked in a hushed
! tone:
sis he dead?"
mo; and l am not sure that the
wound need be fatal if we can get
speedy help. Can you go for it?'
Eyes, certainly" she answered, start
ing away impetuously. But before she
had gone three steps she turned again,
and picking up the mans weapon car
ried it short distance away. ''Have
you the pistol in your hand?" she said.
"Be on your guard; some of these peo-
pie are very treacherous. l will soon
bring assistance and Padre Francisco.
/ left him at the hospital"
When she was gone, Derwent for the
FIRST time looked closely at the mans
face. 1t was dark, with finely cut fea-
lures and a tangled mass of black hair;
but not even the closed eyes and relaxed
muscles could soften its fierce and sinis
ter expression. A desperate in appear.
ance as well as in deed, he looked thor
oughly capable of the dastardly act in
which vengeance had overtaken him,
and Derwent felt with sense of shud-
dering horror, such as he had never be-
fore even imagined, that but for the
strangely fortunate chance-or was it
the mercy of heaven?-that had brought
Dona Zarifa upon the scene at the crit
ical moment, he himself would now be
lying with his life blood yelling out and
his eyes closed forever to the things of
earth.
The man must be indeed insensible
who, having as it were, felt the very
breath of death upon his cheek, is not
thrilled by the touch of that great and ter
rible mystery. Nor was the thrill les
sened by thinking of the hand that saved
him, the gentlewoman's hand that had
never before taken even the life of q
bird, but that had not faltered in strik
ing the murderer down. What fire OF
fierce indignation had been in the darl
eyes when he met them firstl 1t was
like the deadly flash of sword from it'
sheath. He found himself recalling i
with such sense of conflicting emotion
that it was well for him that the sount