The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-20

recollect how much peace you had then.
Don't brag, Camotito: ii makes you absO-
lutely grotesque."
Then Pillar hurried away. and her unfor-
tunate husband looked on ruefully until she
had disappeared.
1t was 10 o'clock that same night The
plaza was full OF people listening to the
Golondrina, the Estndiantes and other tunes
popular at that time in Sonora. A delight
fal moonlight bathed the trees and the
sauntertng people in halo of soft
FURNISHED silver, and the atmosphere,
scented with the perfume OF thousand
orange blossoms, was SO exquisite that lie
at that moment appeared as dream OF
heaven TO the senoriias listening to the soft
nothings OF the cabal leros.
Not so with FL Camote. For an hour he
had YEARLY crawled along. peeriDg into the
groups of promenaders for Pillar. He could
not find her and his heart was racked with
misgiyiDgS.
Ten o'clock struck in the church tower.
Verify Pillar had deceived him! Now was
this dream OF happiness, nursed for so long
IN the mines of Sahuaripa shattered. A
pain, dull and heavy, which lie could not
well locate, but which caused him to hold his
hand to his breast, had seized him.
He staggered away until he reached
saloon and called for mescal. One. two,
three drinks he poured down his fevered
throat. he who had never touched a drop of
liquor since the day before he left Guaymas.
Next he wandered down one street and
up another, feeling like demon and yet
having no plan In mind. As he was lean
ing against wall he heard some voices
near by. Peering into an open gate he saw
Pillar seated on the step OF porch convers-
ing with a stranger whose back was turned
TO him. Her words, though not spoken
loud, came distinctly TO him. She was tell
ing her companion how she had obtained
$500 from her husband that day, how ugly
he was, how stupid, and how much she
abhOrred him.
Fired by the mescal he had taken, and
losing his presence of mind, FL Camote felt
in his pockets for weapon with which to
kill the wanton His fingers grasped
derringer, bought months before. lie
cooked it-took aim. There was a fash, a
report, and then Ell Camote saw Pillar run
away screaming, while the stranger sank 10
the ground. And moment later the cob
bier was in the strong embrace of two po-
licemen, who hustled him to prison in q
very short time.
The next day il was known all over Her
mosillo that the celebrated actor Catalan
had been assassinated the night before and
! that no possible reason could be assigned
| for the deed.
FL CamotitO was taken before the Judge
He had forgotten all about his act. To all
| questions he answered "Quieu sabe ?" (who
| knowsD or listed sabrav' you know.
They would have put heavy iron bar,
| shaped IN the form of an S, around his
miserable little limbs, but what was the
| use? lie could not run away.
! From the moment of the murder a change
| seemed TO have come over Pillar. Her de-
| votlon 10 the imprisoned man became
| ceaseless She cared for his clothes, brought
him meals to the prison, employed the
| Senior Licenciado Maseapuro TO defend him,
| and craved for a kind word from the for
merly despised Camotito. But her love had
! come too late. He tolerated her and that
! was all. She importuned the judges and
the Governor for the Lille of the prisoner. but
what could il avail? Had he not killed
catalan, the most popular aud beloved actor
of Hermosillo, friend alike of the richest
| and to the poorest jewellers in Sonora? Mol
| he must pay the forfeit.
So one morning poor Camotito was awah-
ened little before daylight and offered
| good breakfast. No, he didn't care for it.
Cognac. whisky. mescal2 Neither. Would
he see Dona Pillar? No? Well, then let
US go! The Csmote did not inquire where
| they were going. IL was 30 concern of his.
hack came to the gate. into which he was
showed, and a policeman went along. When
the City Cemetery was reached the Camote
was taken TO an adobe wall, near an open
grave, and stuck against the sun dried
! bricks.
Five or six ragged ''guardias nacIouaes."
with Remington rifles, we're awaiting his
arrival. The sergeant offered him hand
| kerchief to bandage his eyes with. but Ca
| mote waived 1t aside and pulled out fro m
| the pocket in his shirt little parcel. which
lie opened. 1t contained white silk pocket
handkerchief, the gift of his dear mining
friend. James Barton. This kerchief was
peculiar. In one corner il had the initials
j. u. embroidered in red and green silk,
| aud In another corner WAS the Mexican
| eagle grasping a snake. When FL Camote
had seen this among Barton's things he had
taken such fancy to it that Barton had
presented it to him, merely Temarking.
Take care, Don Antonio; it was given to
me by beautiful, dangerous devil"
This the prisoner slowly fastened over
his eyes and tied himself. Then steadying
and drawing himself up to his fullest height
he threw down his sombrero and said
"Adios! amigos" Bang! bang! went the
guns, and the cobbler had paid his debt.
When Pillar reached the cemetery the first
thing she saw. while gazing at her dead
husband, was the handkerchief she had EN-
brpidered for James Barton after she hal
eloped with him. Her mind was made up.
She. too, would die. She retraced her steps
to the city. and meeting on The road Ccris
Indian. who had a rattlesnake Ia box,
purchased it of him. She went to her
room, wrote a letter, and then walked back
to the spot where 'Ei Camote" filed q