The morning call., 1892-03-30
The CANDLE END.
CONCLUDED.

GliS lOFe-SUUs prosecuted Dy Que WHO. HdQ
no doubt, was my bitterest foe. So il was
that / noticed a great change in Juanita' S
treatment of her admirer. Hitherto her
dislike for him had been evident; besides,
she was apparently afraid Of him. Now.
70 all appearances, the pressure put on her
by her father, Of whom she was very fond,
and who treated her with surprising induig-
ence. and even respect. had proved too much
for her powers Of resistance. Her manner
was now one of shy acQuiescence in her
lovers claims; whereas before this time you
would have thought her less than kind to
the eager Antonio, now | at least considered
her more than kind to him.
Unreasonable as it WAS, this state of
things added, know, to the feeling of lone
illness and depression which was growing
upon me. l put it 10 myself that | was dis
appointed in the girl.
Though still shy and timid in her lovers
presence, my landlords daughter had alto
aether changed i'll her behavior TO the fire.
quentgrs OF the inn. Instead Of keeping to
her own room when the house was full of
men or going quietly about her household
duties, the young girl began 10 l0iter near
The bar, listening TO the conversation OF the
miners. DieZ no doubt attributed the change
in his daughters habits to her growing love
for his charming nephew who was ALWAYS
myself could only think as he did and ac-
knowledge to myself with sign that Juan
ita, too, vas in the enemy's camp.
AT last, three weeks after NV return TO
Palos, the great report was finished. /
handed il 10 the manager and received from
bin an acknowledgment in writing. NV
work was over and | was heartily glad OF il.
l at least had done my duty; it only re-
manned for the directors to do theirs. The
next day | would see the last OF Palos:
OF fhot rr-i+
command the company would close the mine
before many days were past l could not
help being sorry; the village would cease
TO exist; DieZ would have 10 close the po-
sada and this lovely valley would be de-
serted for many long day TO come. Sill
the company had other mines not very far
away; they could start new workings there
and use a good deal Of the old machinery
The miners, too, would soon perhaps get
work again; but they would be the chief
sufferers by my decision.
was in good spirits that evening, SO that
II seemed TO me quite natural that every
one about me should be wondrous polite
ard even cordial. Ny host was oyerw he I'M
Ing with his attentions, forced his company
on ME upon the slightest pretext. and grew
eloquent as he told me with gay confidence
CT his plans for his dear Antonio. His
nephew, it seemed, was good fellow If
ever there was one, only little too warm
hearted and too sensitive. Did he not seem
10 ne little sullen? | confessed that he
did. All! So |, too, had noticed it. The
peor fellow was In love, and all lovers were
respondent at times. Add, would believe
it9 Antonio had actually an idea that did
not Ike him, and be had such respect for
me. And so on. At last the old fellow be-
came so affectionate and so garruious that |
was glad TO get off with a promise to drink
10 the health OF his new enterprise, hotel
in neighb0ring town, In bottle of his
best champagne.
Everything seemed for the best in the
best of all possible worlds as lay back in
my favorite lounge on the Verandah hob
nobbing with the genial old scamp, my
landlord. The only thought which troubled
ny serenity was that Juanita had been In
visible since the morning. and now the sun
had set on my last day at Palos. Would she
take the trouble to see me off in the morn
ing?
/ intended to 90 to bed early worn out
as | was By anxiety and hard work AL
ready the verandah, which, l must tell YOU,
ran all round the house, was dark, for the
house lay in the shadow of the lofty west
ern peaks, and as yet there was no moon. A
curious little heartache came to me as |
thought that L might never see Juanita
again. And while l fingered 10 my dreamy,
sentimental mood, hali-lIstening to the
landlords endless flow of talk, Juanita
my Juanita, was struggling madly TO escape
from an Clubhouse IN the distant corral,
pansing now and then TO listen with sick
ening dread for the sharp, clear sound of
dynamite exploding in the open air on the
verandah-not this time the dull report of
blasting among the hills.
have often wondered since that time
how it was that did not more distrust the
landlord. During the whole of that visit to
Palos bad been oppressed by the thought
OF how great an Injury / was unwilingly
iBfictinR upon him. But this evening had
cast aside all suspicion, and. but for being
aTmpi npPaF6lnU m bah
10 precautions whatever; Diez might have
been my father for all the suspicion l then
had OF him. You may think il was the
champagne, if You like, but really believe
that made no difference to me, except, per-
haps, to eXhllarate me little, and to make
me whistle tune as / rose to take my
candle and 60 off to bed.
DIez had called for the candle; but when
1t was brought lighted l noticed that his
face was as white as skin Of that saliow tint
can become thought be was i'll. and told
MIN so. de answered not word, though
be seemed to try to speak, but took the
candle with trembling hand and-blew IL
outl
said I was ready to go; but he pressed
me to stay little longer aud take another
glass OF wine. DE himself sent for brandy.
which he gulped down at draught, and sa
In the darkness quite still and apparently
Ssleep. At last ! took the candle and
lighted 1t. turned to the landlord as | was
about to 60, and began to say something
about my early start ON the morrow. To
my surprise, he had disappeared. / turned
away and walked slowly along the veranda.
the way i always went TO my room at the
back Of the house. AS / went / whistled
the tune had started before. shall never
forget it.
The engineer ceased speaking, and re-
NAMED few moments ia deep thought.
The absolute stiffness OF the night was
~ mi ny In trn s+,I
ton TO which had been gradually worked
up. When he resumed he spoke In an awe
struck tone, low but clear, and as If living
those Few moments over again. 81 shall
Dever forget it," he said; 1.-THE air whistled
went like this; and he whisiled softly an
an ! i mad often heard before. He was not
nai through 1t when piercing shrek rent
TIE silence OF the night. then a heavy fall,
and all was still again.
The engineer turned pale, and seemed
rooted to his chair. l ran to the door
opened II. and rushed into the hall, where
ne Joined me at once. The hall was dimly
Hghted Dy one lamp near the outer door:
gallery ran round 1t great height from the
floor. There white figure woman. was
rising TO its feet, and then another of those
awful shrleks. and she rushed with arms
ontstretched along the gallery. She had
turned the corner to our left, when door
opened close TO where the woman had first
fallen. II was man this time. who glidcd
swiftly after the woman In his hand he
held something which flashed .once, dimly
In tho light Of the lamp. My companions
started. ran forward and fired. The white
figure stopped, put The pursuer still ran on
be was near her now, when another sho,
rang out; the man fell forward and lay
quite still.
The following day the engineer intro
ducer re to his beautiful wife, whose life
ae had certainly saved that night 1t wa: