The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-02

said, It had been a faYoTite phrase OF his 10
days of old. Death was written on MS
face.
aphernalia; the tiled floor rugged profusely !;
pen-and-ink sketches were pinned aga Iil:,s
the walls, From the window we eould loQA
down into the valley. We were DOth IooA-
ing at the sky that stretched away Gsn ~ :
live blue, skirted with wreathlDs INV "a
cloud, each tinted ike shell; 5oor. II
"a light step approached me uVoo o,o !,
onaned and the duSky senorita steppsu
across The threshold with gouen A. IN Ia - r,nn
arms lack did not move MS eyes, pu' W :. =
on smoking. She stepped across enS tSon
and laid the fruit upon the taOIe' az ~
gathering the ,o 3lfG into ieiaP little balcony.
sue &c ~ ~ - ne On out and take walk, i sug-
qested. He arose dreamy
"a morita.' he said, so low 1t seemed lm-
o,.IhIa She should have heard him. but she
Hen he nodded his head TO her inquiry.
Scbe ran lightly away and soon returned
with bis hat and cane.
IA dios' cara mia he muttered tenderly,
and kissed her. She opened the d DOR and
we passed out.
ladies. Amorita'
81 fingered in Patzcuaro for many days,
feeling that he could not i've long, even III
that hot air.
''Sometimes l spoke to him Of the games
Of roulette we had PLAYED. bat MS only re-
Spouse was gentle, half-tired smile
~ will never play any more, he sad. /
am Just waiting for be dld not say death,
but he looked it. 1T VIII come soon aho
AmOrita will be alone
"a Iook Of heaven came into his face
whenever he saidi that name, and during
nv many ramblings with him learned tha'
She had some little money 1t was enough
for them both, she had told him IN spanish,
Ia n
serape laid across the chair. and Amorlta
sang him Spanish lullabies to the stringed
lute or held him in her warm, warm heart
when he was i'll and fearful.
Word came that l mast leave New
Mexico and return to the States. went to
bid farewell TO Jack and Amorlta, for | had
learned to know her very we'll and loved to
see her dark eyes brighten when / came,
for she told me the senior was always glad
TO see me-
81 tapped at the door and then opened it
softly.
Jack was lying on the couch propped up
with pillows, the blue seTaDe was thrown
lightly over him, falling against the trans
parent whiteness Of his lace. He was gasp
ing for breath. The windows were all open.
AmOrita, kneeing at his side, was moving a
large fan slowly. evenly.
Cara MIA he murmeTed, in gentle
gasp.
a. so kind, so true he murmured. Wine,
water, for Gods
"She lifted a wineglass to his lips and low
ingly supported him as ne drank. His blue
eyes fell softly upon her. l crossed to the
other side OF the couch. lie saw me.
"'Dick.'
"'Yes, old man.
1.-The Witch Of the Swamp, you remem-
ber3'
"'Yes yes
"She is coming, The silk is waving, the
blasted hopes loom like a swamp. but the
moonlight, the starlight, is this face And
he turned his eyes to his Spanish love.
The moonlight, the sunlight worship
the sun, the warmth, the love, the life.
Amorita-'
with gentle vehemence she flung heI
arms about him and held her lips 10 his face
\ our last BREATH" she murmured iT
Spanish; / will die with its fragrance on
my lips. You will not journey alone TO the
land Of souls, my life
with immortal move he drew himself
into her arms; q momentaTy struggle, q
sound OF choking, and lOwly-rigidly-he
fell into the pose of death.
"AmorIta removed the pillows from his
head TIL he lay quite at ease. She arranged
his hair with gentle touch aud placed a
prayer rug by the couch; then moved across
the room, and before mirror draped a lace
mantllla about her seas tOTm hair, and tax
Ing Wal from her pocket she poured the
colorless c0ntenfS into tiny glass.
she came back to the couch and knelt
by his side a moment; then, rising. she laid
her hand in mine. her eyes fixed first upon
his face, then turning into mine. Gently
she pointed TO the door, her head dropped
the glass held high above her head.
obeyed the silent command.
The Spanish guardsmen found them late
that night. A wreath of flowers was living
on their breasts. The fragments Of a shat
tered glass lay glimmering on the floor as il
had fallen from her lips and hand.
Through the open window swept the tink-
ling Of many bells, and the night air stirred
the music TO the room from the distant
piazza, and so l left Jack Lane, lite rateur. +"
y C. r