The herald., 1893-12-25

MY ARMS AND FELL TO THE GROUND.
it with my cloak, unpinned the note and
after a moment left the church. Ny lodg-
ings were only few steps off, so hurrying
over opened the note. 1t ran thus:
My mother, father and Bcnito will be in the
procession tomorrow at p. m. l shall have
headache, s@>that l cannot go, but will be at
home. Santiago will bring you the key.
CARLoTTA.
went back, caught her eye resting in
quiringly on me, and slightly nodding as a
token that would be there retired from
the place.
When / got back to my lodgings, l
searched for the note for the purpose of de-
stroying it or reading it again perhaps but
it was nowhere to he found. l hastened
back to the church, supposing l might have
dropped it there, but could see nothing
of it.
Benito was standing near where I had
sat, but he did not move only glancing at
me and withdrawing his gaze. He seldom
noticed me now; indeed never, except by
one of those sinister looks which promise
no good feeling. 1t was but a few months
before the day fixed for his marriage with
Carlotta, and he watched his prize with
jealousy truly Spanish.
The note was not to be found.
On the following day, Christmas, the pro-
cession was formed at the Church of tho
Incarnation and moved for the cathedral at
3 o'clock. About the esame time the peon
boy entered the ''meson" and handed me
small key, to which was attached a strip of
paper with these words, Enter by the door
on st. Martin street."
went down Immediately on the march
ing of the procession. The streets were en-
tirely deserted, SO that had no trouble in
entering unobserved. The little postern on
St. Martin street opened directly on the
rear of the summer house, into which was
not long in going.
In precisely the costume have before de-
scribed, she sat swinging in the hammock,
beauty, grace and vivacity combined.
"Ah, amigo miol' she cried playfully as
I entered you have kept me waiting too
longl'' stepped forward, and seating my
self at her feet took her extended hand and
kissed it.
1.-THE hour you named is not yet past"
said l.
well, WELL" she replied, running her
hand through my hair. you are here now
at all events. l will not complain since
you have come"
did you wish to see me very much in
deed?" said ].
"Can you ask?" And she gave me look
which said more plainly than any words
could that she wanted to see me alone of
all the world. What could dor took
her hand in one of mine, and placing the
other round her waist drew her gently to
| me.
do you love me, then?" I whispered.
She gazed in my face a moment, and
then throwing her arm over my shoulder
abandoned herself to my caresses.
! The crack of a rifle resounded through
the garden, and with a wild scream she
sprang from my arms and fell to the
ground. / jumped from the hammock,
and drawing pistol rushed out upon the
walk. Another crack resounded among
the trees, and ball whistled by close to
my head. Immediately afterward ! heard
footsteps hurrying away. / pursued, but
as came in sight of the gate on the Gale
Real it was closed and locked from the out
side. climbed TO the top of the wall, but
no one was visible on the street. The pro-
cession and high mass had assembled
! almost all the inhabitants of the city. As
F., fer as the eye could reach not human
being was visible.
l returned to the arbor and found Santi-
ago and peop woman lifting Carlotta upon
bench. The ball intended for me had en-
tered her temple, and she was dead. Her
face was turned upward, and the blood was
slowly dripping from the wound to the
| ground. Young, Innocent passionate and
beautiful, her warm affections had led her
to premature and violent end.
you had better not stay" said Santiago,
as l stood gazing upon the ruin before me.
1 my master will be home soon, and you
must not let him find you here JuGnna
and will tell him."
He was right. could do no good by stay
ing and might do harm. Telling the D5y to
say to his master that l would call upon
him on the following day and explain my
connection with her death, looked for
the last time upon the lifeless form and
| Slowly left the place.
The remainder of my story is soon told.
Her uncle never knew by whose hand she
had died, but the disappearance of his son
led him to suspect Benito. The latter left
the city Immediately after the procession
He was observed to talk a moment with,a
Mexican, and then disappearing down a
| street near by he was seen no more.
Yet his own hand had not done the deed,
for he was in the procession at the time
| and throughout the mass. The explanation
suppose to lie in the fact that he had got
information in some way of the appoint
ment, probably by finding the note which l
had dropped, and having hiSed. two assas-
sins purposely showed himself in the pro-
cession in order to escape the suspicion OF
| having murdered me, for whom the shot
was intended. All efforts to arrest him
were unsuccessful, probably because they
were discouraged by his friends
We stail in the city long enough To wit