The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-08-25

may be seen upon the calles and Prado. | Official and nabobs in the saddle loi- ter at their sides, exchanging greet ings with friends and acquaintances. | On such an evening. when Don En- rique and Count Basil were thus en- gagged, the latter suddenly exclaimed:
 santa Maria! All Spain has not such lovelinessr
 Don Enrique. following his friends look and gesture of admiration to the streams of carriages coming from the opposite direction down the Prado, saw the obect of Count BasiPs excla- nation, and with that glance he lost his heart.for, at the same moment, the most beautiful and lovable senori- tn of all Cuba raised her lustrous eyes to his own.
 Involuntariiy Don Enrique saluted her. She turned away. but could not hide the bushes of not displeased re- cognition with which her face was suf- fused. Following the carriage at It's side, common sight In Havana then, walked old Tomasa, looking adoringly into her former mistress face; and Donna Felisa's gracious hand rested kindly upon the shoulder of her former slave.
 "Jesu.-Maria! That dream of fair women shall be mine" passionately cried Don Enrique to his companion, searching the counts eyes for respon- sive accord and chivalrous proffers of assistance.
 There was a strange pallor In the mans face. but he spoke no answer ing word to his friend.
 ".
 In the early evening of February day, in 1S45, celebrated American | statesman sat upon the colonnaded portico of the old Hotel Amy, over looking the beautiful waters of Hava- ma bay. As the nominee of newly created political party. himself defeat ed of election as president of the Uni ted States and exhausted by the tur- moil of party warfare, he had for a time escaped them all. and, unaccom- panied, was recruiting his energies in this sweet southern cline.
 The Madrid government had directed that the highest honors be paid him in Cuba. Refusing al official and private entertainment, he had accepted only single attendant and interpreter, at | the courtesy of Governor-General Ia con. This man, a brilliant young Vir- ginan, a tutor in many of the noble
 families of Cuba, had become his in seperable companion; and, just as around from the lookouts of Moro tow CT to the heights of Fl Principe the l evening challenges of the sentinels had begun, he smilingly welcomed his young friends approach.
 A few words of greeting passed be- | tween them in which the elder man ex- pressed an unalterable determination to accompany the Virginian upon some strange adventure. The surprise, de- light and gratitude, yet shame-faced
 protests of the latter, were boundless At last, perplexed, he timorously in auired:
 "But in heavens name. what kind of a Gypsy can we make of you?" | Make me dumb Gipsy fiddler"
 sententiously retorted the other. 'I
 have linked and diddled' my elbow a
 thousand times in old Kentucky: and
 if there's to be any trouble at Fl Dique
 tonight, although I'm getting along in
 years, you will find that my finger is still pretty quick ands sure at the trig- ger!'
 They sat there for perhaps an hour in earnest conversation. If 1t could have been overheard. these interesting facts would have been gathered TheVir- ginian was the English tutor of the most lovely and lovable senorita of Havana, who was betrothed in mar lSiage to a titled Spaniard, one Don Enrique. The latter who had but lately on the death of her father, the Duke of Teruel, fallen heir to vast estates in Arragon, had. through some strange influence, plunged into a most dissolute life. The don and donna were madly in love with each other The marriage day had been repeatedly set. But each time at its near approach some hideous contretemps occurred. This had at last become a scandal in Havana society.
 Thereupon the chivalrous Virginian took the field in the donna's behalf. He at once discovered the secret destruc- tive influence. It was the mysterious power of Count Basil de Orense. The Virginian had sought his acquaintance charged him with his perfidy, flung at him repeated insults and challenges, only to see Don Enrique become more and more helpless and complicated in the calmly remorseless adventurer's clutches.
 All this time Count Basil was pay ing insiduous and persistent court to the donna herself. Though she, sur missed his wretched power and loahed him, her tutor, fully in her confidence, coun;telled her to permit these ad- dresses, through hope of discovering some means of rescuing the man she loved. But no good came of it. Elm boldened by his success. the patient and devilish plans of Count Basil were rapidly maturing.
 Half way between Havana and Gui- nes. on the great calzada that trails between, stood the famous gambling hell of Fl Dique, then conducted in roy al fashion. Here Don Enrique was entrapped, piled with wine, tempted by the most brilliant lascivias of Spain, and enchained by the human flends around him. .~,..
 Rumors of plays and losses in fabu- lous sums over the tables of Ell Dique flew from lip to lip in the city. But meantime the count was frequently back in Havana, the social hero of the hour. his agents prompting the spread