The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-09-23

sye-, turned and ran swiftly into the chambc
behind us, whence he appeared carrying tn
fben, without speaking. he climbed the ms
sonry OF the archway with great swiftness, III
he stood with his feet in the crack beneath th,
crown q the arch, which you will remem6.
that grew from 1t into the s%tonework Of the but
Supporting himself by a crceper with his lef
hand, with hls right he struck blow after blow
at the biggest OF these roots, severing them on,
tons Of stonework thunderine down the stairway
upon the heads OF the murderers.
by heavensl That is an answer TO my gues
Come down, MoiS.; il the arch falls you viii
fall with II and he crushed"
I" 1t matters little" he answered. this II my
doom day. That bullet has cut me inside, and
bleed TO death, and or. this, spot, az have long
feared, II is fsted that should die. Pray for
Farewell, you gallant man." said the sefor.
II have noaxe, or would come with you"
the Heart | echoed; "of this | am sure, that
you shall not lose your reward."'t
fourth. and largest, which was thicker than a
mans leg, remained, and at this Molas began TO
hey d re ,Ssr 5sa >, h, e,,red.
We, peeped round the corner OF the arch and
saw that some fifty feet below us the band had
fearing they. knew not what, for they heard the
dull sound OF the axe blows, but could not guess
One OF their number was talking 10 Don
Pedro, apparently urging something upon him
to which ne did not agree, aud In this way they
wasted two minutes before the order was finally
given to rush up the remaining steps and take
the temple by storm.
meant much, for now only q third OF the root
remained answered, and the bark cracking
and peeling, showed how great was the strain
Quick" whispered the senior, 4" they GOMEZ"
and as he spoke the handle of the axe broke and
It's head fell to the ground.
Now II the root holds we are lost" I said.
But II was not so, for Niolas still had his heavy
cally at the wood. Al the third cut IL began TO
part, torn slowly asunder as though by the
superintendent mass of masonry which IL had
supported for so many years shifted q little with
n grinding, sound, then hung again.
Tome down, Molas, come down :" cried the
But Molas would not. He struck one moro
blow. sevcring the root, then, with a shout Of
farewell. either through faintness or BY design.
he cast himself forward with outstretched arms
against the face Of the wall, His weight was
little indeed. yet II seemed that II suiiicrd To
turn the balance, for again the trembling mass
moved perceptibly. and the tall trees upon the
top of II began TO nod as though beneath the
II slid forward faster and faster, while sharp
IL, and the trees bent like a rod beneath the rush
Of a fish. Now, also, for the first time the VIII
lsins on the slope below perceived the doom
as ! had never heard. some stood still, and
some some flung themselvss down The stair. One
WHY Dbh U ttiIo iltlStlls uSItt IOTWdTu.
II was too late, the mass OF stonework, so
feet long BY 20 IN breadth, was falling. II fell,
With a roar like that OF thunder 1t struck up
on the stairway, and. bursting into fragments.
swept II from, end 10 end. No discharge OF
fects as this hurricane Of stones that nothing
would withstand, for even the big trees
p rsI'f like s'0s sficks in and nd b EStn % sssy ' apdn
It's crest, as the carved masonry that
In Amor or the Indiana Of n hyunna ~ rttahn.l
downward to its foot. In less than a minute II
was done, the sounds had died away, and moth
a little dust and some remains that had been
men. OF all those who stood upon tho stairway
ward in the hope Of escaping the fall OF the
arch. As II CHANGED he was too late, for though
The mass h. missed ;sd, him a single stone struck
him TO the foot of the first flight, but
When all was finished and the dust had fallen
to the earth again, the senior spoke, saying:
Lei us 20 and search for our deliverer."
In the temple. but we could not And him; doubt,
To this day he lies buried beneath some OF
larger blocks Of masonry. There were other
TO take the rifles and whatever else was likely to
be OF value TO us. Better still. tied among some
four good mules. one OF them laden with am
munition and provisions, for Don Pedro had
come out determined to hunt us down even II he
Having picketed. the mules where they could
IS ss1 food % and iet drins. Sf ' WITCH tfh%P %s . Sss.inE X w .drs
need. On our way up the steps Don Pedro called
to us from where he lay broken and bleeding
against an uprOoted tree.
Water" he cried, - give me water" and the
senior gave him some mixed with brandy, which
had found upon the sumpter mule.
= Your heart Ia merciful.' said Maya gravely.
i am not cruel. yet ! think that | should suffer
that dog to die unattended"
We. all OF us, have sins TO pay for. lady,
which should teach us charity, especially now,
v hen II has pleased God TO spare us" answered
the senior.
Il am dying" moaned the wretch; |" my pre-
sentiment has come true, and death finds mo
among ruins. How dare I die. who have been a
murderer and n thief from my boyhood!"
The senior shrugged his shoulders, for he could
not answer this question.
Give me absolution," he went on. For the
of God give me absolution."
II cannot" said the sefor. ~ have no au-
lime Is short"
Then he turned and went. but for a long time
We were troubled by the cries and blasphemies
II most man: Indeed, they did not cease till
sunset, when the devil came TO claim his own.
ITO be continually