The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1894-11-30

shS young CPautdrOS lOngl utacE
lashes. She was going to respond
negatively, whep. without longer
awaiting permission, the captain en-
tered. his spurs resornding upon the
polished floor.
Pardon me, cara mia, " said he, in
q loud voice, If / come IN without
permission. know that you ex-
expected me-"
He stopped short; he had seen Fran
cisco and reeoiled angrily
"You are not aicne?"
"a friend" murmured Felicina,
whom this inopport une encounter of
her two lovers a little disconnected.
But not wishing this to be seen, she
regained with effort her compos-
ure and eourteously presented them:
"Senor Francisco Pelar, Captain
Don Carlos Frarez."
They were forced to salute each
other, but nevertheless, the two men
eyed eaah other defantly almost as
if measuring one another.
For awhile, in spite of the inward
constraint that yexed her, Felicina
managed to keep the conve rsation
upon commonplace topics, Then sud
denly, without warning, Francisco,
who wished to establish indisputably
his intimacy before the young officer,
stopped and m urmured a tender gal
lantry in Felic;na's ear Instantly,
as if stu ng, the captain was on his
feet, de handing;
"Sinee when, sir, did courtesy
authorize whisper to a lady in pub
lie. STRIP
And since when, sir" Francisco
returned in the same tone, docs a
gentleman force himself into lady's
presence without permission, sir?"
81 have right to enter thus"
zone only, sir, has such a right; it
is T."
"Senors, senors, this scene is ridicu-
lous" Felicina protested nervously,
pale aud shaken in spite of herself
"Ah!" said Don Carlos, threaten
ingly, turning upon her savagely,
they told me tia t you deceived me
with this youngster, here"
''You insult the senorita and me too,
sir, Francisco broke in, white with
passion. You will answer for it to
me, sir. There, take thatT
And as he spoke he flung his glove
in the captains face,
LAS soon as you please, senorw
And without a word or look toward
Felicina, standing white and speech
less between them, the two man
turned upon their heels and passed
from the room.
A damp breeze had sprung up as the
day wore on, agitating the leaves as
with a fore boding SILVER, and the birds
chipping and calling. fitted from
thicket to thicket, seeking a rest for
the night and shelter from the cold
gray mist blowing in from the sea,
into which the sun, glowing through
the fog like ball of copper, was
slowly sinking.
Suddenly the noise of footsteps
broke the stiffness of the wood, sleep
ing in the shadow behind the castle,
and in the clearing four men appeared.
Already, in haste to finish the bust
ness, Francisco had stripped to his
shirt sleeves, when Don Carlos adj
vanced to his side.
81 have word Or two to say to you
first, senior" said he in a grave voice.
"Be brief, then, please; explana-
ton at this hour is superfuous and
out of place.
Brief I shall be" Don Carlos re-
piled, quietly. 81 wish only to speak
to you of the unworthy woman who,
like a courtesan, has tricked and
played with US both"
Il forbid you, do you hear, sir?
Forbid you, I repeat, to outrage thus
Donna Felicina," Francisco returned
firmly.
You still excuse her, then; you
hold to your blindness, to your judg-
ment of her, warped by the beauty of
this charmer till truth itself becomes
allie to you? You shall hear it, any
way. She, whose lips are damp yet
with your kisses, swore to me but
yesterday the same VOWS Of fidelity
and love"
BE silent, be SILENT groaned
Francisco, concealing his face, you
kill mel"
'Ah, you suffer, do you, suffer as
suffered?" Don Carlos continued Bit
terly, you love her still, you still re-
member the hours passed at the side
of this heartless coquette, who has
wiled the hearts from our bodies but
to wiring them with torture! 'Tis
useless then to talk to you longer,
but hear what I say. I swear that if
I kill you in the combat to come,
Donna Felicina, too, shall perish by
my hand and by the same sword that
strikes you DOWN.
And I, cried Francisco, his eyes
blazing with fury and jealous pas
sion. ''swear to kill her, too, if, in the
combat to come, your death lies at my
door for so should die all those that
lie to their vows of love"
Seniors, are you ready?" cried be-
hind them the seconds, waiting to be-
gin.
They took their positions and at the
first pass Francisco fell mortally
wounded, the word the last name he
uttered, "Felicina~ frozen forever
upon his cold lips.
In the chamber lighted only by a
taper under a shaded globe that
spread about it a rosy glow, the great
ebony bed. carved and canopied with
gold-embroidered draperies as for
the rest Of a royal princess,
stood out imposingly Felicina
slept peacefully and soundly. a sleep
untroubled by dream, untouched By
regret What did it matter to her
that the day had broken upon the