The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-04-12

When evening came, Lopez, to the
astonishment of even himself and few
friends who passed him by, sat quite alone
in the corner of the main plaza watching the
ripple Of the water rs it fell from the fount-
ain, and calculating he could not yet say
what: his chagrin at Natalia's repulse was
not yet cooled, and in the shallow water of
his soul there still remained-aggravatin
remained-a reflection of the girl he had
stopped to ask himself if he really wanted.
The music from the plaza band irritated
him. Rafael Garcia constantly stood before
him. He would not acknowledge himself
jealous. but he had curiosity. 1t had been
rumored that Garcia wrote verses to Natalia;
but much as he made of it to her, he was
loath to believe it himself. There was way
to find out, however and quickly getting up,
as if impatient to be doing, he briskly strobe
off, muttering to himself: "I'll do it! I'll
do It'll"
The night was warm as only Mexican
nights can be, and Natalia, throwing herself
upon q broad, high bed, cried herself to
sleep listening to the mournfui gurgle of
the little fountain in the patio and thinking
of Rafael.
Presently she awakened with start What
time could it be? Was it too late? The
clock was just striking four. Would Rafael
wait so long? And she had so much to say,
too! Hastily throwing a scarf about her
shoulders, and gliding like wrath across
the courtyard, beneath the paling stars, fast
as the darkness would permit she made her
way noiselessly to the window. With heart
beating almost to suffocation, she listened
q moment at the blind. Yes; the well-known
tootstep kept time to her own hearts beat.
Quickly undoing the fastening, she ap-
peared before the tall iron bars to the enamor-
ed poet who had paced before them for hours,
like a spirit of the night conjured by his
own wild fancy. He had thought she was
not coming, and now he could only take her
little hand between the bars and kiss it
name, Rafael" !" her quivering, low, musi-
cal voice dwelling on it endearingly.
Finally, he told her how his heart ached
with the presentiment of coming evil how
he had despaired of seeing her that night;
how he bad loved the dainty little hands
resting in his; the long tress of raven-black
hair falling upon her shoulders, which he
caught through the bars and kissed raptur-
ously. He listened eagerly to the account
of Lopez's visit; but there was another
listener, too. The stars were fast paling,
and each moment the dawn grew lighter
and, they must part. Sadly and with bowed
head he turned from the window, after sweet
farewell, and slowly walked away; Natalia,
clinging to the cold iron bars as usual, until
he should disappear in the blur of walls and
windows at the end of the street
Suddenly-she almost screamed-a hand
clutched hers upon the bars and held them
in viee-like grip. She could only dis
tinguish the figure of man wrapped in
a dark cloak and soft hat pulled over
his eyes, dark handkerchief tied around
his neck so as to cover the lower part of his
face, but his hands were soft and white.
Quickly he whipped out a cord and passed
1t around the bar; terror seized the poor girl
made so suddenly prisoner. She dared not
call out-rather face possibilities than her
fathers wrath.
The cord was passing around her wrist
'A Dios! Rafael" she family called, and,
half swooning, hung by the little hands so
cruelty made fast to the bars
What a strange revenge Lopez!
Rafael Garcia had walked slowly on, but
thinking he heard himself called, laughed
first at his fancy and then walked back to
the window ust to be once more near Nata-
lia Walking with bent head, stumbling
only made him conscious of an impediment
to his progress. Quickly looking up, he met
the frowning, pale face of Lopez, half dis
guised by his unusual dress He could not
quite understand.
Turning to the window, the form of the
fainting, sNatalia-from whom the scarf had
fallen, barring her slender white arms and
heaving bosom to the kiss of Night-half
reclining in the window seat, half hanging
upon the bars, mystiied him more still.
Without time to give one word utterance,
a handful of dust was thrown into his eyes,
apiercing pain darted under his left shoulder,
heavily he fell to the ground. His moan was
so low it could not have been heard 10 steps
away, and the half-blind old beggar. slowly
making his way to his usual morning stand by
the window, heard nothing. Dawn was fast
approaching. Lopez quickly took up his dirk
again, and wiping it off with the handker-
chief from around his neck, he pocketed the
glistening blade. Then walking noncha-
lantly from the window, Lopez appeased his
conscience by throwing coin into the beg
gar's hat and pointing out for his feeble gaze
the girl still hanging by her hands in the
window.
''Ai, Pobrecita?" croaked the old man,
and slowly he crawled to the window and
loosened the knot.-jSh0rt Stories.