The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-05-11

small publi. park, where serenadera
are inspired and listeners stroll or sea
themselves oa benches or the grass.
Culy those who have suffered the heat
ahd glare of Il campaign lin the desert
can form any idea of the physical Ink
ury of green trees and CT water. ! was
seated listening to the soft Indian Span
ish as it fell about me i'll slow chatter.
Froni affair it mingled with tho murmur
Of the fountain.
What a contrast this scene to the hot
ramp | had Just left, where were heard
bnly the whir Of the rattlesnake or the
insistent cooling of the lonely turtle dove
-mournful sounds which seem to add
to the vibrant heat. Above the noun
tains lay a zone Of troubled white, from
which the moon had now risen into the
full, upper blue. causing the leaves
overhead to cast shadows in a~rabesque
on the grass at my feet, where as the
night breeze stirred the foliage it wove
marvellous figures in trefoil and tracery
for fancy to play with as with those
made by flames in a CRATE. Now IL was
the lines of a gothic window seen In an
old cathedral and almost forgotten and
now on grander scale the design of deli
cate drawn work RECALLED from my
lady's chamber.
Leighton was there, a mantilla be-
side. him. / could only half see the re-
vealed oval of the face, but the figure
was slight and pretty, for | caught its
graceful outline later when they passed
me.
Next evening at a bale Leighton
presented me to Panchita. Together
they were dancing, he and his pretty
animal, with eyes for him alone. In
the desert so rapid is loves kindling, 90
quick and full its flame, no charred or
half burned brands are here left on
loves altar. ALI Is consumed, and what
survives must spring, phenixlike, from
fire or else descend from heaven.
After the danza ended Leighton was
standing in shirt sleeves rear Panchita,
with the collar of his jersey open at the
throat-a trick Of his that made me
suspect he had seen service in the navy.
AS he leaned over her Panchita's eye
caught sighto of the locket chain, and he
removed the locket, opened 1t and hand
ed it to her, this time not indifferently,
but with all the pride OF priced con-
quest.
/ was watching Panchita closely as
she gazed fascinated by the portrait and
saw her tremble. Only as l read her
face then by what | now know can ]
tell how well it expressed all that hope
less sense Of loss which comes with the
abandonment of things lovedo " desired.
For an instant her eyes showed the rage
a child's sometimes feels for IN mani
mate object when that object has hurt
it. And Thought she would break the
locket. Then the woman conquered,
and she smiled as she returned 1t.
ELLA es muy hermosa, senor!'
From that moment her abandonment
toward Leighton was complete. Her
gayety and grace became exquisite,
while a look from him would lead her.
"Oh, you eastern dervish OF hearts!'
l exclaimed TO myself as Panchita left
him and skipped to get a handful OF
~cascarones and then returned, crushing
the pretty tinsel spangles In o shower
over his brown head and throat. She
fitted about him with the grace OF Q
bird, and her eyes ney left him. Sht
was becoming intoxicated with her owr
movements, her cheeks were flushed
with bright fever spots, and her eyei
shone like stars. On and on they danced,
seeing only each other, and she lookee
AZ il she could dance forever.
AT length Leighton proposed they go
and she obeyed his wish as il hypnotizet
or impelled to do 1t, and ignoring hel
duenna they left together.
y
The next week / ruled Leighton
official epitaph in the L troop records
thus: Deserted from hunting pass Aug
10, 1886"
You see, the case was an awkward
one. The night of the bale he had beer
stabbed in the park. I found his body
there, and my comrades were about Il
string mp Morales, Panchita's local ad
mirer, for the stabbing when ! stoppet
them.
Hold on, boys" l said. "Remem
Der ! promised the lieutenant no com
plications.
So Leighton became officially a de
aerter, and | kept my word.
Besides, l 4 doubt III stringing up woult
have been fair to Morales, for when
found Leighton's body the locket wa
lying ON the ground beside it. Tn
clasp was open, and the portrait bloot
stained and mutilated, as If by the poin
of q dagger.