The Irish standard., 1895-12-21

Now,Dop Pedro began to bleat sinar5ss
i ticulately in his terror. and that hero
Jose, burst into tears and pleaded tol
b:slife, writhing with pain. the while
for the point Of 1.-THE sword ecorched
him. u 5s,sl - ~ ~ ,f,s,x
f',You are an English gentleman, = M
groaned; ''you cannot butcher a help
GAS YOU tried to butcher US IN the.
chamber yonder,, us, who saved ::youJ
life" answered the senior. You ara
right 1 cannot do II, 1becanse, al you
say, nm a gentleman. Molas, looss
this dog, and # he tries to rim put q
knifesthrough him. Jose Moreno, yo1
have sword by your side,. and I have
one in my hand; I will not murder you,
but we have quarrel and we will set
tile It here now: '',4#@ Ssst. ,ss.,S
~. - You are md, senor," I said, ITO risle
your life thus, l myself wild Kali him
MorenoS'' he said, making me nc an-f
swer. cor will you bs killed whore you
stand?"
81 will fight" he replied.
'sGood Let. him free, Molas, and be
ready with your knife. $50, .,4l
81 command YOU" began, but al
ready the man was loose and the. senior
stood waiting for him, his back to the
door and the Indian machete handled
with the golden woman in his hand.
From the moment that l saw them
fronting each other, my fesrs for the
issue vanished. Victory was written on
the calm features of the senior, willis
the face Of Jose told only of baf6ed fury
struggling with bottomless despair.
Still it was he who struck first, for,
stepping forward, he aimed a desperate
blow at the. senor's head. who, SPRING
ing aside, avoided it, and in return ran
him through the left arm, With cry
Of pain, the Mexican sprang back, fol-
lowed by the senior, at whom he cut
from time to time, but without result,
for every blow was parted.
Now they were within the altar rails.
and now his back was against one OF the
carved pillars of sapote wood, that to
which the girl was tied.
Then the end came, for the senior,
who was watching his chance, drew
suddenly within reach, only to step
back so that the furious blow aimed at
his head struck with ringing sound
upon the marble floor. Before Don
Jose could lift the sword again, the
senior thrust with all his strength and
his machete pierced the Mexican
through the heart.
And now l must tell of my own folly
that went near. to bringing us all to
holding Don Pedro, and in my JOY and
agitation I Stacked ny grip, so that
with a sudden twist he wss able to tear
himself from my, hands. and in tho
twinkling Of an eye was gone. -
bounded after him, bnt too late, tor
Us reached the door it. slammed In my
face, nor could / open it, for on tho
chapel side was neither key nor handle.
Fly" cried, rushing back to the
altar; she has escaped. and will pres
emily be here with the rest.
The senior had seen, and already was
engaged in severing with his sword the
cut loose her father. Now / leaped ;
upon the altar, and springing at the
stonework of the broken window, made
shift to pull myself up with the help or
Molas pushing from below. Seated
upon the window ledge l leaned down,
and, catching the Indian Zibalbay by
the wrists, with great efforts I dragged
him to me and babe him drop without
fear to the ground, which was not more
than ten feet below u.s. Next came his
daughter, then the senior and last ct all
Molas, SO that within three minutes
from the escape Of Don Pedro we stood
17nhurt ON the outside the chapel among
the bushes ora garden. &
ssWhero to'now2" I,said, for the place
was strange to me. s5i@ ~ s>sF.
TIE girl Maya looked round her, then
she glanced UP at the heavens ~
ssFolIow me-" she said, II know .
way" and started down the garden at
d run. II
Presently. We came to- a wall the
height of man.: beyond which was
thick hedge Of. aloes which we forced
our way through and. fonnd ourselves
in a milpa, or cornfeld, Here the girl
stopped. and again searched the stars.
and at that moment we heard soundsof
shouting, and, looking: back, saw Lights ate
1--WE must go forward or perish,
said; .sDon Pedro has aroused his men.
Then she dashed into the milpa, and
we followed her, till at length we we're
clear Of the cultivated land and stand
ing on the borders Of the forest. III.
'4Halt!' said; where do we run tor
The road runs to the right, and by fol-
lowing tive may 4reachsa town." I'd
ssTo be arrested as lnurderers," broke
in the senior You forget that Jose
Moreno is dead at my hands, and his \
father will swear our lives awayy or !
that at the best we shall he thrown into
prison. No, no., we must. h1fie In tho
BUSH. = ,s'..'a ~ iss'.$s s. t3@s53 5gs
s.Sirs,' said the old Indian, speaking
for the first time, ~ know q secret
place in The forest, an ancient and ra-ss
.ined Building, where we may take rel
une for while if we can reach it. But
first ], ask, who are you?"
You shoull know me, 4Zibalhay
said. Molas, .s:seeing that Il am the pes
senger whom you semitic search tor him