The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-11-30

friend as I expected, was surprised and
Mortified to be informed that he was i'm
prisoned on charge of murder.
"The young signor killed one OF the
Governors guards" said the tavern
keeper. land was taken to prison, while
the people clamored for his life."
felt that this might be true, for the
Spaniards and Creoles were blood thirs-
ty people during the troubled times of
1876 Hurrying to the prison, the
tavern keepers report was verified. 1t
was with difficulty that prevailed upon
the officials to allow me to see my friend;
even then we were not left alone an in
stant, although l was we'll known to
those in charge.
well Harry" said I, on entering the
dreary cell in which he was confined,
"this is bad. / did not expect you to be
arrested almost before you landed. But,
tell me, how did this happen and did you
really kill the man?"
81 am very much afraid did; that is,
the last l saw of him, he was still lying
where he fell. You see it happened in
this way. During our journey met
very clever fellow of about my own age,
with whom / became rather friendly.
When we arrived laterthan we expected,
| knew that you would not meet me. SO
Arnold-thats my new acquaintance
and | went to hotel to spend the
night
After very fair supper, Arnold wish
ing to smoke, / went with him into room
where number of men we're smoking,
among whom noticed several soldiers
belonging to the governors guard. A
few of them saluted us very respectfully
and one, young officer fashily dressed
and wearing an abundance of gold lace
after long chat with us, invited us to a
game of cards. Because of my prejudices
against card playing, which you know
kindly declined; but Arnold, having a
goodly sum of gold and wishing, ! sup
pose, to show it, accepted the invitation,
'They sat down to table and the
young officer called for cards, which
were shortly forthcoming. /, in the
meantime, took up paper to read. AT
first it appeared that my friend was win-
ming, but soon another officer joined
them at the table. Then l grew inter
ested in an account of an accident in my
own city and forgot the three, until an
exclamation of surprise caused me to look
up when, to my dismay, found that all
Arnold's gold and the bank notes which
he had won from the officers, were gone
with the exception of few pieces OF
script. The expression on the faces of
the two Spaniards was that of triumph,
while that OF my young countryman
was that of disrnay.
Without pretending to do 80 1 watched
the next play. and soon saw they were
cheating the poor fellow dreadfully
Once, twice, three times they did the
same thing. This was too much. My
opinion of Arnold had been much lower
ed by his playing with them, but L could
not sit there and see him robbed like
that. 80. throwing down my paper, and
going over to the table l said: Here!
you fellows are cheating Arnold and /
brought my hand down on the table SO
hard that the gold was scattered in every
direction.
Both foreigners sprang to their feet
'Signor is mistaken said the second
officer. young Signor is a poor player,
that is ALL Now, if there is anything
that makes me angry, it is liar and l
said so very emphatically, and insisted
that they should return Arnold's gold.
Again they told me they had not cheated,
but everything was fair. Then my
temper got the better of me and l called
the fellow"-here Harry paused a mo-
ment for the first time-"the fellow |
killed liar.
"In an instant they both sprang at me
like tigers. with short dirks in their
hands, which flashed in the glare of the
light in way did not like
"As had no weapon of any kind. my
chances looked rather small; neverthe
less l waited their oncoming as coolly as
l could. The young officer who lad
first spoken to us seemed to be the more
active of the two: he made leap at my
throat But my athletic training at
Harvard now stood me in good stead; so
striking him with all the force of my
arm lifted him completely off his feet
and struck his head stunning blow on
the stone tagging. 1t was an easy mat
ter to knock the other fellow down. as he
was rather clumsy.
with wild yell the whole mob, who
had been watching US. we're upon me
and l suppoes would not be here now
had not the officers, having satisfied
themselves that the man was badly hurt,
marched me off to this place. l did not