The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1895-05-24
CHAPTER L-<continued.)

disturb the old man. He abandoned
his hold on the stalwart arm which
had served him on the path, and
CROPPED for the gate. His features
twitched convulsively, and the look of
furtive distrust deepened in his rest
less eyes.
"Rich!" he repeated, as if speaking
to himself. why should Dolores
wish for wealth? All! Poor child!''
He stared at his companion alb
stractedly for "a moment, and then
pushed open the door in the wall.
Under ordinary circumstances the
officer would have pursued mis- way,
thus evading all expressions of
gratitude on the part of the old
mans family, but the laugh of the
girl Dolores, floating out on the sunny
air, had bewitched his ear. The sailor
on shore wished to see her. Accord
ingly, he followed his recently help
less charge, who appeared to be more
discountenanced than gratifed by the
measure.
A girl, small, slender, and very
young, stood beside a fountain in the
middle of the space of garden, with
the branches of an orange tree. laden
with blossoms and fruit, brushing her
shoulder.
A young man fingered opposite, gaz-
ug intently at her.
The garden was full of flowers, un-
trained and luxuriant in growth, yet
such life, bloom and sweetness as the
spot could boast belonged to Dolores,
glowing on her fimsy red and yellow
gown, adjusted with a certain grace
by ear of a crimson sash combining
the little waist. the rose fastened in
her black hair above one tiny ear, and
the softly rounded brown face, with
two large and limpid eyes. At the
moment she was a presence full of
~vivacity and gaiety.i
And the young man, tall, olive
hued, grave in bearing and in
dolent of movement-who was he?
Was he not lover? Did not the mas
culine instinct Of hostility, yer ready
to flame in the breast of mar under
similar circumstances, swiftly supple
ment in that of Lieut.. Curzon-rival?
The house differed from those
mansions of modest dimensions often
to be found in the locality, built of
stone, with an occasional balcony, and
even some curious effect of Barocco
ornamentation in the heads of Nereids
and Centaurs carved on the cornice.
This habitation was an ancient square
tower, resembling an old Norman
keep the base of roughly-hewn stone,
and filed in with rubble. Above the
door was an armorial shield sculptured
in stone, with the nearly effaced de-
sign of a crane bearing a blade of
wheat in his beak. Like the casas
solares of similar spots, a lack of re-
pair and the ravages of years were
clearly discernible in the structure,
if an original project of building had
been checked before the completion
of parapet. Who had designed the
tower-Moor, Spaniard, Sicilian or
French conqueror? Why had the
task been abandoned? The girl
Dolores lived here. as a rose
blooms where grim sentinels should
keep watch for an invading foe.
A dog, resembling a ball of white
floss silk, and scarcely larger than the
toy animals mounted on wheels of shop
windows, announced the new arrivals
with shrill barking, then %prudently re-
treated behind his mistress, and peered
f..xl f,o-, @Lo folds ~ lo,, 1oo., ,-;+b =,
miniature countenance full of canine
wisdom and absurdly shaved in the
semblance of a military mustache.
Dolores turned her head quickly,
with a rapid change of expression to
one of surprise, and sprang to the side
of the old man.
Grandpa. How pale you are! Has
an accident ~happened?" she inquired in
English, and speaking with affection
ate concern.
:. Lieut.. Curzon lifted his cap court
eously, thereby revealing his golden
curls, and apologized for the intrusion
of his presence.
Dolores regarded him with her dark
eyes dilating, and her color ebbing and
deepening with rapid %pulsations of
emotion.
She reminded the sailor of a pome-
granate blossom. such as he had seen
ripening to perfection on the terraces
of Grenada and Seville.
He accepted her faltered thanks
with the o complacency that the
opportunity was afforded him of
studying the purity of her profile. the
piquant curves of red lips and dimpled
chin, the symmetry of slender hands
and feet. He asked himself with
awakening interest how this Spanish
maiden happened to be dwelling with
an English grandfather in the mixed
population of Malta.
Dolores urged the stranger to accept
a chair and be served with fruit and
wine. Was the girl inspired by the
innate instincts of gratitude and hospi.
tal;ty, or mere coquetry! Al the sane