The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1896-02-19

point of the machete In the lamp, will
you, while ! tell our guest how we are
going to serve him and his daughter"
Don Pedro nodded, and taking the
sword held the tip of it over the flame,
while Jose, bending forward, whispered
into the Indians ear, pointing from
to time to the girl.
"Are you white men, then, deyils?"
said the old man at length, with u
groan that seemed to burst from the
bottom of his heart, ''and is there no
law or justice among you?"
None at all, friend, answered Jose;
''we are good fellows enough, but times
arc hard, and we must live. Now, once
more, will you guide us to the place
whence that gold came, leaving your
daughter here as hostage for our
safety?"
"Neverl" cried the Indian. "Better
that we two should perish hundred
times than that the ancient secrets of
my people should pass to such as you"
$50 you have secrets after all Father,
is the sword hot?" asked Jose.
Zone minute more, said the old man,
turning the point In the fame
This was the scene that we witnessed,
and these were the words that as
tonished our ears.
1t is time to Interfere" muttered
the senior, and, placing his hand upon
the rail, he prepared to drop into the
church.
Now a thought struck me, and 1 drew
him back to the passage.
Perhaps the door is open. said.
,a ryO,, or/tpcr osIr,I +bo
girl Luisa.
Certainly" 1 replied: We must res
cue these people or die with them.
"Then, senor, farewell. have done
all l can for you, and now the saints
must be your guide, for if am seen
they will kill me, and have child for
whose sake desire to live. Again,
farewell, " and she glided away like
shadow.
Now we crept forward and down the
stair. At the foot of it was little door,
which, as we had hoped, stood ajar.
For moment we consulted together,
then we crawled forward through the
gloom toward the ring of light about
the altar. Now Jose had the heated
sword in his hand.
Look up, my dear, look up" he said
to the girl, patting her on the check.
II am about to baptize your excellent
father according to the rites of the
Christian religion by marking him with
a cross upon the forehead" and he ad-
vanced the point of the sword toward
the Indians face.
AT that instance Molas pinned him
from behind causing him TO drop tho
weapon, while did the same office by
Don Pedro, holding him so that, struggle
as he might, he could not stir
make a sound either of you and you
are dead" said the senior, picking up
the machetc and placing the hot point
of it against Jose's breast, where it
slowly burned its way through his
clothes.
What are we to do with these men?"
he asked.
"Kill them us they would have killed
us" answered Molas; ''or, If you fear
the task, cut loose the old man yonder
and let him avengc his and his daugh-
ters wrongs"
what say you, Ignatio?"
II seek no mans blood, but for our
own safety it is well that these wretches
should die. Away with theml''
Now Don Pedro began to bleat mar
ticulately in his terror, and that hero,
Jose. burst into tears and pleaded for
his life, writhing with pain the while,
for the point of the sword scorched
him.
You are an English gentleman" he
groaned; "you cannot butcher help
less man as though he were an OK"
As rto,, t,.ia1 20 a., a.
chamber yonder, us, who saved your
life" answered the senior. you are
right. l cannot do it, because, as you
say, am O gentleman. Molas, loose
this dog, and II he tries to run put o
knife through him. Jose Moreno, you
have sword by your side, and l have
one in my hand; will not murder you,
but we have quarrel and we will set
tie 1t here now"
You are mad, scnor," said, ito risk
your life thus. l myself will kill him
rather than 1t should be So"
"Will you fight If loose you, Jose
Moreno?" he said, making me no an
swer, ''or will you be killed where you
stand?"
81 will fight" he replied.
Good. Let him free, Molas, and be
ready with your knife"
u command you," | began, but al
ready the man was loose and the senor
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 | saw them
fronting each other, my fears for the
issue vanished. Victory was written on
the calm features Of the senor, while
the face of Jose told only of baflled fury
struggling with bottomless despair.
Still it was he who struck first, for
stepping forward, he aimed desperate
blow ut tho scnor's head, who, spring
ing aside, avoided it, and in return ran
him through the left arm. With q cry
Of pain, the Mexican sprang back, fol-
lowed by the senor, at whom lie cut
from time to time, but without result
for every blow was parried
Now they were within the altar rails.
and now his back was against one of the
carved pillars of sapotc wood, that to
which the girl was tied
Then the end came, for the senor,
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 must tell of my own folly
that went near to bringing us all to
death. You will remember that was
holding Don Pedro, and in my Joy and
agitation l Stacked my grip, SO that
with sudden twist he was able to tear
himself from my hands, and in the
tWinklinp of an eve was pone