Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-20

Rising from where I had crouched, as
soon as they were out of sight crossed the
street and knocked at the door. The re-
naming padre. who had gone inside the
came to the door, and IttIesought him to
accompany me in haste to see wounded
soldier. 80
sw ,Bether :.F your wounded sman. he an,
now on similar errand. Those wounded
all belong to the other city district any
now, and they have padres tenough there Of
"a own 10 attend to them. I do not like
10 interfere outside Of our own cure" With
this he would have shut the door in INV
race but that put my foot against it. He
was was angry at my boldness. but 1 made
haste to say that the wounded man was in
ms own district and was rich He was 1T
Tie moved by this, to do him credit, and
barely allowed the door to remain open be-
tween us While l spoke.I Il was afraid 1
should have to commence to use force there
ana that would have been announcement.
Ihough he was a small man, | might be
seen carrying him across the street and a
rescue would be attempted However I
had another card in my pack
was sent by his daughter, padre, Such
a beautiful girl. who is all alone, and she
Will not be comforted.'
Inc padre reached for his hat
why, of course; it does not become nv
cioth 10 refuse to go upon errands of
mercy, but you see what time it is?" 1t
was, indeed, O'Clock.
L
MN. and covering his mouth so that he
could make no cutlery, retired into the tun-
mel ike a spider who has caught a large
and vigorous fly. Here l made haste to
secure and gag him well, and then rested
and waited for Antonio. He came almost
Immediately. 1 heard his approach, and
nailed him in a low tone: He responded
Joyfuily: Have you got him, senor?"
Yes, | have him here; make haste if we
are to finish this nights work in time"
We hurried with all the speed that we
could We were on the road, if road it
could be called, being but a half-made
pathway for donkeys AND their burdens,
before We set our captive on his feet and
spoke to him.
Padre" said I, II am sorry to put you
to this Inconvenience, but there is a wo.
man wounded in hut near the river, and
she requires confession and dissolution be-
fore she dies. viii you walk, and so OK
pedite this business. or must we carry you?
DO you consent to Wake He nodded his
head.
DO you also agree, on your honor, to
make no noise or cutlery if we remove the
bandage from your mouth?" Again he sig
nified assent.
No sooner had we loosed him and removed
the gag then he turned to me with a grave
face. 1T Is Donna SaacheZ?' he said in
qulringly. When ! assented he added: mo
one seemed to know what had become of
her But how came she in your charge?
by this secrecy? Who are your"
AS for that, father she is prisoner and
while | was willing to fetch the church to
her was not willing to surrender her per-
son. nor my own, for that matter, to the
rebels at Ell Libertad''
Let us make haste" was all the answer
h. made, nor did he say anything more dur
ing the remainder OF our journey In fact
our pace not a good one to encourage
conversation. and doubt if the churchman
was accustomed to such violent exercise
When We finally reached the hut Sapportez
saluted and said
II has bean uriat papcr,1 J,,t wa, have
come none too soon, for think she is only
waiting for the consultations of the holy
church,
l went into the hut with the padre. and the
dying woman turned to me face that was
pitfully white, even in the glare of the
smoking torch that Sapportez had placed
at the doorway. The poor creatures great
eyes Were so full of gratitude that nv heart
Smote me for having been the cause of her
wound. Of all the foes that | have slain or
caused to be slain during my life of warfare
l never regretted one so much Crossing
the cabin to her side knelt and placed my
ha nd on her forehead. She took it in hers
and attempted to kiss it, but | would not
allow that, but bent over and kissed her
brow instead, for the sake of her father, the
companion in arms that | loved So 7 left
her with the priest.
In the early dawn the padre came out
from the hovei. and there We're traces of
tears in his young face.
She Is gone, he said. quietly: then hold
ing out his hand, added: Senior general I
thank you for abductng ne"
Il need the churchs pardon for that VIC
lence padre
That is granted. And now tell me, will
you add to the kindness already done and
permit to bury her?'
That required thought. To have let her
go back alive, though in the throes Of
dea tn. would have been TO invite conceal
ment Of her death and leave her name still
terror to our people: but now, with her
end so attested, there could be no objection
Still ! was willing to shape the conclusion
of the affair as best to serve the inter
ests Of the king. The padre was waiting
patiently for my answer.
III at noon tomorrow an escort from Ell
Libertad comes with a flag of truce and re-
quires the body 1T will be delivered at the
further end Of the bridge" This was the
reply finally made to his request.
The time agreed upon had not arrived
when Gen. Maduro and a large detachment
were In position. with such military pomp
as our circumstances permitted. and the
chieftainess lay in state. awaiting the es-
cort with the flag of truce. At noon the
party had appeared. with the little padre
and some dignitary of the city in the lead,
and between them the flag. In the distance
there was crowd Of people. with many
women among them. wailing that we
could hear their lamentations above the
brawling of the Aqua Alta.
We delivered the body as l had agreed
and with all possible ceremony and respect
10 this Maduro had consented with diff
Guilty and sorely against his will; but when
on the following day. another flag followed,
resulting in negotiations and the capitula-
ton of FL Libertad, he embraced me, and
would have it that l had done alone what
he and all his army had failed to do AS |
nave said. Maduro's nature was not small
nor his disposition jealous
BY my front door is a settee, where Pc
peta sits with her Spanish lace embroidery
while l in my armchair study au-
thority on fruit culture or the care of
roses There we We're the day after my
return from the shortest campaign of my
life. and | was telling Pepeta the story 1
have written here. AS l told it the tears
dropped on her lace and on her hand and
l could not see her eyes, but the lashes
were wet on her cheeks
(The end.)
Fresh Eggs Were the Weapons.
From the Los Angeles Herald
Mrs. Riley, who keeps a boarding house