Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-16

and two of them of their own accord hand
ed me cartridges. I slipped one home and
closed the breech-bfock. The perspiration
was running in stream from my chin.
Again fired. Again ,the well rope was
shipped, and I could csee the loosened
strands ripple out as + snake unwraps It.
self from a branch. Sc
One more shot. God in heaven!'I missed!
Why was 1 made to be a murderer like
this? Garcia's voice came to me coldly.
Your last chance, seffor. I can be kept
waiting here no longer; And I think you
are wasting time Your friend seems to
have quilted us already"
Another cartridge. Iosank to: one knee
and rested my right elbow on the other.
The plaza was hung IN breathless silence.
Every eye was strainedsto see the outcome
in their cruelty, buti they were human
enough in their curiosity.
The body span to one end Of its swing.
I held my fire. 1t SWUNG back and the
pendulum it Iassed through the air, and
then a glow of certainty filed me like a
drink. knew 1 could not miss that time,
and fred and the body, in limp. and
shapeless heap, fell to the ground
With a cry 1 threw the rifle from me
and raced across the sunlit dust. Not an
arm was stretched out to stop me. Only
| when 1 had reached my friend and loos-
ened that horrible hgature from his neck
did I hear voices clamoring over my fate.
And now this other Inglese, your excel
lency" the earless man said, "shall we
shoot him from here, or shall we string
him up in the others place." .tt
But the answer was not what the fellow
expected. Garcia replied to him in a
shrek of passion you Strengthening
brute" he cried, another offer like that,
and I'll pistol you where you stand You
heard me pass my word; do you dream that
1 could break it? They have had their
punishment, and IL we see one another
again, the meeting will be none of my
IN, f,,n
minutes. See to your duties. Co."
The words came to me DULY through the
heated air. l was almost mad with the
thought that my friend was dead and that
the fault was mine, mine. mine alone!
l listened for his breaths; they did not
come. 1 felt for a heart-throb; there was
not SO much as fiutter. His neck was
scared by CHASTITY ring. His face was
then that he was dead. With a cry l
seized his arms and moved them first
above his head till he looked like a man
about to dive, and then clapped them
number of times. praying that the air l
drew through his lungs might blow against
some smoldering spark of humanity and
kindle it once more into life.
The perspiration rolled from me; my
| mouth a sand pit; the heavy scent
of the magnolia blossoms above sickened
me with its strength: the sight departed
from my eyes. 1 could see nothing beyond
small circle of the hot dust around.
which waved and danced in the sunlight
and the little green lizards which came
and looked at me curously and forgot
that I was human.
And then of a sudden my comraGe gave
a sob, and his chest began to neave of
itself without my laborous aid. And after
that for awhile [ knew very little more
The sun-balled dust danced more wildly in
the sunshine: the lizards changed to dark
er colors; the light went out; and when
| came next to my senses Methuen was
sitting up with one hand clutching at his
throat, looking at me wildly.
What has happened?" he gasDcd II
thought l was dead, and Garcia had hang
ed me-Garcia. No one is here The
pueba seems deserted Calvert tell me-
They have gone l said. I'VE are alive
We will get away from here as soon as
you can walk"
He rose to his feet, swaying. II can walk
now. But what about your
Il am an old man, j said, 'wearily old.
In the last two hours / have grown d hun
dred years. But | think i can walk also
Yes, look, | am strong. l.ean on my arm.
Do you see that broken window in he
chapel? When l tired through that the
bell stopped tollins.yh' 20
Let US 20 inside the. chapel for few
minutes before we leave the village said
Methuen. We have had a very narrow
escape, old man. l7L-feel thankful"
There was faint smell of incense inside
the chapel. The odor of it fingers BY me
still.
(The end,)