The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-20

and she requires confession and abso.
luton before she dies. Will you walk.
and so expedite this business, or must
we carry you? Do you consent :,
walk?" He nodded his dead.
"Do you also agree, on your honor, to
make no noise or outcry If we remove
the bandage from your MOUTH" Again
he signified assent.
No sooner had we loosed him and
removed the gag than he turned 10 mo
with grave face. 1T is Donna SAM
chezP" he said. inquiringly. When
assented he added: "No one seemed "a
know what had become of her. But how
came she in your charge? Why this
secrecy? Who are you?"
"As for that, father, she is n pris;
oner, and while / was willing 10 fetch
the church 70 her l was not willing to
surrender her person, nor my own, for
that matter, TO the rebels at FL Lib
ertad."
"Let us make haste" was all the an
swer he made, nor did he say anything
more during the remainder of our jou:-
ney. In fact, our pace was not a good
u
doubt il the churchman was accus'
toned TO such violent exercise. When
we finally reached the hut Sapportex
saluted and said:
"All has been quiet, general, but you
have come none too soon, for / think
she is only waiting for the consultations
of holy church"
went into the hut with the Padre.
md the dying woman turned to me
face that was pitifully 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 my heart smore
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 / never regretted one so much.
Crossing the cabin to her side, knelt
and placed my hand on her forehead.
She took ii in hers and attempted %
kiss it, but would not allow that but
bent over and kissed her brow instead.
for the sake of her father, the compar'
ion in arms that loved. So l left her
with the priest.
In the early dawn the padre came
out from the hovel, and there werc
traces of tears in his young face.
"She is gone," he said, quietly; then,
holding out his hand, added: "Senor
General, L thank you for abducting
me-"
"I need the church's pardon for that
violence, Padre"
"That is granted. And now tell me,
will you add to the kindness already
done and permit us TO bury her?"
That required thought. To have let
her go back alive, though in the throes
of death, would have been to invite
concealment 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 so as best to serve the interests OF
the king. The padre was waiting pa
tiently for my answer.
"If at noon tomorrow an escort from
FL Libertad comes with flag of truce
and requires the body il will be deliv'
cred 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 large detach'
meut were in position, with such mil
itary popup rs our circumstances per
mitted, and the chieftainess lay IN
state, awaiting the escort with the flag
Of truce. At noon the party appeared
Da1
nitary of the city in the lead and be-
tween them the flag. In the distance
there was a crowd of people with many
women among them, wailing so that
we could hear their lamentations above
the brawling of the Aqua Alta.
We delivered the body as / had agreed,
and with all possible ceremony and re-
epect. To this Maduro had consented
with difficulty and sorely against his
will; but when, on the following day,
another flag followed, resulting in ne
gotiations and the capitulation Of FL
Libertad, he embraced me and would
have il that had done alone what he
and all his army had failed to do. As l
have said, Maduro's nature was not
small nor his disposition jealous.
BY my front door is settee where
Pepeta sits with her Spanish lace EN-
broidery, while in my armchair study
some authority on fruit culture OF the
care of roses. There we were the day
after my return from the shortest cam
paign of my life, and was telling
Pepeta the story / have written here.
As 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 checks.
THE end