Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1896-04-17

1t was NOS from coWarllcc' thnt Ae
knew. lie hardly understood 1t him
self, but that he had an unreasonable
dislike of intlicting useless torture.
And Lola had called him coward;
had refused to hear such " childish
excuse, and, with ~ fine scorn, had left
him.
And he had gone back to his little
cane hut, and had lain awake through
the long, lark night, watching the
twinking Southern Cross and think
ing about this girl whom he loved
who had mockingly called him a
coward!
And long before daybreall he left the
hut, and, ut sunrise, awoke the padre
and the padre had written a letter for
him-at Tic price of his last peseta.
And he had not seen Lola since, until
in the church procession. But to-day
to-day he would show her that ut
least he did not lack the courage!
He heard the shouts and the cheer
ing. rs the picadorcs entered; and he
heard the wild, pulsating notes of the
marimba, sounding far away and in
distinct. Then he heard an occasional
burst of applause; and still he sat there
waiting.
At last the guard came to call him.
Tie rose and took up the short-bladcd
sword and his other safeguard, the
small, red flag, and passed out into the
sunshine.
He cast one glance about the surging
sea of cXpectant faces. and then looked
longngly up at the hills that rose be-
hind the city. Their BLUSH tops seemed
trembling in the haze, the air seemed
drowned in expectancy. and far-otf
sounds came plainly--among them the
tinlle of Il sheep bell far up on the shim-
4nering mountain side.
Then sharp cry rang out: Guar
desc, Acknowledgements"
He caught one glimpse of girl in
white, who stretched her bare arms out
toward him. Then he turned to avoid
Nle great. black bull that came rushing
down the redondel. He instinctively
leaped-only just in time-and the
small. red flag was torn from his hand.
The maddened beast tossed it high in
the air and turned to prepare for Sec
ond attack, while the spectators,
pleased with his agile leap, boisterously
| applauded.
The bull paved the ground, with
lowered head. throwing cloud of dust
in the air. His parched tongue hung
from his open jaws, his hot breath
came in painting gasps. the red blood
trickled down his sides where the
spears Of the chulos had priclled him.
and his bloodshot eyes shone with mad
ress as he quickened his pace to a
thunderous charge.
Antonio calmly awaited the assault,
and then-then the mad beast stopped
short in his wild onset, trcmbled, and.
believing, crouched to the ground in
Il spasm of fear. Antonio stupidity
gazed at the bull; then he heard Il dull
rumbling beneath him and felt the
baked earth lift and surge and sink and
| rise, like an angry ocean after storm.
The hilltops swayed in the quivering
! air, strong men shriekcd aloud in their
dread and the solid walls Of adobe
gro;,ned and creaked and cracked.
Antonio dropped his now useless
sword and, with a bound, reached the
side OF the ring where he had seen Lola
| standing, and where the panic-stricken
| spectators were blindly fighting for the
exits.
"Lola:" he shouted. "my Lcla!" and
out OF the surging mass he heard her
calling to him. Leap" he cried. with
| uplifted arms, and struggling through
the crowd, she obeyed.
Others. gasping the prayers to the
saints that their palsicd lips failed to
|uttcr, were dropping all about him;
! but Antonio caught her s]<ilfully and,
with his light but precious burden,
staggered away from the crumbling
wall. AS he reached the center of the
| rcdondel the earthquake ceased for a
| moment: then second series OF shocks
| began. a wide crack opened across the
court, a dizziness overlowcred him and
! he sank to the heaving, uncertain earth,
| not in the lnuteness OF terror, nor With
desperate prayer in his throat, but
with a yelling song in his soul. as he
clasped his Lola closer. Was he not
from the upper Countrywide country
that lay far back of the hills, the higl,
mountain land where Momotombo's
towering black peaks breathed black
er smoke from dawn to dawn and made
the trcetops bend and nod to the tune
of the hills 1itful slumbers: Why
should he fear the quaking earth: Fear
was for those of the !owlands born;
| Momotombo had rocked his cradle;
and the song that trembled within his
soul was a song CT Thanksgiving and
gladness-the thrilling note of his Vie
trant heart as he pressed his Lola to it.
| 1t was over again in moment. The
nilltops resumed their still! place in the
sky. (; welcome wind stirred the tall
mango trees, and Lola shuddercd and
| opened her eyes, and drew his head
down and kissed him.
Ono by one men regained courage to
| speak. although at first it was only in
| whispers.
! Antonio assisted Lola to rise. rs her
aged father approached them.
"iou have done well. Antonio" he