, 1897-11-16

port. and their mcney was duly paid,
and a fortune it was for two mCn OF no
more expensive tastes than these who
left the bank, walked away and were
seen no more in La Hamidad.
In a reputable house in the town
where Bal Chico had been a youth and
been forgotten lived two old men to.
gether, two gray haired. harmless look
ing old men of commonplace names
that you have not heard yet, who tend.
ed their cactusesa and blooming vines and
the green paroquets that hung among
them in a great cage, concocted savory
stews and lived their simple lives
largely in sight of their neighbOrs in
the outrageous garden behind the;r
houses, and whose only recreation SEEM
ed to be to frequent the plaza.
From their garden they could see the
rear of the housa of the high and
mighty Don Pico, which rang with
laughter of manly SONS and beautiful
daughters, bnt the old men We're to all
appearances injurious of the doings at
the great house. 1t was known at the
plaza. where everything was known.
that Don Picu's oldest son would short.
~ celebrate his arrival ut mans estate
and that the Ietrothal Of his eldest
daughter had been announced. But the
day before the festivities i'll honor of the
former occasion the son, Don Manuelo,
had sat in the plaza with Don Jose, his
sisters betrothed, who had left it, it
was easily proved, with Il merry party
of yrpt lppS Don NannnIn ". yt,,ty tb,,,
a merry gGodby. Passcrsby saw him
sitting there alone, sunlien down as i.
resting, ard there he was found some
what later, dead, evidently by strangu-
lation There was the usual sensation
and more than the usual search for the
murderer. who had left no clew.
Three months after this event the
little lnnOccncia. the 4-year-old dargh-
ter of Don Pico, was found in n similar
condition in the grounds of Don Perez,
the father of the bctrothed of Dona
Theresa. Don Pico's eldest daughter.
The residence of Don Perez was but Il
block from that of Don Pico. AS in the
case of her brother. the police found
positively no clew
These calalnities caused the postpone
ment for one wear of the nuptials of
Don Jose an6 bona Theresa. at the end
of which time they We're celebrated with
all churchly and social ceremonies
Upon their return from the wedding
journey Don Jose and his beautiful lady
took up their residence ut the house of
Don Perez Scarce a fortnight had
elapsed when Dona Theresa was found
dead i'll her bed-likcwise her husbands
bed. Marks upon her tender neck show
ed that she had been garroted. All drew
two conclusians-Don Manuelo and lit
tie Innocencla had been garroted, and
Don Jose was the criminal. His protes-
t%ations. denlals and anguish awaited
nothing. He was hurried away to prison.
An accident saved his life-the shut
ting of a window.
Dona Maria Theresa, the sorely
afflicted wife of Don Pico, had become
the victim Of insomnia since these re-
peated family bereavements and fancied
strange noises III their apartment at
night. Don PicO gave heed and listened
for himself for n few nights. but heard
nothing and attributed the noises to Il
"oliiAh . iIfllS, Dut Dtllb Auiilll lltItSu
arose one night because she heard the
noise and shut the window. AS she ap-
preached the window, hung with vines,
one of the house cats jumped from the
sill to the thick vines and rustlcd away
among them. and the lady was reas-
sured and slept-slept all the longer
and more heavily because of sleeplcss
nights.
When she awo!;e in the morning, she
looked at Don Pico. Bnt WAS it Don
Pico beside her. that purple. swollen
face with awfu! eyes: The laGy's reason
fed i'll that awful look. and her screams
aroused the household. Investigation
seemed at first to offer no clew. but at
length at the back of the top of Il large
frame containing Nh oil painting of his
lady in her youth was found Il power.
full snake whose bright eyes watched
the window and all whose efforts were
toward reaching it, which he never did,
dying as n%onrcsistant AS though in Il
trance.
Don Jose was liberated.
The old, harmless looking men talked
and smoked next evening and for many
evenings behind their little house and
sometimes boiled their sardines over II
coal fire and looked across at the great
house of Don Pico and tulked-as who
did not?
Excitement was gradually represscd
after the source of the mysterious
deaths was i%ndispu.able, The snake had
rolled about hem all. but Don pico had
strength to struggle and had been bitten
instead IF only strangled, Some asked
why a snake should discern only mem
!crs of the Pico family. but none could
guess the reason.
And far away in the divine beauty OF
/ Peruvian cord!llcra two old men lGCk
iloft toward the nan stunning couGo'
two old, brown men. grown hariu!Css
and with no uncaEuy comrauiCns--hcrd
with Indian IN and brown babies
and drink from rude golden bowls and
go down to the sea no more. A. f
Halfus in San Francisco Argonuut
Breakin: the News.
Patient dad pay,-What is my con.
1itiDn 6nctDCI