Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-10-05

"He was bandit, robber, and de
served his fate" he said. HE wasaf
lower Of 0aspar Sangrado, and In &C.
Ing that say all that is vile Of man.
knew his father when the young ms
was respectable and promising. but this
was before be fell under the influence
ot that scoundrel. But let that pass. II
ws this which 30 disturbed me. To zee
him there meant that Sangrado's outlaw
band had crcpt to the corral, had sneaked
there like prowling coyotes, with what
purpose of violence and robbery who
can tell? II it had been the leader that
was killed instead Of his follower, 1t
would have been the riddance 10 the
world Of the worst villain unhnnged.
But 30 long ns he lives to plot night and
day who knows what mischief may still
be ON foot?'
The old don's voice, intense In Its
feeling and intonation, expressed all
that voice could express of rcpressed
vindictivcness. Upon his face was a
look Of hatred. deep and intense, In utter
contrast with its customary kindness Of
expression. He did not suspect that
could trace his fierce look and resent
ment to its true cause.-the pretensions
Of Sangr,sdo to the hand Of his beloved
daughter and the menace IL meant to
her safety. This / could perceive-thnt
the father, without exciting her fears by
imparting 10 her his anxieties in the
matter, was keeping watch and ward
| over her with solicitous care. which had
been transformed into fierce anger by
the evidence presented when he saw that
the dead man had been q follower Of the
hated Sangrado.
Perhaps in introducing the subject he
meant more to relieve his mind by de.
nouncing his enemy to me. 1t might be
that he desired to find out how much
had seen or suspected Of the true object
that had brought the bandit and his fol-
lowing to the stage station and II had
OWNED Sangrado's purpose in entering
the corral. II such were the case. he
was disappointed, for. adhering to my
purpose of keeping clear Of the matter
except when emergency rose to threaten
the don or his daughter, gave no sign
that believed the bandits visit to have
been inspired by any other purpose than
robbery.
While talked with her father Car
men was in conversation with Felix
They had strolled over TO the Missou'
rims wagon, where she stood by the
wheel with the children clustered about
her; gazing with wonder and admira.
ton upon her dark beauty and appar-
entity entranced by her manner that
made her appear to them TO be u divine
" superior being. Here. while caressing
the youngest child and smiling gracious
ly upon them all, she was talking in
Spanish with Felix. language that
these two Of all that composed the
group alone could understand.
Upon Carmen's face came certain
transformation Of expression character
istic Of the young girl Of her race when
confronted by strangers. She looked un-
wontedly serious, then u little puzzled
and perplexed, ga=cd full Mt Felix for
an instant and then locked down She
had the unusual chance to speak conf
dentially with this young man who two
days before had been an utter stranger
to her. and now she was at loss how
to open the conversation.
Mr.. Feleece," she said at last, with
q side glance over toward where her
father sat, Us IL To assure herself that
he was 10, listening. you will pardon
me, please. for asking you q question.
Last night, you know, | came to the
door Of NY room that opened into the
corral while the men were firing. But
before stood upon the step ! had heard
in my room some things that were said
and knew somo things that were done
outside the house The voice came 10
me Of Lupita. aud she was talking with
O man outside the corral Do you know
the name Of the man with whom she
talked?'
Felix answered her:
1T was man that I never saw or
heard Of before that night. She called
him Gaspar Sangrado.
Again Carmen spoke:
"Did you hear aud do you recall
what Lupita said to him-that care for
him no more than do for the dust under
my fathers carriage wheels; that de-
spise him; that l look upon his preten
sions with amazement-with amaze
ment at his presumptuousness? What
she said is true. lie is not Of my kind
or station. But he is dangerous-da
gerous like the rattlesnake, the tarantula
to my father, to myself. to you ="
She lowered her eyes second, then
lifted them to meet his, and there came
q warmth 10 her cheek and brow like
the sunset g,ows behind the darkened
tints of clouded April twilight.
His revenge will not sleep" she
continued. "Tou have reused his resent
ment. You have left free to harm You O
foe that cnce you had at your mercy.
Don Felcece, you are man and cabal-
lero and but girl with all to learn, but
here let me tell You that you acted un-
wisely. You foiled the revenge Of q
desperate man and yet left him alive to
sting you, and you took that risk for
such q creature Us Lupita. II was for
her sake that You interfered with him,
and then you made the mistake that
you struck down his arm merely when
you should have let him alone or have
killed him. Why did you not fire when
your rife held his life at its muzzle and
waited only your touch upon the trig.
ger to dismiss it! Then you would have
rid the world Of villain and have left
yourself and others perhaps dear to you
in safety"
"Senorita Dona Carmen Velasque1
Bustamante, F" said Felix gravely, giving
the girl her formal Spanish title, II had
Sangrado's life in my hand, az you say,
and I meant to kill him as truly as !
now speak to you. 1t was not that l
wished to spare him. but because ycu
stood upon the step beyond him, and
the shot that killed him would have
taken your life at the same moment For
that reason, and for that only, held
my hand. To save Lupita's life, my
own life, hundred lives, to destroy .
villain such as we know SaDgrado to be,
| I could not have fred that shot Are
you satis6ed, Dona Carmen, that In
acting as { acted rightf'
Right Aes. that may be! And ono
should have acted wrong at such time.
You should have thought no more Of
me than II ! had been thousand miles
away, than II I had been stick or