The true Democrat., 1897-07-24

can.
Paul Mansfield stood near the door
watching the graceful dancers, among :
whom was his friend, the Captain; but,
though much interested, he could not
help noticing that the Mexican men
stirred at him by twos and threes, and
that they whispered excitedly, and
that their black eyes burned with
anger. As he could not think that he,
q perfect stranger, could be the cause
OF their excitement, he gave it no
further thought. Il
When the hour he had set himself
was up he decided to go home without
notifying his friend.
He had gone but few PAGES from
the door when he heard a rush and
felt himself being hurled to the ground.
Looking up he saw number OF men
bending over him with knives in their
hands, and one Of them hissed:
"Make an outcry and we will kill
you!"
Paul was unarmed, and, though
brave as lion, he realized that resist
ance would make bad case worse. AS
the men began to bind his arms he
asked:
"What are you going to do with
me?"
'We will take you to Senor Diaz's
house and keep you there till Bernal
Valdez returns from Aqua Caliente IN
tho morning." replied the man who
seemed to be in command.
''But why take me there? will
give you all the money have about
me-"
eve do not want your money"
"What then?''
"Vengeance for Bernal Valdez! He
will kill you with his own hand for
running away with the girl that was to
have been his wife"
"Upon my soul, I never ran away
with a girl-never dreamed Of doing
such thing. You have the wrong
man. Let me tell you who am
"You are Doctor Brandon! Not an
other word. Come, come, padres; let
US carry this gringo off,
The latter part Of this remark was
addressed to the other Mexicans, who
had now bound the young mans feet
and forthwith they picked him up ane
} carried him off with much ease.
Being perfect stranger in the town,
Paul Mansfield knew nothing abou
r the narrow streets and dark, ding,
) houses which they passed. At length
8 his captors entered an arched gateway
and, taking him into dark room, the,
y threw him on the floor and told hin
" that he would be killed if he raised hi
u voice.
He heard the shooting Of bolt in
- heavy lock and then the retreatln
:. =. steps Of the men.
y The apartment was very dark, an
! the cords hurt him. His pain We
le growing uncomfortable, when, to hi
~ ~ great JOY, he heard a door openln
~ softly behind him.
le Before he could turn his head a beat
tiful girl appeared before him with
10 10 lamp in her hand.
10 Without word she cut his cord
. and Us he rose to his feet to thank he
81 indescribable was his surprise to fl
a the arms Of the beautiful girl about b
~ neck and to feel her kisses on h
:, bronzed check while she sobbed.
'n m "My brother! oh, my brother, y
~ must hy!"
It must be confessed that a sense
o. gratitude prevented the young man
o permitting all the kissing to be on o.
er side; or it may be that he did not wi
n to retain what was evidently intend
for another person, and SO gave t
kisses back. Briefly, he told her th
he was not her brother, and explaine
~ SO far as he could, how he came in
his present embarrassing situatio
;s And with bewitching smile she te
", him how she had heard his captors S
that they had caught Doctor Brande
nv the gentleman who had married /
,ot twin sister, Maria, and that she Col
es to free him.
wv She did not tell him, for it was q S
me- subject with her, that her father b
settled that she should take her siste
place and become the vito of Ber:
mil Valdez.
Through faithful servant she /
md Paul Mansfield conducted back to
in. Fonda, where he found Captain Ian
cid anxiously searching for him.
for The adventure was explained,
the Captain laughed att very heart!
,w, declaring that he would willingly
the dergo the same suffering if assured
ted the same treatment by beautiful
the at the end. Bernal Valdez and nj
ter, Der of Mexican called at the engin
the camp the next day and eyed z
nan Mansfield sharply. Though appt
ind ances were against them, they had