Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-02-24

hour his alternate would come to re.
lieve him. If he was to carry out the
plan which his tempestuous brain had
evolved as he lay sleepless and tortured
on his bed of straw through the night,
he, Ramon, must soon act; and now,
when they were absorbed in one another,
when Ricardo's eyes saw no more than
those of the bandaged mules, now was
the time, the very nick of time!
So, behold Ramon creeping to the
arrastrar where Azul was sweating at
his toll. Behold him stealthily crawl
ing to the further rim of the mill with
an open knife in his hand, while the blue
mule, unconscious of the danger, plod-
ded around and around again to the
spot where he hid, and the two lovers
chartered blithely.
"Diablo!" muttered Ramon, fiercely.
A knife flashed once, twice, and the
deed was done. With an oath Of salts
faction, Ramon crept back to his work
and the blue mule, apparently ignor-
ing him, displayed some petulance to-
ward gnat which had alighted on his
shoulder, then TRANQUILITY pursued the
long road which led to nowhere.
For how could Ramon have achieved
his ignoble purpose by the murder of
Azul? That would have been but half
revenge, while the retribution he had
plotted was all-shattering and COM
plete. He had laid the train for an ex-
plosion, an earthquake. The two strokes
of his knife had cut the bandage from
the mules eyes, that was all; but was
not that enough? Azul would grow
dizzy and dizzier and would fall in his
tracks; the mill would stop, and Ri
cardo, all given to his charmer, would
not notice the episode. The alcalde
would soon stride by, for had not the
cunning Ramon sent him false mes
sage to lure him home? He would OBJ
serve the idle mill and the fallen mule;
be would see Ricardo neglecting his
duty to daily with Teresa. "Ah," he
would say, mo such lazy, careless fell
low shall be a son of mine! Up, you
loafer! Leave my daughter and at
tend to work!-No, begone! will not
have you work for me. Poltroon! Never
come near my arrastrars or cast shad-
ow across my path again!" Ramon
could see and hear it all, and his little
soul dilated. Meanwhile Azul pursued
his circular pilgrimage as constantly
as the earth revolved in its orbit, and
the lovers prattled as increasingly as
the spheres sang to each other in the
heavens.
Then Ramon's successor came to re-
lieve him, and he would be free to wit
ness the denouement. The blue mule
could not keep on his feet much longer;
he must soon stagger and fall, and by
that time the alcalde would pass. There
could be no failure, all was going well,
and Ramon, making a skillful detour,
hid behind the alcalde's chicken house
to watch, and wait, and see his triumph.
Yes, there was the alcalde, across the
arroyo. He had received the message
and left his store. Patience! But the
mule! Why did he not pause? Why
did he not stumble? Why did not the
earth swim under his feet? Why did he
not fall in heap in the path? Ramon's
blood boiled as he saw Azul steadily
pulling the mill around as he had drawn
it for hours, without false step, with
out sign of distress.
And see! The alcalde had come up.
Ricardo raised his sombrero, and the
great man nodded to the happy couple.
With his business affairs going forward
proftably, what magnate could OBJ
ject to polite attentions to his daughter
from the eligible one?
But Ramon swore an oath unto him
self. His heart was lump OF lead, and
beads of perspiration stood on his
brow. How he wished he had made an
other use of the knife! And all the time
Azul was keeping on his course as
serenely as Jupiter or the far Uranus.
All things seemed unnatural and dis
torted to Ramon's turbulent brain. He
had witnessed impossibilities. Now he
imagined that the blue mule looked up
at him and sneered sardonically, and it
made him furious. Then he heard Azul
laugh-a loTg, loud, irritating, mad
dening laugh.
When the mule brayed, Ramon sprang
to his feet, beside himself with rage and
chagrin, and started to fee. He could
stay in Quitovic no longer. He would
put miles between himself and the scene
of his humiliation. But heavy hand
was laid violently upon him and bore
him to the ground.
80 you are the thief, are your" said
voice that made him quake. Il
thought no better of you, fault-inder!
murmurador! 1t is you who has been
eating my pullets!"
Alas for the quivering Ramon, he
could not utter one word of defense or
protest, and little would it avail him if
he could. The alcalde both made laws
for Quitovic and executed them. With
his strong arm, he dragged the wretch
to his feet and led him off to the GALA
boose,
When Ricardo found the severed band
age, he OWNED the secret of it all, and
he laughed softly. Always man of
gentle moods, he was too happy now to
harbor a grudge. "Ah, mi favorito,"
he said to the mule as he caressed him
that night, she did not know that you