The evening times., 1898-05-11

| Though Moreno might not be armed, he
| was a man to be watched. But at the
! prisoners wish to write note to Pam
| chita, the warder's face relaxed. and he
| offered to find pencil and paper. For
| Panchita was his own cousin, and every
one loved the gay. pretty girl, with her
| artless, innocent ways that had iureu
| two men on to death
| Poor little Panchita, Five minutes af-
ter the death sentence had been pronounc-
| ed she knew of it, and, her door locked.
| was lying face downward on the cold
| stone floor, moaning and crying to the
Virgin for help. 1t had all been her fault,
as she knew-through her two men would
| go to purgatory, and how would she an
\ swer for them?
| On the shrine before her, decked out in
! blue and white. was tiny, yeilowed I'M
| age OF the Christ, with bloOd-stained
body and hands. Underneath Him hung
| the holy pictured face of the Virgin, and
| to the two, Panchita. weak and faint from
| long fasting and crying, was pouring out
heart and soul. Only that Santiago-her
| Santiago-might be saved somehow-in
| some way. Ay buen Dios-Maria madre
| de Dios-take her life-her soul for tor
| ture in purgatory-only let Santiago es-
! cape, Too weak to pray aloud. she had
| crawled before the shrine, and with burn
| ing tear-covered face was family whis-
! pering her petitions.
The girl drew herself up numbly on her
; knees sobs that came from her very
! soul shaking her slender body. a sound
outside startled her, until she remember
| ed that Santiago's mother had come to
weep and lament with her own mother.
| Out there in the patio, they were lament
| ing and wailing with loud cries How
| could they do it like that-waiiing and
| shrieking so that the neighbors could
hear? How angry Santiago would be II
| he could hear them making such noise
! over him, She cast one more piului
| glance at the Virgin, but the sweet. CAIN
| face was so quiet. so restful, so little dis-
| turbed.
| What was the use to ask her anything?
No. there was no help. She stood up,
| tottering and moved over to the window.
| There was no one in sight: the not sun
! shine poured down on the yellow sandy
| street and the gray adobe walls OUT IN
| the middle Of the callejon some dogs and
| small children rolled and tumbled In the
dust together in high glee. A burro'
| with melancholy face and long. dropping
ears. munched alfalfa. while his owner
drank puIque in the pulque-shop near by
| II was all so ordinary, so every day.
| and vet Santiago was to be shot tomor-
row, That is. unless she could think of
| a plan TO save him.
| There was a sudden clatter. and the
children scattered rapidly. with many
| duckings and bobbings of their small. ia'
| bodies. as good Padre Francisco. on MS
pacing mare turned the corner ana "eht
| rapidly down the street Behind MIN
rode a mozo on a hacienda horse Pan
chita thought duly that some one at
| the puloue hacienda of San Juan must
| be very i'll and wanted the padre Tor
confession L, would be long ride for
| the good old man. because San Juan was
many miles away. He would De absent
i fnr a
Pulling at the strings of his soutahe'
Padre Francisco rode on, his old black
cloak Tapping in the breeze. 4 was 50
old and shabby that even Panehita
dim eyes could not but remark H. fooi
Padre Francisco, with no ore 10 ICON
after his clothes-he was good man. anu
really deserved a better cloak than tha'
shabby thing, Perhaps. If she asked he'
father he would allow her to take the
| cloak that had belonged to her uncle,
priest of the same order as Padre Fran
| cisco. 10 give to the latter good man. Ano
| the hood that the padre wore, covering
his head and nearly all his face-was eveI
anything seen like it? One could. OF q
surety, wear it to a masquerade; per-
| hans she might borrow it for :he hex'
"Raile de Mascaros" At the thought SHE
laughed and choked-it would be Sooc
disguise.
The next moment she was weeping lei
| heart out. pressing passionate Kisses OF
the cold feet of the ivory Christ lie hat
heard her. after all, and the Virgin ha'
helped-interceded for her, For now sh'
knew what to do. and Santiago should b
saved. There wah plan-the Hol,
Mother had set it to her. Now to carry j
| out.
At 6 o'clock that evening the soldier OF
euard before Santiagos door admitted
without question the thin. stopped form
of Padre Francisco. cloaked and hooded
| in his usual manner. and CARRYING pray
erbooks and rosary. The good father wa:
silently telling his beads, and the sol
dier bowed humbly and crossed himself
| as he opened the door, speaking no word
| For no Catholic is privileged to addres:
a priest who is countig his rosary beads
body and hands. Underneath him hung
it is l, sign tnat silence Is desired
The cell door opened and closed silent
" after the padre, and the watchers out
side heard a smothered. impatient ejac.
ulation from Private Moreno. who was
smoking a cigarette and trying hard te
write that adios to Panchita. Then the
] door was locked for the padre was go
ing to confess the prisoner. and tn,
guards retired, laughing at the idea o.
confession for Santiago-the wickedes
dog in the army Of Mexico.
Lounging in the doorway. the soldier!
| Speculated iaZliy as 10 WHtt WIS SoiHe
, on in the condemned cell. all was SO qui
| ct. Not even a murmur could be heard
and finally the men agreed that the pa
, | Dire was praying silently, with Santiago
, cursing in the other corner of the room
: 1t was dark-quite dark-when Padr
Francisco came out. with head bowe'
lower than ever, cloak wrapped discon
:, solately about him. and fingers still tell
: ing his beads. He had been there 10
an hour. and surely Santiago was eithe
r talked down or dead by this time. Shal
n we go and see?'' asked a guard.
mo, hombre; let the poor brute alone,
said another.
n To the men who watched all night TO
e fear that the prisoner might escape.
: seemed a century before midnight CAV
a way to the darkness that comes befor
. dawn, though, to the prisoner-quie
o sabe! Such waiting is hard, even o
A the men who are not to die, and ther
q was a sound of relief when at last tn
j. first bugle sounded; 1t was time to &c