The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-02

by tt, sharp words of military
command. The early sun has
% - risen above the Crests and its
slanting rays call the songsters of the
N:woeded Cuban hills to hymn its praise.
. Blue are the distant mountains, their
outlines softened by purple haze,
which like q royal mantle enWraps
their regal forms. Blue is the beauti-
..ful ocean. All nature is instinct with
life. Truly. this is a day when 1t is a
Joy to live; a lay when youth and in
. 'nocence may we'll be happy.
bugle is sounded and at the sound
strange procession moves upward
from the camp of General Garcia and
begins TO climb the trail that leads
to a high and bare hill top, from which
eminence a wide land panorama OF
=: beautiful Cuban scenery is unrolled to
view. SudC My squad OF trumpeters
sound the opening notes of dirge-
sternIy and SOlemnly. and the forests
take, UP the strain and prolong the
moUrnful cadences in broken echoes,
which sound so sad that even the wild
birds listen and cease to sing,
The court Of Cuban officers assembled
by General Garcia TO try Binnie ana
Julia upon the infamous charges made
by Ramirez, the spy, found that ootn
were guilty and sentenced them DOIn
TO death. They were TO be executed
by the Cuban soldiers Ihey heard
the sentence pronounced and dld not
falter. Binnie said nothing. Julia rose
in her place before the assembled Of
. icers and drew from her bosom a Gu
ban flag and held it proudly aloft
Long I have endangered my life for
dear Cuba" she said. in voice which
did not tremble, and 1 have deserved
better of Cuba and OF Cubans than
that I should be found guilty of trea-
son By the hope Of a blessed hereafter
I swear that Binnie and myself are
both innocent
Of ri
among the officers, and General Garcia
: alphabetically shook his head. Clearly
there was nothing but vengeance to be
expected from the Cubans. Tear drops
rolled down the cheeks Of the young
girl TO whom life was sweet. 1t was
hard to die so, innocent, q victim to the
wiles of the wicked Ramirez, who sat
in his place as a witness seemingly IN
moved.
7 call finally upon Ramirez" con-
tinued Julia Ito do an act Of Justice.
Stand forth, Ramirez, and say that
what you have testified TO is false or
forever be accursed as a shedder Of in
necent blood"
Still Ramirez did not move or make
any sign. His face paled little per-
haps and his eyes sought to eVade the
burning glance of Julia What a con-
trast they were! Upon every line of
Ramirez face was written deceit and
guile. Julia was the persOniflcation of
sincerity and high heroism. ~
1t is of no use, Julia" said Binnie
hoarsely, for his thoughts We're of his
far off San Francisco home, and he was
thinking Of the grief which the news
of his ignominious death would bring
TO his mother and father. Speak no
more, but prepare yourself to die
-bravely. Let 1t not be said that we
lacked courage. Be assured that the
truth will yet become known and our
. names will be cleared of all stain. Ned
lives and he can lear up the record and
send Ramirez to his well-deserved fate.
Ali If only he and Harry Ostend, brave
and wise Harry Ostend, were here
now"
e An officer came forward to take from
Julia the Cuban flag which she held
aloft.
When the officer was only a few PAGES
off Julia called aloud three times,
clearly:
i'Cuba nbre, Cuba Iibre forever!"
Then it was that Ramirez lost his
calmness, That was the voice that
he had heard as it pursued him when
he was fugitive after he had killed
the Spanish captain in the canyon At
the sound then he had become sick at
heart. Now it COMMANDED the dread
ful vision to arise once more-the can
yon, the dead Cubans and Spaniards
who went down to the depths al the
battle Of the bridge-the captain who
canyon-the perfdious Ramirez who
there committed murder-the flight
from the scene Of the tragedy-and ever
pursuing voice-saying Cuba hbre"-
as he FASTENED away.
Julia's quick glance saw the change
on the face Of Ramirez. Look, look"
she said eagerly; "he is going to con-
fess.'
: Indeed the sudden terror of that mo-
ment may have put it into the mind
OF the spy to tell the truth; but what
ever the impulse he had no opportun-
1ty TO speak. His face became livid.
He fell forward In the dust and could
not rise. Stricken down by a sudden
attack of terror his cowardly heart
failed 10 restore his vital force He
lay in. the dust. white and motionless.
as Binnie and Julia were hurried away
e TO prison. Julia, when she hal an op-
portunfty-forgiv Julia-knelt down
in the dust and prayed to the Father
of US all, that If Ramirez was to die
thus suddenly he might be forgiven for
any sin that he had committed
General Garcia was duly impressed
by the final scene at the trial ana man
aged to delay the execution OF Bfhnie
and Julia for several days, intending
TO privately ask Ramirez to confess to
him if he had any guilty knowledge Of
the disaster at the canyon by which
: so many Cuban mountainous lost their
l.~cs. It was true that the evidence
against Bipnie and Julia as presented
b. Ramirez, had seemed to be very
ItFCOg- b11t in all his experience Cen