Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1898-07-27

To soul really fearless, even an
apology has no terrors. Moreover,
Freeman's night ride with Doa Miguel,
though brief in time, had sufficed to give
him the measure of the Mexican's char
acter; and he respected it so little that
he could no longer take the man SER
iously or be sincerely angry with him
The professors assurance as to Don
Miguels inoffensiveness had also ita
weight; and it was therefore with .
quite royal gesture Of amicable con-
descension that Freeman turned upon
his late antagonist and held out his
hand.
<tSenor Don Miguel de Mendoza"
said he, 81 humbly tender you my
apologies and crave your pardon. My
conduct has been inexcusa BILE; I beg
you to excuse it. / deserve your repro
baton; l entreat the favor of your
friendship. Senior, between men of
honor, misunderstanding is mis-
understanding, and an apology is an
apology. l lament the existence of the
first; the professor, here, is witness
that lay the second at your feet May
l hope to receive your hand as a privi-
| lege OF your good WHIP
Now, Don Miguel's soul had been
grievously exercised that night; he had
been insulted, he had shivered benea III
the shadow of death, he had been prey
To superstitious terrors, and he had
been utterly perplexed by the profess
sors eloquent address, whereof las it
was delivered in good American, and
with rapidity of utterance born of
strong feeling) he had comprehended
not word, and the unexpected effect
of which upon his late adversary he
was at loss to understand. Although,
therefore, he had no stomach for bat
tie, he was oppressed by a misgiving
lest the whole transaction had been in
some way planned to expose him to
rldlcule; and for this reason he was dis
posed to treat Freeman S peaceful over
lures with suspicion. His heart did not
respond to those overtures, but neither
was 1t stout enough to enable him to
reject them explicitly. Accordingly,
he adopted that middle course which.
In spite OF the proverb, is not seldom
the least eXpedient. He disregarded
the protfered hand, bowed very stiffiy,
and, saying, ''Senor, 1 am satisfied"
stallled off with all the rigidity of one
in whose veins flows the sangre azul of
Old Castle. Freeman smiled superior
upon his retreat, and then, producing
a cigar-case, proceeded to light up
with the professor. In this fragrant
and friendly cloud we will leave them,
and return for few minutes to the
house of Gen. Trednolze.
1t will be remembered that some
thing was said of Grace being privy to
the nocturnal advances of Senior de
Mendoza. We are not to suppose that
this implies in her any thing worse than
an aptness to indulge in romantic ad-
venture; the young lady enjoyed the
mystery of romance, and knew that
serenades, and whisperings over star
lit balconies, were proper to this lati-
tude. 1t may be open to question
whether she really was much interested
in De Mendoza, save as he was a type
of the adoring Spaniard. That the
scene required: she could imagine him
(for the time-being) to be the Cid Of an
Gent legend. and she herself would en-
act role of corresponding elevation
Grace would doubtless have prospered
better had she been content with one
adorer at time; but, while turning to
a new love, she was by no means dis
posed to loosen the chains of a former
one; and, though herself as jealous as
tiger-cat of her young, she could
never recognize the propriety of a SINH
lar passion on the part of her victims.
She had been indignant at Freeman's
apparent infidelity with Miriam; but
when she had las she imagined) dis
covered her mistake, she had listened
with heart at ease to the
protestations of Don Miguel She
had parted from him. that evening with
a half-expressed understanding that
he was to reappear beneath her VIM
dow before daylight; and she had
pictured to herself charming balcony
scene, such as she had behold in italian
opera. Accordingly, she had attired
herself in becoming negligee, and
had spent the fore part of the night
somewhat restlessly, occasionally
emerging on the veranda and gazing
down into the perfumed gloom of the
garden At length she fancied that
she heard footsteps. Whose could
they be, unless Don Miguers? Grace
retreated within her window to await
developments. Don Miguel did not
appear; but presently she deserted a
phantOm-like figure ascending the
flight of steps to the veranda. Could
that be. he? If so, he was holder in his
wooing than Grace had been prepared
for. But surely that was a strange
costume that he wore: nor did the un-
conscious harmony of the gait at all
resemble the senor's self-conscious
strut. And whittier was he going?
1t was but too evident that he was
going straight to the room occupied bv
hTTTIoln.
This was too much for Grace's eoua-
nimity. She stepped out of her win
dow, and fitted with noiseless sten
along the veranda. The figure that
she pursued entered tie door of the
house, and passed into the corridor
traversing the wing. Grace was in time
to see it cross the threshold of Miriam's
door, which stood ajar. She stole to
the door, and peeped in. There was
the figure; but of Miriam there was no
trace.
The figure slowly unfastened and
threw back the hood which covered its
head, at the same time turning round.
so that its eountenance was revealed.
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