The San Francisco call., 1898-07-24


 rifles. Bullets sang shrilly as they
 tore their way through the
 bushes and glanced among the
 A rocks that studded the Cuban mesa. A file of soldiers wearing the Spanish uniform led by swarthy or ficer came forward on a brisk run, al most before the echoes that their rlf1es had caused had died away. They for sock the dusty highway upon which they had been standing when they fired and having spread out in thln line began to look for the man whom they had shot. On the tWlgS that hau been broken down by the object Of their marksmanship as he had turned to ice were red drops-fresh blood. So then the riflemen had proved their reputa- ton to being dead shots for a certainty. But where was he, their victim?
 Close to the highway the woods were thin. 4 little back the underbrush was dense. Briars formed what would seem to be an impenetrable hedge. Beyond this hedge the bank sloped steeply down to the edge of a mountain stream.
 The rif1emen had keen eyes and it did not take them long to find the place where the fugitive had broken through the thorny hedge. The briars were adorned by scraps of blue cloth and were sprinkled with blood. But, try as hard as they could, none of the Spanish soldiers could pass through the hole in the hedge.
 ''Forward!' shouted their captain fiercely. Forward, men! Are you go- ing to stand here all day and let the rascal escape us? You, Antone and Ouesada, stay here and watch, for the Yankee may be still in hiding If he shows his head be sure that there is one Yankee less in Cuba tonight. The rest of you come with me. Forward" "
 Antone and Quesada, two young ;eT aT iT1nd fbeiT rifles. Have no fear of us, good cap tain" said Quesada, as he grinned savagely and showed a TOW of white teeth of which he was particularly proud. '"The Yankee, let him show his head here for an instant, will be quick traveller to that place where all the Yankees will soon be If l have my full will.
 The captain and his other followers disappeared from view, and soon the two sentries heard them crashing through the woods on the other side of the knoll and shouting angrily. Then there was the sound of a pistol shot and then another in quick succession Que sada fell prone upon his face at the first report and then Antone when the pistol rang the second time, threw up his hands, spun around in his tracks and dropped among the bushes Neither was dead, but both were badly hurt.
 From a tree nearly over their heads dropped a spare, slim figure dressed in a blue suit On the head of this per son. who was the one who had fired the shots that had laid the sentries low, was a broad sombrero. Such a face! The eyes were gray and fear less, and had withaI an expression of good sense. The sombrerO, thrown partly back, showed a broad and high forehead, which was smooth and indi- cated very young manhood Around the ample brow clustered a mass of curling hair, dark brown in color. The mouth was large and firm, but had a queer little curl at the corners, limiting that it's daring owner possessed a share of reckless fun, and regarded all things from the standpoint of a laughing phil osopher. The nose was straight and finely molded. The ears were small. Altogether this was a fine looking young man, for while his figure was snare, 1t was finely knit and unques- tionably athletic
 T had to do it or be killed myself. t" said the young man. There was no other way to save my own life, for these sentries would have had no more pity for me than they would for a wild beast had they ever happened to see me. Not that I am looking much for pity. An, what have we here?"
 Something that sparkled in the after noon sun caught the glance of the brave young fellow. He bent over and seized the glittering object.
 An" said he with a sudden start and a look of pain, it is the lovely Donna Julia. Let me open the locket." '" From a niche under Donna Julia's pie ture f1uttered out a piece of paper upon which something was written. This was quickly seized. The next in stant the two sentries were left alone. The bushes were moved slightly and then all was silence. But now the Spanish captain and his followers came once more upon the scene. The Span iards were intent upon finding out who had fired the shots of which they had heard the reports. Two shots meant to them that both sentries had fired. and they returned, expecting that they