El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-27
DARK EYED MAID
GAVE A WARNING
A Story Of Moonlight Jealousy and
Stiletto.
BY Samuel McLeary Waller.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
When Trooper Paul Mills gave the
bread and coffee, he had little idea of
the havoc he was raising for the well
ordered existence of three who thought
they were happy. But he could not
have been expected to know that the
girl with the blue black hair and the
form drawn by famine had lover and
q tickle heart, and she had never
thought so well of himself as to imag-
inc that he had gallant figure and an
earnest eye capable of turning the
maiden's head. Else he might have
hesitated as he stood in the blue haze
| Of the tropical morning and singled out
the one of the misery laden throng of
| refugees who seemed nearest the Dor
derland of exhaustion. For he was of
the kind that love constancy aud
shrink from sullying pure heart.
When the maiden had eaten the dry
bread and drank the hot coffee and
| Mills had returned to his tent to get
! more of his small allowance of food to
| give to some other of the unhappy ex-
| lies, he wondered at the quivering eyes
| she had turned back after stumbling
| away without thanking him. They had
looked like twin fires of gratitude and
fear kindled by sparks from tender
| and terrified conscience
The maiden moved on with the for
lorn host who were struggling back to
the deserted city. The bundle poised
| on her head pressed with less insist
ence Her veins were warm. Into
them had stolen the strong beverage
and the greater strength of a sublime
emotion sent on the subtlety of kind
~ glance.
From out Of the shell torn bull ring
at the edge Of the city came graceful
youth in blue and scarlet and gold.
His cap was tasseled, his leggings
scanned with buttons of bronze, and
the fringe Of his blood red sash touch
ed the jangling rowel Of his spur. His
step rang on the roadway as he hur-
ried forth to meet the maiden.
"Ah, Manuela, 1 have watched the
throng since daylight! 1 watched it all
yesterday. Why are you so tardy?'
He had reached out to clasp the girls
hands, but they slipped behind her
back The youth stopped as though
he had felt "a jar. Then passion came
out of the gloom In the deep of his
somber eyes and spread down his face.
What, Manuela, is this the greeting
1 GET who burned my heart out for
you and sat on top of the bull ring
and gazed out over the hills to where
you were when the big guns were roar
ing death over the valley? Come,
speak to me, child, and say you are
glad Of your welcomeY'
Had you been brave, like the meE
behind those guns, you would have
gone through their weak, thin line and
come to me. 1 am not glad Of the well
come of a cowardv'
All through the weary days of starva-
ton in the foul village to the north
and in the purple forests around ii
she had sighed to press the lips Of this
same coward; had vowed eternal fealty
at the throne of his picturesque per-
sonality; had breathed fervent caresses
that the free evening air might watt
them over the intrenched heads of the
sullen armies to the vine clad balcony
where he was used to sit in the moon
light. On the hot road homeward she
had thrilled with joy that each heavy
step brought forward the time of bliss
full meeting and that each moment was
messenger from the day when they
should walk between their wealth of
friends down the long cathedral aisle.
Then had come the pair Of gray eyes.
and the Wanted will of the Cozenzas
had melted away like care at twilight
The face of the youth became scarlet
as his sash, then white as his palm.
1t is not the habit of a Latin to con-
troll his passions, rather he cultivateS
them to fierceness, but Jose choked
hna 1t.
pallid face of the girl suggested physi-
cal or mental unbalance-perhaps he
had learned diplomacy. Again he held
out his hands.
"Come, Manuela, these troublous
times are passing, and We'll be happy
again as when we strolled through the
groves by the harbor. Say kind word
1t will warm your heart and brighten
mine. Say that you are glad to see
me-"
His tones were soft, his glances ten
der
But the girl knew not restraint if the
youth did. She spurned the outstretch-
ed hand with her own. A heavy gold
ring fell from her thin finger and rolled
away in the dust. She looked at it a
moment, half stopped to pick it up.
then turned and walked away. She
gave the youth no word. The white
and red of his cheeks changed into
each other like a struggle between
right and wrong. Right finally tri-
umphed. for, although muttering in a
rage of anger, jealousy and humilia-
ton, he picked up the bang of gold
He wiped the dust off gently, touched
the ring close to his lips and put it in
his pocket. He had put it on her finger
under the stars ono ninht