Smyrna times., 1900-01-10

his pocket. He had put it on her finger
under the stars one night.
When Trooper Mills rode into the
city next day, but one thought animat-
ed his mind. Letters from his mother
and his sweetheart were in the bag of
mail lie was to take to camp from the
postottice, and he wanted to get back
to quarters as quickly as possible TO
secure them. SO Trooper Mills clatter-
ed gayly through the street.
He glanced into a barred window.
His clear gray eyes met the startled |
gaze of two shining black ones. Grasp |
Ing the curtains did not keep Manuela |
from falling down from the easement |
She heard the horse come to an abrupt |
halt, then a sharp rattle of iron ON |
stone as he was turned abruptly and |
the quick, short steps which were |
bringing him toward the window Air |
seemed to have stopped circulating. |
Her breath would hardly come as she
drew herself to her feet.
A shadow came through the window
as rough hand grasped an iron bar
Next said hearty voice:
thing to eat yesterday? I'm glad to see
you again. 1t was the devil of a time
you people had out yonder. and hope
another won't come like 1t. You are
all right now and will soon be as fat
and pretty as ever again. Well. good
by; must hurry on. Hope TO see you
again."
And the echoes of hoof beats soon
died away in the distance. Certainly
such a speech as that is not calculated
to Overturn the common sense of rea
sOnable girl There is in it nothing ar
dent nor inspiring. but Manuela's heart
| was too big for her body before the
| sound of it was out of her ears. She
| leaned on the easement for support
| Quickly her body became rigid. and all
the passion of her soul surged up. Jose
had come from out the house opposite.
and the house was not his home. His
eyes were malignant as he stepped into
the narrow street and followed after
the horseman.
Manuela followed him with intent
gaze until he was lost to view. She
knew what those burning eyes meant.
She turned to a door leading into the
courtyard and leaned against the
framing. but she did not hear the rip
pie of the dilapidated fountain nor
smell the pathetic fragrance of the neg
iected flowers. Her eyes pierced the
past, the future and then paused at the
present. She returned to the street
window and leaned against the bars.
Her body was quivering with checked
emotion.
Presently hOrSeman came gallOp-
ing down the street. She knew that
it was her trooper.
"SenOr"' she called in an excited. low
voice. Mills would not have heard
had he not looked toward the window
to see if the girl were still there
There was something wild and eager
in the face which made him pull til,
horse up roughly. He rode up to the
bars.
"SenOr!" The girl spoke rapidly. anC
her tones were hOarse. You are il
danger. You are to be killed. mus
warn you. but not now. Come at mid
night to the spreading tree behind til,
bull ring. | will be there. VIII yOl
Gomez
Mills was almost at camp before h
J ceased wondering why he promised t,
meet the girl. 1t was abSurdly foolish
he said. Why did she not tell him o
. the danger instead of making such al
2 appointment? The trooper had bee
r seated under the tree half an hou
2 when he heard soft footsteps in tn
e shadow beneath the wall of the bu
: ring. He stepped forward and me
,. Manuela as she passed into the gJooI
e of the branches She clutched hi
arm. and her hand trembled violently.
n "He followed me-" she painted. Bu
g for his support she would have fallen.
q "Who?" asked the wondering sOldie
J. "Jose." she replied. THE man | cam
to warn you against. He wants
L marry me. but | will have nothing c
q him. He saw you at my window Il
II day and says you are the man | Low
Is and that he will kill you. He watche
y the house all day. tried to elud
+ him when | came out. but he saw n
IS and came after"
II She drew closer to the trooper.
~ 'He will kill me. You won't let hi
a. kill me?"
ne Her arms clasped him about Il
y neck. and she placed kiss after kiss {
IS his lips and cheeks. Mills was tho
as oughly astOunded at the whole pr
~ cedure and struggled to protest. Z
OF tried to put the trembling girl fro
Ie. him. Over her shoulder he saw a boo
IS creeping through the grass. At eat
as movement something long and whi
[. cleaned in the moonlight. 1t was
et stiletto. The figure stopped al
~ crouched as a leopard for a sprin
IL Mills thrust the girl from him just
es time to receive the shock. The kni
eu was buried in his shoulder and dra v
H. out. The trooper grasped the uprais,
81 wrist as it was descending toward L
ne heart. Jose was light of weight. b
Id active and strong. Pain and loss
blood told greatly on Mills The stru
|