The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-01-12

anu Ills SWCStllVult "SiV j. Nv pA6 Va
mail he vas to take to camp from the
p%ostoffice, 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 q barred window.
His clear gray eyes met the startled
gaze Of two shining black ones. Grasp
ing ne curtains did not keep Manuela
from falling down from the easement.
She heard the horse come to an abrupt
halt. then q 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 a rough hand grasped an iron bar.
Next said a hearty voice:
lis this the little woman | gave some
thing to eat yesterday? I'm glad to see
you again. 1t was the devil of a time
you people mad out ,yonder. and | hope
another won't come like II. You are
all right now and will Don 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 a rea.
sonable girl. There is in 1t nothing ar.
dent nor inspiring, but Manuela's heart
was too big for Der body before the
sound Of It was out Of her ears. She
leaned N the easement for support.
Quickly her body became rigid. and all
the passion of her soul surged up. Jose
had ONE 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
lected 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 a 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
mad he 10 looked toward the window
to see IL the girl were still there.
There was something wild and eager
in the face which made him pull the
horse up roughly. He rode up to the
bars.
"Senor" The girl spoke rapidly. and
her tones were hoarse. "You r in
danger. You are to be killed. | must
warn you, but not now. Come at mid
night to the spreading tree behind the
bull ring I will be there. Will you
Gomez"
Mills was almost at camp before he
ceased wondering why he promised to
meet the girl. 1t was absurdly foolish,
he said. Why did she not tell him Of
the danger instead Of making such an
appointment? The trooper had been
seated under the tree half an hour
when he heard soft footsteps In the
shadow beneath the wall Of the bull
ring. He stepped forward and met
Manuela as she passed into the gloom
of the branches. She clutched his
arm, and her hand trembled violently.
"He followed me-" she painted. But
for his support she would have fallen.
"Who" asked the wondering soldier
"Jose.'" she replied. 1.-The man l came
to warn you against. He wants to
marry me. but l will have nothing Of
him. He saw you at my window to-
day and says you are the man | love
and that he will kill you. He watched
the house all day. tried to elude
him when I came out, but he saw me
and came after"
She drew closer to the trooper.
81 am afraid Of him." she continued
kill me?"
Her arms clasped him about the
neck, and she placed kiss after kiss or
his lips and cheeks. Mills was thor
oughly astounded at the whole pro
cedure and struggled to protest. He
tried to put the trembling girl from
him. Over her shoulder he saw a body
creeping through the grass. At eact
movement something long and white
cleaned in the moonlight. 1t was 9
s~tiletto. The figure stopped anG
crouched a. a leopard for q spring
Mills thrust the girl from him just II
time to receive the shock. The knife
was buried In his shoulder and drawn
out. The trooper grasped the appraised
wrist as 1t was descending toward hll
heart. Jose was light of weight. bu'
active and strong. Pain and loss. Of
blood told greatly on Mills. The strug
Ile ragged iercely. Then there was {
heavy fall, and a moment after the