Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-03

with chains and pad&ocks displayed, stood
Then quick loud cackle Of laughter
came from Fernandez. He had found some
thing among the parcbments
Hereby l plight thee my troth. he
read from paRer in his hand. :" forever
and forever. asia true heart and true
lover. Signed. Ramon This she has kept
in a case in her BOSOM suppose, with the
Picture s Of the sar Be- and Is
tron of all thieves. And. holy Michael in
the seventh heavens. here is their marriage
certificate all complete-a very treasure
need not go into the strong box-I. Luis
Fernandez, have made an end Of them The
woman is mine and SO win I also make
an end of these relics Of folly"
He took the papers to tear them across,
but the stout parchment resisted a moment.
His brow darkened and he clutched them
more securely to rend them with an effort.
But slight noise in the apartment and
a cry from the Tia caused him to look up.
A knife was at his throat and a figure
stood before him. one huge hand pinning
him to his seat.
Ramon" he cried, his voice, which had
been full of chuckling laughter. rising sud
denly to thin Shrek. God in heaven. Ra-
mon Garcia"
And with a trembling hand he tried to
cross himself
"Give!' said Ramon in a hollow voice.
and mechanically the miller placed the
papers in his hands.
Fore God. Ramon, thought you were
dead!' gasped the man.
mo, friend, not Dead" came the answer.
but Ramon Garcia came back in the flesh
to settle certain accounts with his cOmrade
and brother of many years, Luis Fernandez
OF the mill house Of Sarria."
CHAPTER XIV.
RollO Intervenes.
With eyes injected, wide-open mouth and
dropped jaw the man sat all fallen together
in his seat, the gold ornaments still strewed
about him, the pencil with which he had
been checking them fallen from his nerve
less grasp.
Il have accounted for the old lady," said
Rollo, who with the eager professional as
sstance of La Giralda had been gagging
and securing the Tia.
"Stay where you are, Luis Fernandez"
said Ell Sarria sternly, as he sat down him
self with his pistols on either side OF him.
i advise you not to move hand or foot, II
you set any value upon your life. have
much to say to you before-before the
morning."
And the doomed man, recognizing the ac
cents Of deadly intent in his late friends
voice. let his head sink into his hands with
hopeless moan.
Meantime 1 will put these things In
order" said the Scot, in whose military
beginning to throw all the objects Of value
indiscriminately into the open chest, when
Ell Sarria checked him.
Il will only take what is mine own-and
hers,' he said but meantime ABIDE
There is much to be said and done first"
Then he turned his broad, deeply lined
brow upon Fernandez, who looked into his
eyes as the trembling criminal, hopeless of
mercy, awaits the black cap and the sem
tence.
Rollo had settled the Tia on the floor
with her head on a roll of household s.uffs
which she herself had rolled up in a cloak
for transport.
Then the Scot stood on guard by the door
which led to the staircase, his sword drawn
in his hand. The picturesqueness of the
scene at the table appealed to the play
actor in him.
FL Sarria held the documents in his hand
which Fernandez had been about to destroy
and waved them gently in his enemy's face
as a kings advocate might with written
Indictment In speech of accusation.
You betrayed me to the death, friend
Luis You revealed my hiding place. That
is count the first" he began.
And the wretched man, his lips dry and
scarce obeying his will, strove to give ut
terance to the words. 1T was all my BROTH
er's doing. l swear it was my brother.'
Bah" said Ell Sarria, do not trouble
to lie. Luis, being SO near the other bar
where all must speak the truth. You knew
you were the trusted friend. Your brother
was not. and even If you were not upon the
spot. as l thought, the bloodhounds were
set on the trail by you and by no other"
head deeper between his hands as If to
shut out his judge and probable execu-
toner from his sight.
Pass. then" said the outlaw, there is
so much else that 1t matters not whether
you were at the Devils canon or no. At
any rate, you decoyed my wife here by a
letter purporting to be written to Dolores
Garcia by her husband
"Concha Cabezos lies. She was a liar
from the beginning. That also was NV
brother l swear to your cried the wretch
ed man in so ptiful an accent that for the
first time Rollo felt a little sorry for him
But there was no CLEAN of pity in the
eyes of Ramon. Instead he lifted pistol
and toyed with it a moment thoughtfully.
Luis he said, your brother has his
own sins to answer for Be man Juis
You used not to be coward as well as
thief and murderer
Ramon, Ramon, do not kill me in nv
sins!' cried the wretched man. by the
memory Of our boyhood together let mo Of
least receive absoution and go clean"
Even as you would have made me eo nv
the mouth of the DEVILS canon-eyen as
this very night you sent forth to the holy
ministry Of the worm and the CONSCIENTIOUS
of the clod the young child, unblessed and
unbenisoned. without touch Of priestly hand
or sprnkling drop Of holy water! Even So
Luis. friend Of my youth, according to the
measure We mete. 1t shall be measured to
you again. The barley bushel is good
measure also for the rye"
Rollo, standing by the door and looking
over the neadS OF accuSer and accused
saw through window the first green
streaks Of doubtful dawn, drawn Iivid
and chill across black sky.
In quick whispers Rollo urged pIan NJ
action upon Ell Sarria. by which he honed
to obtain a reprieve and perhaps his life
for the wretched man. But he did not
advert ITO this last, only to the necessity IF
haste, and to the perilous state of Dolores
This was his great argument Whatever
happened she must be cared for The mat
ter Of the traitors could be arranged later
While Ramon sat considering, the active
eyes Of the young Scot discovered a small
iron-faced door open at one corner of the
chamber. He went across and pulled aside
the curtain which half concealed the en-
trance.
"A regular strong room, by Joyer he
cried. Here Is everything comfortable for
our friends while we settle our other AZ
fairs"
Rollo sounded all over the strong room
of the mill house for any signs of another
exit, but all was solid masonry Resides
which the chests of valuables and papers
the casks of fine liquors and smugeIed
cigars proved that this was intended for q
secret wall chamber in which to conceal
the valuables of the house in case of
alarm. Such hiding places are not uncom-
mon in the old houses of Spain, as Rollo
knew, though this was the first he had
seen.
'tGiye Yourself the pain of an+or,no