Evening star., 1901-10-12

DO go and bring her." she murmured.
Il will take care of your musket. You need
not be moment, and-I will wait for
you!"
little spark kindles great fire in a
Spanish heart, and the young man, count
ing the cost rapidly decided that the risk
was worth running. The horses of the Es-
tella regiment were picketed in little hol-
low few hundred yards behind the main
camp. 1t was his duty to watch these two
strangers, of whom one had already gone
back to the camp, while as to the other
well, Adrian Eumaya of the province of
Alava felt at that moment that he could
cheerfuily devote the rest Of his life to
watching that other.
In a moment more he had laid down his
musket at Conchas feet and set off as fast
as he could in the direction of the horses.
Keeping well out of sight in the trough of
a foot hill until he was close to the cavalry
lines. and could smell the honest stable
smell which in the open air mingled
curiously with those of aromatic thyme and
resinous juniper
In five minutes he was back, riding his
best and sitting like a centaur.
Concha's eyes glistened with pleasure
and she ran lmpulsively forward to pat the
cream-colored mare, a clean-built, we'll
gathered, workman-like Steed
Now, the young man was very proud of
the attention and interest this pretty An
dalusian girl was showing in his equip
ment and belongings, to the exclusion of
those of his comrades. Perhaps he might
have been less pleased had he known that
the young lady's interest extended even
to the gun he had left behind him, the
charge of which she had managed to ex-
tract with deft and competent fingers.
La Perla she is called, he cried with
enthusiasm, land sure none other ever bet
ter deserved the namet I wish we of the
camp possessed a side saddle that the senor-
fta might try her PAGES. She has the
easiest motion in the world-it is like rid
ing in great ladys coach with springs or
being carried in a sedan chair. But she is
of delicate mouth. All, yes-if the senorita
mounted, 1t would be necessary to remem-
Der that she must not bear hardly upon the
reins. Then would La Perla of a certainty
take the bit between her teeth and run
like the devil when Father Mateo is after
him With holy water Syringe"'
Concha smiled the young fellow dis
mounted. fiinging himself off with the
1.-THE grace of youth and constant practice.
You forget" she said, Il also am of the
Province of Flowers. Do not be afraid.
La Perla and 1 will not fall out A side
saddie-any saddle! What needs Concha
Cabezos with a side saddle when she hath
ridden unbroken Andalusian jennets wild
over the meadow OF Maizena, with no better
bride than their names of silk and no other
saddle than their glossy hides, brown as
toasted breadr'
AS she made this boast Concha patted
La Perla's pretty head, who, recognizing
a lover of her kind, muzzled an affection
ate nose under the girls arm.
''Oh, how l wish 1 could try you." she
cried, were it but for moment-darling
among steeds, pearl of Andalusia.'
La Perla is very gentle" suggested
the young cavalier of Alava, as he thought
most subtly. With me at the mares head
the senorita might safely enough ride. But
for fear of interruption let us first proceed
a little way out of sight of the campn'
They descended behind the long ridge till
the camp was entirely hidden, and as they
did so the heart of the young vitorfan beat
fast. They think plentifully well of them
selves, these young men of Aiava and Ma
varre. And this one felt that he would not
disgrace the name of his parent city.
me-there, The senorita goes up like a
bird! Now, wait till take her head and
beware of jerking the rein hastily on ac-
count of the delcacy of the little ladys
mouth So, La Terla-gently and daintfiy,
Consider, jewel of mares. what a precious
burden is now on thy back"
"A moment. only a moment cried Con-
cha. her hands apparently busy about her
in. What shall 1 do? A handkerchief is
not large enough All, Cavallero, add to
your kindness by lending your bona,
| thank you thousand times, There! Is
that so greatly amiss?''
And she set the red boina daintily 1lpon
her hair, pulling the brim sideways to
shade her eyes from the level evening sun,
and looked down at the young man who
stood at her side.
Perfect. Beautiful" cried the young VI
torian, clasping his hands. 1.-The sight
would set on fire the heart of Don Carlos
himself. All. take care. Bear easily on
that rein. Stop, La Perla! Stop 1 be-
seech you"
And he started running with all his
might Alas, in vain. For the wicked
Concha, the moment that he had stepped
back to take in the effect of the red boina,
dropped a heel. into which she had pri-
vatey inserted half an inch of pin, taken
from her own headgear, upon the flank
of La Perla. The mare sprang forward,
with nostrils dlstended and fierce jerk
of the head. Concha pulled hard as Ii in
terror, and presently was flying over the
plain toward the cleft of the shoulder of
Moncayo, beyond which lay the camp of
General Elio.
The young Carlist stood a moment aebast
Then slowly he realized the situation.
Whereupon, crying aloud the national oath.
he ground his heel into the ground, kneeled
upon one knee, took careful aim and
clicked down the trigger. No report fol-
lowed. however, and slight inspection
satisfied him that he had been tricked.
duped. made fool of by slip of a girl,
girl with eyes-yes, and eyelashes.
However, he wasted no time fool;sb1,,
Wen he knew that for such mistakes there
was In Cabrera's code neither forgiveness
nor indeed any penalty save one. Adrian
Aumaya OF the province of Alava was
young. He desired to live, IL only thar he
might meet that girl again at whose ra
treating figure he had a moment before
pointed an empty gun barrel. All he
Woulu pe even with her yet. So, wasting
no time In leave taking, he bent low behind
the ridge ard, keeping well in the shelter
OF boulder and underbrush, made a bee-Iino
Tor the cliffs of Moncayo, where presently.
In one OF the caves of which Ell Sarria had
spoken, he counted his cartridges and re-
loaded his rifle, with little regret, except
when he wished that the incident had han
pened after instead Of before supper.
The young mans last act before he laid
himself down In his new quarters had been
TO take from his coat the circular disk with
the letters &C. w." the badge of the onlv
Satnoiic, absolute and legitimate king
Ihen approaching the precipice as nearly
as IN the uncertain light he dared he cast
It from him In the direction Of the CarIist
lines.
Shoot whom you will at sunrise. oueen
or camp wench, king or knave," he mutt
tered. you shall not have Adrian Zumaya
OF Vitoria to put bullet through"
so easily was. allegiance laid down or
taken up in these civil wars of Spain! And
Ihat night 1t was noised abroad that young
Zumaya of the Estella regiment of cavalry
mad taken his horse and gone OFF with the
pretty senorita whom he had been set to
watch.
Upon which half of his comrades enyied
him and the other half hoped he would be
captured, saying 1T will be bad for Adrian
Zumaya of the Estella regiment If he comes
again within the clutches of our eyoaII.a,,t