Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1901-10-11
aTrust ma said Mastasudo. = n
walked "a.
CHAPTER VI
eRn MA

The Attack.
General Saivares was deep In the
council Of war with his officers. when
!, his wife and daughter reached him.
/ They rushed into his arms with exclar
mauons or mingled Joy and woe.
How did you escaped" said Sal
! varGx. TELL me about me attack On
| the castle Our men say they fought
bravely. and killed hundred Of the
/ enemy"
/ Fought brayely" replied Dona Ma
| ria. There was no fighting at all. A
few shots were fired. it is true. But OF
what use would it be for q few to
| stand against hundreds?"
who are the two Americans. faith
| er?" asked Jacinta, who had heard
| enough about the war.
| "Oh, the Americans! Where are
| they? have not missed them till now.
! Where did you see them"
| Near the castle Pedro Francisco is
| with the enemies of the republic. and
| was looking for US in the castle
| grounds. When we left the secret pas
sage he came upon us, with two others.
| and the Americans beat them of and
| brought us within a short distance OF
| you. They are here, SO they said, to
rescue young girl from the hands Of
the conspirators against our liberty"
Salyarez dismissed the Americans
from his mind, and began preparations
| for attacking the castle.
Having reached the most advanta-
! geous point within his grasp, Salvarez
| planted his two guns, ready to begin
the attack.
It was at this point that the sentinel
on the tower had passed the word for
1omez and had interrupted his talk
with Mattazudo.
Salvarez first took the precaution to
send his wife and daughter some dis
lance away from the scene in the care
OF a score of soldiers under lieuten-
ant. Freed from their loving but en-
barrassing presence, he now dis
played himself fearlessly, and directed
| the movements in person.
The soldiers under Salvarez were OF
| the same classes as those under Fran
cisco and Mattazudo; but as no class Is
altogether good, neither is any class
altogether bad, and the half-breeds.
even to the Zambos, who were among
| the supporters of the Government
! fought bravely.
At the command of Salvarez the tive
| guns doomed their wrath against the
| offending foe, and an answering charge
| of cannon and rifles awoke the echoes.
Again and again the booming guns
poured out their wrath. but the walls
OF the castle crumbled not.
| Meanwhile, Salvarez was restlessly
| pacing up and down. He recognized
| the impossibility of driving the enemy
| from his castle with the force at his
| command. A problem had presented
itself to his mind The secret passage!
He resolved to hold the secret, intend
! ing, if necessary, to utilize it in soms
way at night.
His meditations were interrupted by
loud shouts from his men. In the castle
the preparations for the attack had
been watched eagerly by Gomez, Don
Juan and Philip of Aragon.
THAT General is cool fellow" said
/ Philip. "IIe should be one of us. -
'Salvarez is brave man." said
| Gomez, ssand as stubbornly loyal to the
| republic as he is brave.
"Salvarez seems to have confidence
that his attack will be successful,
Gomez smiled.
"If he knew it would be a failure he
| would be as calm.
"Is there any danger that he will be
successful?'' asked Don Juan.
"Not the least"
SIS it, then, SO strong a CASTER" ask
ed Philip.
4 "The strongest in Venezuela"
/ t'Is it so? Then this spot was indeed
we'll chosen as the spot to begin our
operations
Gomez smiled-his quiet, superior
smile.
81 knew what was doing" he said.
IT generally do"
/ (To be continued.)