Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-09-13
CHAPTER ".
The Secret Passage

ihefc was one person In the retInuc
OF fhilip OF Arason whose 10y AT the
successful capture OF the castle Of Sal
varez was not entirely without alloy.
rms was Pedro Francisco.
He knew that Senorita Jacinta was
not with her father AT Bolivar. He had
dwelt upon the pleasure with which
ne would make her his prisoner, to win
release only by making her captivity
litelonS-by becoming his wife.
his chasrin. therefore. when the cas-
Tie was found to be unoccup!ed was
very great.
He knew nothing about the secrc,
passage. Neither did Gomez. or any
one else In the royalist army.
Meanwhile the returning battalIons
OF salrarcz heard the iiyIng rumors.
salvarcz, who was slowly riding
ahead. accompanied by Medwor,h and
Tempest. was startled at seeing three
horsemen coming at full gallop toward
him.
The general spurred forward to
meet them.
What Is 1t? You have news?" he
said.
The castle. The cas,ic.' cried one.
The Spaniard." cried another. THE
people have gone over
We are lost" exclaimed the third.
General Salyarcz turned pale.
what do you meant" he demanded.
You cry the cas,lc!' Has anything
gone wrong Mt the castle, Has the en-
cmy Gomez Ny wife and daughter
where are they"
''All Is lost. tell you?" was the re-
ply. THE whole country has risen In
revolt. An armed force. consisting OF
hundreds OF men. under Francisco and
the half-bTced Mattarudo. attacked the
castle. We fought braycly. We killed
over n hundred. but they were too
many for us"
"SIicncc-' roared General Saivarcx.
Fear has turned you Into .arrulouS
old women. You say the castle Is TAX
en- Where. then. are my wife and
daughter /"
ALAS. We do not know. They either
escaped or were captured"
Likely" said Tempest. speaking In
English TO Arthur. THE ladies arc
either free or In captivity. alive OF
dead. No denying that fellows brilliant
intellect"
"Hush," said Mcdworth.
salyarez turned toward them. with n
pale. but stern face.
My young friends" he said. the
wors, has befallon us. We have been
utwittcd-trickcd-i the most skill
ful way. While We were In Bolivar. the
enemy has entered ut another point
and now occupy my castle. and have
no doub, captured or killed my wife
and daughter. There Is hard work be-
fore me. The castle must be rctakcn.
Forward
He spurred his horse forward. The
news spread among the men. They
pressed on close behind him. At the
roar came the numbering artillery
tho guns he had taken TO Bolivar TO
prcyen. the landing of the enemy.
After n wearisome march they came
In sight OF the castle. ana from its
staff iloated peculiar nag.
ut not that the flag OF SPAIN" asked
Mcdworth.
No" replied Tempest. whose ven
,ur.some life at sea had made him
familiar with the flags OF all nations
and the languages of most. 1t is the
flag of no known country. II is modeIed
closely after that OF Spain, but is not
ouitc like It. A ilag no doubt designed
and chosen as the standard OF the royal
party In Venezuela.
The column was now halted.
s,,varcz called several OF his officers
to him.
Az was perfectly natural and proper.
N.dworth and Tempest were not ad-
m,,,ed TO this council OF war. lhey
.i,n,cd from their horses and walked
a,,v toward the Coroni. Some OF the
r,,5i,rs of Salyarez looked at thcm'
hr, none tried to stop them from
going. ho,ou
tho bnnx OF the river. when nj th's
poiut was high. and, thus scree"eu
sr,,, observation. creep toward ,he
.,s,,, and endcavor TO obtain some Ill
1 los.
Formation OF the actual situation there' @
Carefully they crcpt up the r',en, .ss
drawing nearer each moment 10 .ns ,ns
castle. now and then pcep'ns over '"e
bank TO take bearings. ,n,,,tos
The path was bcset win u'''' Ill
A. a,n nIoce they came to s'h"',
s,roam M that flowed into the CoTonl' anu nnn
s'' ,,,bIch they must find stones
or logs to make stcppins,way' ,,,,t,,
Tho road to the castle a'ons u,ninr
,,o troops of snlvarez we're maTSn,"t, I',n =
.ro .rossed this stream over ar,% Dr,usu
nror,er of a mile away. but MeI"V , =, 10
% Ala not know that. and If he nau' , ,noI, II
NV, @ likely he would have lott tne '"'
,sr % Of the river bank to go 10 ,so,vos ~,
After A time they found '"''''''N
"' A. this point there was a @ deep ainng ,n
urnwth OF vines and low trees . =, The
.ho liver. and thoy had a we. .,o road
.ne e,,o opiv in one place where 'no ,,Ginv LT