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

that. They are ready to suspect the most
loving and the most innocent, but we wo-
men forgive them!''
Then pouting her pretty red lips. the little
Concha spoke low in the ear of Ell Sarria
while. After five minutes of this whispered
colloquy she added aloud:
"Then we will proceed. Go, do your part.
You may trust La Giralda. Go, quickly.
You have much to do"
And little Concha snapped to the shutter
of the wicket in his face
Much to do. Yes, 1t was true. What with
Dolores In the power of his false friend
Luis and the evil bag, Tia, his gentleman
to attend upon at their Inn and the grave
digger lying with broken head in the gar
den, Ell Sarria might be said to have had
some private business upon his hands. And
this, too in addition to his affairs of state
the abbots commission, his own outlawry
and the equal certainty of his being shot
whether he fell into the hands of the
Miquelets or of the national soldiers.
Yet In spite of all these, never since the
evil night of his first home coming to
Sarria had he been so happy as when ne
| Ietraced his way In company with La
Giralda in the direction of the mill house
And as he went, thinking no thought
save of Dolores and his love. suddenly the
only man who would have dared to cross
his path, stood before him.
"Ah sirrah," cried Rollo, the Scot, lis
this your service? To run the country
with wonderland not even to have the
sense to chose a pretty one? What mean
II attend to my own affairs" answered
Ramon. with sullen and boding quiet.
DO the favor to go about yours.
Hot-blood Rollo leaped upon him with
out word, taking the older and stronger
man at unawares with his young litheness.
He saw Ramon's fingers moving to the
knife in It's sheath by his side. But ere
they could reach 1t his hand was on the
giants wrist and his pistol at his ear.
"A finger upon your Albaceton and you
die"' cried Rollo. Il would have you Gal
legans learn that the servant is not greater
than his lord
Now Ramon knew that not his life but
that of ROllo, hung on hair. For ne
was conscious that Ii Giralda's knife was
bare. and that that lady was simply choos-
ing her opportunity. If Rollo had been
older most likely Ramon would have wait
ed motionless for Giralda's thrust, and then
turned the young man under his heel, pre-
cisely as he had done to the gravedigger
earlier in the night. But as they rode
from the abbey he had admired the young
fellows gallant bearing, and perhaps heard
also of his fouting of his own Miquelite
enemies at the inn Of San Vicente. So for
this time he had pity upon him.
"Stand back Giralda!' he commanded
Then to Rollo he said: Forgive my SEEM
Ing negligence. senior. 1t was only SEEM
ing. The honor of my wife and the life Of
my child are at stake. / am Ramon Gar
the altar Of the Abbey of Montblanch. This
is by home. My wife Is here and near to
death in the house of mine enemy. Let
these things be my excuse"
! Rollo dropped his pistol. like good
sportsman mechanically unlocking 1t as he
did so. His generous impulses were as
fierce and swift his other passions.
Tell me ALL" he said, fore God l will
help you-aye, before any king or monk
on earth. A brave man In such trouble
has the first claim of all upon Rollo Blair"
"And-your companions7" said Ell Sarria.
IT give myself no trouble about them.
ID w
vineyards and wine cellars tomorrow and
be happy And as for Master Etienne. has
he not the little Concha to search for? Be-
Sides even If he had not. he would not be
| six hours in the place without starting
new love affair.""
Then as they turned backward along the
road Ell Sarria told Rollo all his tale, and
the young Scot found himself for the first
time deep among the crude mother-stun OF
, life and passion.
"And thought that had lived" he said,
and looked long at the huge form OF the
outlaw by his side, to whom deadly peril
was as meat and drink, yet whom any man
might STAY and gain a reward for the deed
at see itr' cried Rollo whose quick brain
caught the conditions of the problem even
as Ramon was speaking. And II I help.
my companions will help also. answer
| for Them
"And what do you intend to do with the
grave-digging Fernandez?
why" said Ramon. simply, ITO tell the
grave he had made, all but his head, and
| let him get out the best he could!'
Appropriate" agreed. Rollo, but crude,
| and I'm the circumstances not fAaathlA. Va