Hutchinson gazette., 1901-07-25
CHAPTER ~.
The Secret PaasaEe.

VI 4 Hiip VI RiobSh NhS"N ~ wv Ns'N
successful capture of the castle of Bal
varez was not entirely without alloy
This was Pedro Francisco.
He knew that senorta Jaclnta was
not with her father at Bolivar He had
dwelt upon tho pleasure with which
he would make her his prisoner, to win
release only by making her captivity
lifelong-by becoming his wife,
His chagrln, therefore, when the cas-
tie was found to be unoccupied was
very great,
He knew nothing about the secret
passage Neither did Gomez, or any
one else In the royallst army.
Meanwhile the returning battalions
of salvaros heard the flying rumors,
Salvarez, who was slowly riding
ahead, accompanied by Medworth and
Tempest, waS startled at seeing three
horsemen coming at full gallop toward
him.
The general spurred forward to
meet them.
"What Is II? You have newsY" he
said.
"The castle! The castleH cried one.
"The Spanlardl" cried another, "The
people have gone over"
1--WE are lost" exclaimed the third.
General Salvarez turned pale,
"What do you mean?" he demanded
"You cry the castle!' Has anything
gone wrong at the castle? Has the en-
emy come? My wife and daughter
where are they?"
"All Is lost, tell your" was the re-
ply "The whole country has risen in
revolt, An armed force, consisting Of
hundreds Of men, under Francisco and
the half-breed Mattazudo, attacked the
castle We fought bravely. We killed
over a hundred, but they were too
many for us,
"silencew roared General Salvarez,
"Fear has turned you into garrulous
old women. You say the castle is talk
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 are
either free or in captivity, alive or
dead. No denying that fellows brilliant
intellect"
"Hush!" said Medworth.
Salvarez turned toward them, with a
pale, but stern face.
MY young friends" he said, "the
worst has befallen us. We have been
outwitted-tricked-in the most skill
full way While we were In Bolivar, the
enemy has entered at another point
and now occupy my castle, and have
no doubt captured or killed my wife
and daughter. There Is hard work be-
fore me. The castle must be retaken.
Forward
He spurred his horse forward. The
news spread among the men. They
pressed on close behind him. At the
rear came the numbering artillery
the guns he had taken to Bolivar to
prevent the landing Of the enemy.
After wearisome march they came
in sight of the castle, and from its
staff floated peculiar flag.
1T not that the flag Of Spain?" asked
Medworth,
mo" replied Tempest, whose ven
turesomc 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. 1t Is modelled
closely after that of Spain, but Is not
quite like it. A flag no doubt designed
and chosen as the standard Of the royal
party in Venezuela"
The column was now halted
Salvarez called several Of his officers
to him.
AS was perfectly natural and proper,
Medworth and Tempest were not ad-
mitted to this council OF war. They
slipped from their horses and walked
away toward the Coroni. Some of the
soldiers Of Salvarez looked at them
but none tried to stop them from
going.
It was Medworths idea TO get below
the bank Of the river, which at this
point was high and, thus screened
from observation, creep toward the
castle and endeavor to obtain some in
formation Of the actual situation there.
Carefully they crept up the river,
drawing nearer each moment to the
castle, now and then peeplng over the
bank to take bearings.
The path was beset with difficulties.
At one place they came to a small
stream that flowed into the Coroni, and
to cross which they must find stones
or logs to make stepping-way.
The road to the castle, along which
the troops Of Salvarez were marching,
crossed this stream over bridge
quarter Of mile away, but Medworth
did not know that, and II he had, 1t is
not likely he would have left the shell
ter of the river bank to go to 1t.
After a time they found themselves
near the castle.
At this point there was deep, thick
growth Of vines and low trees along
the river, and they had view of the
castle only in one place where the road
a. 10