The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-16

Our Daily Short Stories )
AS TOLD AT MARTINS
BY BEATRIz BELL lido DE LUNA.
copyright. 1901, by Authors snydicate)

ever, and was worse than helpless in
her hands.
The day that Sanchez was to be ex-
ecuted Antonina demanded of Ruiz that
| he should gain permission for her to see
! her former lover alone. 1t was not
known what excuse she gave for this
| seemingly strange request, but, at any
rate, it was granted her. What took
| place at the interview was never dis
closed. Immediately after 1T was over
Sanchez was marched into the court
yard, placed with his face to the wall
and shot to death. He met his fate
with gallant indifference.
"Antonina watched him die, from one
of the windows without a sign of
emotion, save a narrowing of the eye
lids and slight compression of the
| lips. She danced that night, but can
| celed her engagement for the follow
ing week, saying she was going to
leave the city for a rest
"A few days later l happened to be
in one of the shabbiest parts of town,
and there met a woman whose resem-
blance to the dancer was so striking
that / turned and looked after her as
| she passed me. She went into mis-
| cradle looking howell and, as 1 loitered
near, hoping to solve the mystery, she
came out again, and walked swiftly
by me. This time l was convinced that
II was Antonina. Much puzzled at her
appearance in such a place, l followed
her, but soon she disappeared down a
narrow side street, and being unfamil-
lar with that part of the town l lost
track of her.
Next day | was called away from
the city, and when returned found
the social world in state of expecta-
ton over grand reception to be given
by Gen. Ruiz in honor of some of the
American officers. The chief attraction
was the announcement that Antonina
had been engaged to dance for the en-
tertainment of the guests. determined
to accept my invitation as the woman
possessed a great attraction for me. /
was present at the reception.
THE salas were crowded with a bril-
liant assembly. Scores of beautiful wo-
men. and the handsome Spanish officers
IT, their snowy uniforms, mingled with
the more sober dress of our country,
gave most picturesque effect to the
scene. 1t was nearly midnight when
the dancer arrived. She had driven di-
Tectly from the theater, and was at
tired in most magnificent costume,
while on her breast glittered the Ruiz
diamond. AS she came into the ball
room. she was greeted with braves,
and was showered with flowers. She
paused moment on the threshold.
and responded with faint, half mock
ing smile Then slowly raising her
arms, she stepped forward. Instantly
the orchestra struck UP with the pas
sionate music of. FL Sol, and the guests
drew away from the center of the
room, leaving her standing in a blaze
OF color and jewels-alone on the pol
iHhed floor.
Il will not attempt to describe the
dance.
drawn breaths, and dizzy brains, as
she whirled herself from the lazy lam
guor of the beginning to the mad
abandon at the end. Ruiz, unable to
contain his emotions, caught up a
Hover that had dropped from her hair
and, unmindful of observers, kissed it,
She saw the actor, and with side
long glance tore the scarlet scarf from
her waist, and, still dancing, threw It
over his neck. Something cleaned in
her hand, and some instinct warned me
of mischief. ! stepped to Ruiz's side.
Antonio stretched out her hand, and
held me back, and if ever | saw the
devil look out from a woman's eyes,
saw it shining then between her half
closed lids.
'Adios, companeros,' she said In
clear ringing tones, L go to wait for
you in hell
w ilh a SWlll iIlOllOn she the
dagger, which had been concealed in
her hand, in her heart. and as the last
strains of the music died away she fell
to the floor, the wicked smile frozen
on her mouth.
Three weeks later. Gen. Ruiz and
every one of his subordinate officers
died of the most malignant kind of
smallpox. Antonio had searched until
she had found case, as we afterward
discovered-had exposed Sanchez 8
sword belt to the infection, and thus
carried the infection to Ruiz. gaining
a vengeance which few brains could
have evolved. She had loved the man
whose life she had sold for a jewel"
why did she take her life?" ques-
toned Lester.
That" answered Brown, twas a
phase of her character which l found
hard to understand, though l believe
that she preferred death to the loss of
her charms, and knew that she surely
must have had the dread disease her
self. To me the most wonderful thing
about her was that she could love so
intensely, and never by word or sign
betray herself, even when she saw him
die, and knew that she was response
BILE for his death. That is something I
have never seen in any other woman,
and gave evidence of a will that could
have moved empires, had ii not spent
all its energy on one man."