Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-04-05
CHAPTER III.
AN AFFAIR OF HONOR

ed. but the serape which SO effectually
hoodwinked him was not disturbed.
One Of his captors took him by the arm,
and he was informed that if he would
walk along quietly no harm would be-
fall him. He complied without deign-
ing to speak.
He was conscious that his feet
crunched upon gravel paths which
wound in and out among shrubbery,
for the branches frequently brushed
against him, and once he thought 1t
probable that he was again within the
secluded garden of the Tacubaya gam
bling house. This illusion was soon dis
PEELED, however. for after passing
across an extended court that was flag
ged with stone and thence into a Sec
ond shrubbed and graveled Enclosure
he was directed to mount a fight OF
three steps, and he knew that he en-
tered an apartment OF some kind. .
There was the yielding touch Of soft
carpeting under his tread and the
warm air was quite In contrast with
the chill without. He was hidden cour-
teously to wait one moment and was
left standing IN the middle of the floor
He heard the sound made by a closing
door. and after what seemed an inter
minable period. although IL could not
have been more than minute or two,
he attempted to relieve himself OF the
binding serape.
There was no resistance, and upon
casting II aside he discovered that he
was alone. His conductor had disap-
Peared.
To- L. a
in amazement. This was certainly not
the sort OF treatment he had expected.
He began to think that perhaps they
were not bandits after all: the sur
roundings OF that moment did not sug-
gest such an explanation. The room
was richly, even luxuriously, furnish
ed, and his first quick glance told him
that IL was the favorite living room Of
lady; the pictures on the walls, the
chairs, the piano and the books that
Uttered the table all assured him OF
that much. The wide, low window,
through which he believed he had en-
tered the room, was open. Not so the
iron bars that protected ii, but they
told him nothing, since every house In
Mexico has its windows so furnished.
he peered out through the grating but
he could see nothing except the out
lines OF tall trees showing against the
sky. There was nothing by which be
could determine his locality, SO he tern
cd back into the room again and cross
ed TO the table. where one OF the lamps
with which the apartment was sup
piled was burning. His glance rested
upon n slip OF paper with writing upon
II, and he read these words:
Senior PendletOn-n you are mystihed concern
ing the events OF this evening read the letter
that last came into your possession.
There was no signature. but he rec
ognized the chirography as the same
as that he had received early In the
day calling him to Tacubaya, and he
added mentally, Where / was fool
enough to go to be trapped by a wO-
man."
His cigars were intact. and he light
ed one. Then. after arranging the lamp
more to his purposes, he dropped into
an easy chair near the table produced
the letter which had been given to him
by his companion In the summer
house, broke the seal and began:
! crave your pardon, Senior Pendieton, for the
indsgnity that am forced TO thrust rpon YOU I
have determined TO prevent the meeting between
You and Captain Romero, and as 1 have no hone
that you will consent 20 abandon all thought Of
IL i have prepared this in anticipation OF your
refusal You will not De detained longer than il
neceSsary-that is, only a little longer for il
VIII net be possible to nberate you during the
hours az daylight Twenty-four hours will be
the duration Of your imprisonment In the
meantime you will be left entirely alone Your
room is supplied with every necessity you will
require during that time, and when it expires as
h~wra II. A..
so that you car see nothing. you will be taken
back TO the city, at least far as FL Cabiilito
am informed that 1t Is your intention to return
20 New York tomorrow night. l regret that viii
not be able 10 hberate you soon enough for YOU 10
carry out your plan. The train leaves three hours
Zoo early for that. But you need not be pre-
vented nom taking the early morning train on
the other road. II you will leave your New York
address on the table, will communicate with
yod again; also. should you care to communicate
with your servant. II you will write the message
and throw IL through the grating at your win
dow. 1t will be delivered at once. II have placed
you in false position concerning the duel and
your masculine conception Of honor I can assure
you that the day will come when you will thank
me for what have done, il the opportunity oc-
ours will sign this letter as did the one that
brought you TO Tscubaye. One who prefers for
the present, to be known to you only as
CARMEN
Pendleton folded the letter and re-
turned it to his pocket. Then he looked
at his watch and discovered that it
was not yet midnight After that he
paced modify up and down the room
many times.
f'Of course she means to read what
ever write to James," he unused, "and
II / say anything in explanation Of my
absence the message will not go. The
only thing can do is to tell him to let
things stand as they are until later,
and 1 must do that; otherwise he will
be out OF the city before am out of
here unless
There were writing materials on the
table, and he indited the following
message to his valet:
You win extend the time OF waiting for me
twenty-four hours. Do nothing whatever until
that time. If there should be callers, tell them
all that win be prepared to receive everybody
al midnight tomorrow night-tonight OF the day