Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-04-05

ouN nc hdu diISduy seen IL twice since
he came to Mexico, and he understood
the act to mean that she did not wish
him to address her, so he permitted her
to depart in silence.
Burr Pendleton by reason of his IA
taliStic propensities might have been q
good .Mohammedan, and he accepted
his enforced leisure with entire calm
ness. He knew that he could not break
through the bars at the window, and
even IL he might have done so he
would doubtless be recaptured. He
had thought out the predicament In
which he found himself while he was
pacing up and down the room before
he wrote the message to James, and he
had arrived at the Zenoesque decision
that what could not be cured must be
endured. Intensely annoyed and deep
down in his heart intensely angry, he
only shrugged his shoulders, smiled
cynically and wondered, not without
| amusement, what Captain Agramonte,
Romero and others would think and
say Of him when he should fail to ap-
pear on the dueling ground at the APP
| pointed time.
Then, still standing at the window in
/ the dark and putting leisurely at his
| cigar, he began to plan his conduct
after his liberation. 1t was not an
! easy thing to do, for ne realized that
even Agramonte. his friend. would find
! it hard to believe that he had been for
/ chilly detained from keeping his en-
gagement He knew that Romero and
/ his second would lose no time In brand
/ ing the American as a coward and that
: according to the code duello, Captain
/ Romero would have the undisputed
right to refuse another appointment.
In concentrating his mind upon these
perplexities he also unconsciously con-
centrated his gaze upon a given point
among the shrubbery at a spot where
two paths parted at an acute angle,
both to disappear in the darkness. and
suddenly at the apex Of the two paths
he discerned motion.
At first he believed II to be an animal
OF some kind, but IL seemed larger. and
presently he decided that 1t was a hui
man figure stretched at full length
upon the ground and slowly. but sure
ly, approaching the window where he
stood. Instantly his perplexities were
forgotten, and he watched the ap-
preaching figure curiously. 1t was a
man clad in the -eharro costume of
home tanned leather affected by ru-
rales, indescribable In color and almost
invisible at night. Pendleton realized
that he would never have discovered
the figure had It not happened that his
gaze was concentrated upon ii at the
very instant it appeared. Two men at
the same window engaged in CONVEX
satioD and not intent upon anything in
particular might have looked upon it a
dozen times without seeing II once.
Quite naturally he asked himself the
reason of the mysterious visit. He
thought OF an attempt at assassination.
but dismissed the idea at once, and aft
er conjecturlng upon many possibil-
ties, all OF which were improbable, he
gave 1t up and waited. The true rea-
son did not once occur to him. The
Mexican nature Is naturally chivalrous,
al critics to the contrary notwithstand-
ing, and Pendleton was soon to have
ocular proof OF 1t.
The stranger giided up the steps
with the silence and grace of SER
pent, and when at last he had disposed
his full length iaterally against the
building, with his face close to the
grating, he Missed very much like one
Pendleton in the meantime had re-
manned motionless and silent. but when
the man Kissed he replied in his natu-
raj tones by asking in Spanish what
was wanted.
~SiIenee!" commanded the man in a
sharp whisper. 'It was who brought
you here tonight, senior. l have re-
turned for the purpose OF serving you
If you viii take the trouble to get
down on the floor as close to me as pos
sible, there will be no danger OF being
overheard. If 1t should be discovered
that am here, my power to serve you
will be past and l will be IN grave
trouble. Que In gusta, senor."
| Pendleton WAS amused. He was also
interested. and he did as the man d.
rected.
"Say on" he said then, and the
stranger continued:
'You have an appointment with
Captain Romero near the Passed at 5
in the morning. rs that trueT"
"Quite true. unfortunately, for can
not keep it. If you have come here to
OHer yourSeI1 as messenger, l VIII be
most grateful and, with your permits
sion. will reward you to almost any
extent" replied Pendlet0n.
81 will do better than that, senior, IL
you will agree to the conditions / will
make"
'What will you do and what are the
conditioner
Il will enable you to keep the APP
pointment yourself, senorT'
Il cannot imagine conditions that
would make me hesitate upon the &C
ceptance Of such an offer, my friend
What are they? 1 agree to them in ad-
vance"
81 have the key that unlocks this
grating-that is, L have a duplicate,
which is as well. have horses sad
died and waiting, and there is still
time for all that Is required even if you