The Sauk Centre herald., 1903-02-05


when he realized that after all it was
only his own movements that Escude-
ra and his hirelings We're watching.
AS yet Escudera did not even suspect
the presence of his cousin in the city.
At Mount ST. Vincent they sought
far corner of the restaurant. The du-
emma, Maria, was given an adjoining
table. A tip to the waiter made it i'm
possible for other guests to occupy the
nearby tables at an hour when there
were so many that were vacant In
other parts of the room. and thus
Wyndham felt confident that they
would be undisturbed.
They had been seated scarcely half
an hour and had not yet got beyond
mere generalities in their talk when
there came a most unexpected inter-
ruption.
Wyndham, who sat with his back to-
ward the door, saw Carmen make
sudden start and then turn deathly
pale, and he heard her exclaim, almost
under her breath:
"Dios mio! Carlos esta aqui"
He understood her words as well as
If she had spoken in English, but he
remained perfectly calm and unmoved.
He did not even turn his head, but he
could hear the footsteps of a person
approaching them. and his ears were
80 we'll attuned to time that he recog-
nized the step of Carlos Escudera.
BE calm. Carmen" he said rapidly
and in a low voice. Remember that
you are not in Mexico now"
She recovered herself instantly. but
the next moment Escudera was beside
them.
This is an unexpected pleasure.
senorita," he said coldly in Spanish.
ignoring utterly the presence Of Wynd-
ham. Il did not know that my fiancee
was in the city"
Wyndham saw that he was deadly
pale and that he was struggling with
all his strength of will to speak calmly.
This man, usually so self possessed, for
once had lost his power Of self repres-
sion. His eyes seemed sunken back
in his head. His white teeth cleaned
ominously under his black mustache.
His hands trembled with excitement.
Craig thought. somewhat vaguely-for
he was intent upon watching the man
how fortunate it was that Carmen had
told him that she was affianced to Es-
cudera. He realized in that moment
how appalling the statement would
have been had he not already been for
tilted against it. At the same instant
he decided that it was best to treat
the Mexican in perfectly natural
manner. Anybody who has found
himself at some time in critical
position realizes how rapidly one can
and does think at such moments.
He sprang to his feet before Escu-
dera had ceased speaking and exclaim-
ed in tone that evidenced both sur
prise and pleasure, for Escudera did
not know that he understood Spanish.
Hello. Escudera! This is an unex-
pected pleasure. 1 supposed you wei
night. Permit me, Miss Pendleton, tc
present my friend, Senor Escudera. He
comes from your own country, by the
way. Escudera, Miss Pcndleton.P
. 1t was a shot that told, for it stag.
gered Escudera utterly.
If such a thing were possible, he be-
came a shade whittier than before, and
for once in his life he was outdone il
presence Of mind. 49, E..
1t was clever, too, on the part OF
Wyndham. that assumption for Carmen
of the name of Pendleton, for it ex.
planned without further words theiI
presence there together. ::
Escudera bowed with a gesture that
was truly Mexican, and he smiled with
an insolence that he did not try to con-
ceal, and, While he bowed and smiled
he made another heroic effort to con-
troll himself. In that, however, he was
only partly successful, for he still ig.
nored Wyndham.,. He, could NOT play,
the game with the cool head Of BIS am
tagonist.a There were nfleposts beyond
which he could not travel
I. Il, do lsotIhink thai L require an in
tlnddc tton Ito you. .byJtlfis fellow or by
anybody" he said in Spanish, believing
that Wyndham could not understand
him, "but l do require ain, explanation,
Of your presence here" IS. ::
.':You have it," she replied calmly, in
the letter you. sent to me ahnouneing
the death of: Burr Pendleton. in Aieh
you, refnined from =. telling ne the
truth'.. ''':, -
): 1t WIS a delicate method Of telling
him that he ''.had lied to- her, and it,
.angeretl him beyond endurance. = .-
i Shall 4 tell you why l. deceived
you?' he demanded hotly, forgetting
that he had demanded an explanation
and that instead he was making one.
TT was because respected your feel
,tngs; sbecause.I believed the knowledge
of how. YOUR half brother came to his
death, would shock you; because al
ready 1 knew the name of the man who
killed him, and only awaited evidence
to convict him of the crime, and that
man; the man who. killed Pendleton, is.
your present ,companion- this man who
sits opposite you at the table, :.
!. Wyndham rose slowly from his seat
and, takingfa step forward, confronted
Escudera. <.>'f7' :.
"senor |Escudera;" !" he said, also
speaking Spanish. tit is my .misfor-:
tune or good fortune, whichever you.
choose to call it, to understand you. sIt