The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1903-07-16

La UOmE way ulstaul, pdrteu Dy Z
10 broad strip Of unoccupiet
ground from the camp, were
- the grand marques set aside
for the marshal and for his guests
They were II In number. gayly deco
rated as far as decoration could be OBJ.
tained In the southern provinces of AL.
geria and had, Arablike. in front Of
each the standard Of the tricolor. Be
fore one were two other standards
also-the flags of England and Spain.
Cigarette, looking on from afar, saw
the alien colors wave In the torchlight
diickering on them. THAT Is hers"
thought the little one, with the mourn
fui and noble emotions Of the previous
moments swiftly changing into the vio-
lent, reasonless, tumultuous hatred at
once Of a rival and Of an order.
She had It In her, could she have had
the power, to m~ercilessly and brutally
destroy this woman's beauty, which
was 30 far above her reach, as she had
ouce destroyed the ivory wreath; yet,
a. that Of the snow white carving had
done, 30 did this fair and regal beauty
touch her, even In the midst of her fu-
n, with q certain reverent awe. with a
dim sense of something her own life
had missed. She longed to do as some
GIRL Of whom she had once been told
By an old invalide had done in the
1854 girl Of the people, a fisher girl,
who had loved one above her rank, a
noble, who deserted her for a woman
Of his own order, a beautiful. soft skin
ned, lilylike. scornful a%ristocrat, with
the silver ring of merciless laughter
and the languid luster of sweet con-
temptuous eyes.
She held her peace. and the Terror
came. and the streets Of the city by
the sea ran blood. Then she had her
vengeance. She stood and saw the ak
fall down on the proud SNOW white
neck thst never had bent till it bent
there. and she drew the severed head
Into her own bronzed hands and smote
the lips his lips had kissed a cruel
blow that blurred their beauty out and
a fshhook in the long and
gIistening hair and drew 1t. laughing
she went. through dust and mire
and gore and over the rough stones of
the town and through the shouting
crowds Of the muftitudes and tossed 1t
ont on to the ca.
That horrible story came to the
memory Of Cigarette nov as 1t had
been told her by the old soldier who
In his boyhood had seen the entry Of
the Marseillaise to Paris. She knew
what the woman Of the people had felt
when she had bruised and Knocked and
thrown out to the devouring waters
that fair and fallen head.
az could do it, could do It." she
thought with the savage instinct of
her many sided nature dominant. leav-
Ing uppermost only Its ferocity, the
same ferocity as had moved the south
ern woman to wreak her hatred on the
head Of her rival. Now she
noted on her impulse-her impulse of
open scorn of rank. OF reckless vindica-
lion Of her right to do just whatsoever
pleasured her, and she went boldly for
ward and dashed aside with no gentle
hand the folds that hung before the
entrance OF the tent.
The action startled the occupants Of
the tent and made them both look up.
They were yenetia Corona and a Le-
vnntine woman. who was her ~favorite
and most devoted attendant and had
been about her from her birth. Vene-
tia hesItated a moment In astonish-
ed wonder: then. with the grace and
the courtesy of her race. rose and APP
preached the entrance of her tent. In
that figure. half a soldier. half
q child, was standing with the fitful
redeemed light behind. She recognized
whose 1t was.
''ls It you. little oneT she said kind
~. "Come within. Do not be afraid
She spoke with the gentle considera'
ton OF a great lady TO u whom she
admired for her heroism. compassionate
I'd for her position and thought nat
uraily In need Of such encouragement.
The one word Embossed the spell which
bad kept Cigarette specifies. The
one word was an insult beyond endur-
nee. that dashed all the worst spirit in
her into fame.
"Fearr" she cried. with a camp oath.
"Fear! You think | fear you. the dar-
ling Of the army. who saved the squad
ron at Zaraila. who has seen n thou.
uand days of bloodshed. who has killed
% many men with her own hand as
any lancer among them all2 Fear you.
you dollhouse flower. you paradise bird.
you silver pheasant. who never did
aught but spread your dainty colors In
The sun and never earned so much as
HE right to eat a piece Of black bread.
II you had your desertsI Fear you-I.
Why. do you not know that | could
kin you where you stand as easily as
] could wiring the neck Of any one of
those gold winged orioles that flew
above your head today and who have
more right to live than you, for they
do at least labor In their own fashion
for their food and their drink and their
Do you think l would check
for = moment at dealing you death.
you beautiful. useless, honeyed. poi
Doned. painted exotic. who has every
wind tempered to you and think the