Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-07-09

uoNn INTO Il INillght quiet.
''The only safeguard is a convent"
she heard her brother saying as she
erept toward the half-open door.
But as they sat SO calmly deliber-
ating upon her fate, little did they
dream that at that moment, that
very instant, not three yards from
them, the little rebel was stealing
past them out into the world. Once,
something had caused the old sonora
to stop and listen. Was it a door
creaking on n rusty hinge, she asked
herself, or u rat scampering through
the thick adobe wall? On the other
side of the partition the little fugi-
tive stood breathless. The noise was
not repeated, however, so the voice
of the senora arose again and droned
on in its argument as to the respect
i've merits of the different sister
hoods.
The fugitive daughter wondered if
these old souls, who could dispose so
calmly of another life, had forgot
ten the joys of the heyday of their
own youth, or if the good rich blood
had ever caroused through their veins
as hers did now. She crushed her
toy-basket close to her heart to still
the tumult of its beating for fear its
loud knocking must arouse the
house.
The shadows had wrapped the city
in a merciful monotone of gray as
she slipped out the door, under the
armorial bearings of the house of
Cardenas, whose name she vas no
longer to bear. Never before had
she been out in the street alone. Old
Carmela had always been as close as
her shadow; but, as she remembered
she was no longer herself, but for
the nonce a mere peon toy-vendor,
she held her basket close, and turned
toward the plaza. The tide of travel
was still set in that direction, for
the evening was the gayest time of
all. So, falling in with the throng,
she was soon an insignificant atom in
the crowd.
Arrived upon the plaza, the eyes of
the Senorta Cardenas widened with
excitement. This vas the first time
in her life she had mingled SO closely
with the market-place rabble. The
haggling of the buyers, the solicit
ing of the vendors, the babel of
tongues, the yelping of the dogs, the
curious-looking foreigners, made up
as strange u sight to the carefully
brought up little Spanish girl as to
the rankest outsider. Her cheeks
glowed and her eyes burned with the
thrill of novelty, and, forgetting
| about her toys, she stood lost in won
der at the life about her. The plaza
with it's people, it's booths, its
groups of bull-fghters, ~fower-girls
and grandees, all ,iostling shoulders
in good-natured haste, might be a full
| dress rehearsal of Carmen" she
| thought.
At every step deeper into the GROVE
her safety became surer. She began
to wonder what would happen al
home when they discovered hel
flight. She smiled to herself at the
CONSERVATION that would ensue when
after deciding fnally upon which
convent she should enter, they found
their bird had flown.
Just then, a rude party of MeXi
can youths, seeing the smiling LITTLE
toy-vender, stopped with a familiar
Jest and tried to talk with her. Now
for the first time, she realized he,
forlorn position. A sudden fea,
seized her that she might in SOM
way miss Randol in all this grea
crowd. Then a new fear clutcheC
her heart. What if, after counting
the danger her abduction would brins
upon his head, he had failed her!
The next instant she banished tn
thought, for straight beyond, tower
ing above the crowd, she saw the tai
erect figure of Randol iostling every
body out of his way in haste to reacl
the stall Of old Pamela in time. TIL
girl. watched him with already tn
pride of possession. How ditferen
he was from the other men she saw
How handsome and fine! The man
keen eyes were scanning every fac
that passed. Purposely, she drew in
to a corner to watch him and realiz
the fact that it was for her his eye
were so intent and his face so eager
She could wait and prolong the jo
of the coming moment, for when the
did meet it would be for always.
AS she turned her eyes for an in
slant to follow the surging crowt
she caught, or fancied she caught,
sight of Miguel's %retreating figure
Was it possible her escape had a
ready been discovered, she wondered
There was no doubt in her mind as t
the measures he would take when h
found she would not return HON
with him. To Miguel the honor c
his house was dearer than anythin
in the world. He would not scrupl
to kill Gringo to preserve his famil
escutcheon from a blot. And we
his sister knew that when his prid
and anger met, there would be n
quarter.
With this thought the little vendo
shrank deeper into the SHADOW
When her fight was discovered ther
would be only one explanation of j
The whole city would be aroused i
an instant, and their escape made in
possible. Randol, in his straightfo,
wardness and self-confidence, coul
not be made to realize their DANCE
But as the little peon vendor stoo
alone and unbefriended in this gres
city, she felt the force of her he'll
l~essness against her brothers powe
And her lover! As she looked ;
him she felt the danger she ha
brought upon him with a new poig1