The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-27
EOE'S HUSSAR.

AS I leaned out of the easement "A
sound Of clattering hoofs. smoking
whips and swearing voices made me
crane my neck to look up the road,
while the barber stopped and stared,
too. Two riders. approaching at q gal
lop, were driving before them a bag
EaEe-laden mule, while suTmoununS tHe
baggage lay the muleteers strapped TO
The to2most trunk.
Good heavensi" ! said. giving way
60 mirth. its Hamilton"
He gave the reins to my servant
Juan. whom I had sent down, and dis
mounted saying to MS own servant;
Pitch that fellow onto the straw here
and let him sleep it off. Our muleteef
had too much liquid refreshments on
the way he added. looking ~ TO me-,
SO we had 70 do his work for him. You
must put me up. EaStlaAe. can t ride
back ill Tomorrow
by this time / was Fastening down to
welcome him and order breakfast for
us both
II heard you were in the service I
eaid, but 1 never expected to see you
out here. What's your regiment"
Fifth Hussars." ne answered. u IN
on leave, and my brother Georgie, you
know. is consul at La Guayra, 50 I came
TO have look at him here. Deuced
lucky finding you! What are all the
bells making such clatter for2'
j explained that it the fiesta OF
a saint. and that presently we must 80
out and watch the procession to church.
There are some pretty girls in Vaien-
GA 4 assured him and they viii all
pc going to mass-'ch church parade IL
hyde Park isn't in ii. The senoritas
wear their best and look their best. You
VIII lose your heart. Hamilton. There
As nothing to heat Venezuelan BELLE
took him out presently up the Grand
Flaza, where a noisy procession, accom-
panied by music and the letting eff of
holy squibs, was fling toward the ca
thedral
Following it were little knots of Ven
ezueian ladies', and, as we passed them
and waited just outside the big door to
see them enter. ] said to Hamilton.
Have you any fault to find. you cap
L looked to see what impression the
vision was making on Hamilton and
was struck by the intensity of his fixed
regard. though I felt no surprise when
ed on Zoe Ribera.
Just as she passed in. she glanced
round, looked hurriedly toward her elder
sister, Mercedes, who was walking with
ner, and finally dropped her handker-
chief, vanishing into the cathedral be-
lore Hamilton had time to pick il IN
ana present it to her He slipped it up
his coat sleeve and rejoined me with
look of elated triumph on his face
Come home he said; Il don't want
Eastlake "
Certainly She is not only the hest
place, and she inherits a small fortune
from her father who is dead. I am 20
ing to a party at Nine. Ribera's to-
night"
''Then go. too and you introduce
When L walked up to her with Hamfl-
Ton and asked permission to present
MIN, ] was amazed at the TRANSFORMED
ton. The color that flashed into her
cheeks was like the pink that tinges the
inward curve of a seashell. and she lift
ca her dropping eyelids and looked him
straight in the face.
If she had looked at me like that-but
that would have been another story
once only that evening when I had
engaged Mercedes in earnest converse
ton and so covered a whispered eoIloduy
petWeen the two they talked for each
other and not for the whole roo.
on went to church this morning %
she said. interrogatively 1T was the
1east OF my sisters patron saint, and
we were there
Il know" he said. ia low tone. Il
saw you enter, and longed to enter. too,
but felt unworthy. My only consolation
was this-which dropped from Paradise
for my benefit"
He evidently showed her the edge If
t9e handkerchief for she murmured
You picked it up. May I have it
May L keep it until tomorrow he
pleaded.
1 heard her say "Hushi" softly as
Mime. Ribera crossed the room and sep
arated them
1 was at my wits end how to con-
trive meeting, as she was locked in a
convent; and as TO scheme presented
itself at last adopted the simple plan Of
sailing on Madame Ribera, taking Ham
Alton with me.
We were shown into the drawing
room, where Zoe and a little sister of
ten were at work, and I made the n7osU
Of the next few moments for ReveH
Hamilton.
Il have to CO." he said. hurriedlv ito
England; but I will come back. zoe as
soon as possible" There was silence for
minute. and then she answered soft
". Il viii wait"
Then Madame Ribera came in. and
tenpa, running from me to meet her
the little minNi-said: oh mother this
cabaliero has been talking such non
sense to me and the other one has. been
kissing Zoe's handi"
We were thunderstruck
What does this mean2" demanded
Nine Rlbera- Hamilton bowed 1T
means" he said, that love yolIr
daughter and that I shall come back
TO claim her"
Nine. Ribera's face expressed a mix
Nure OF emotions You are STRANGER
to us she said, haughtily You have
taken an understandable liberty, sir.
AEAiEdiFQ dDa<Hel. W0lIe zoe 6
lovely eyes filled with despairing tears;
but. as we passed through the door.
Hamilton said firmly: II shall come
back FOR Zee" So the little episode
ended. and, when an imperative COM
mand to him to return arrived late that
night. he rode away as unconcerned as
thgAgh the whole thing had been an
ine8anezzo. pretty and pleasant whileit
lasted but Of no real consequencein the
drama of his life.
NV work NrrSr, f.sa4,1- ~,
conclusion shortly afterward and 7 had
TO leave without seeing Zoe. for her
mother guarded her more rightly than
ever, and it was generally said that
Nine. Riber1 had given her the choice
of marrying one of her many rejected
suitors or going at once into the con
vent
Two and a half years later I was
back again, however, in Caracas on po-
itical business. owing to recent re-