Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1903-07-10

~ NV w. W. WIZ ~ ~
did meet it would be for always.
AS she turned her eyes for an in.
slant to follow the surging crowd,
she caught. or fancied she caught. u
sight of Migucl's rctrcating figure.
Was it possible her escape had al.
ready been discovered, she wondered.
There was no doubt in her mind as to
the measures he would take when he
found she would not return home
with him. To Miguel the honor of
his house was dcarcr than anything
i'm the world. lie would not scruplc
to kill Gringo to preserve his family
escutchcon from n blot. And well
his sister knew that when his pride
and anger met, there would be no
quarter.
With this thought the little vendor
shrank deeper into the shadow.
When her fight was discovered there
would be only one explanation of il.
The whole city would be aroused in
an instant, and their escap made inn
possible. Randol, in his straightfor-
%wardncss and self-confidence, could
not be made TO realize their danger.
But as the little pcon vendor stood
alone and unbcfricndcd in this great
city, she felt the force of her help
lcssncss against her brothers power.
And her lover! AS she looked at
him she felt the danger she had
brought upon him with a new poign-
ancy. Why should she let him risk
his life for her?
Randol. meanwhile. stalkcd up and
down in front of the stall. growing
restless and impatient. Suddenly. as
if drawn by the intensity of her long
ing, he turned and walked straight
toward her. With an instructive cry
of JOY she turned to spring toward
him. But the next instant the cry
was stihcd. Instead, she fiattcncd
breath. The white cross she had
pinned upon her shoulder in such
c~cstacy was turned to the shadow
and her rcbozo drawn close about
her face.
Straight on he came, Crouching
against the wall. she waited. He
brushed so ear she almost felt his
breath upon her cheek. She claspcd
her hands tight over her heart and
dug her nails so deep into her palms
the blood came to the surface in
tiny cresccnt-shapcd gnshes. But she
made no sound.
Her life was Of no great cOrsc-
quoncr. she told herself. but Randol
was dcarcr to her than n thousand
lives. She could not let him risk
himself so rccklessly for her.
As Randol. disappointed and BAT
fed. reached the corner. the lights
onrcrnesS in his eyes had given place
to suspicion. He must think her
false, He who had believed 50 i'm
p%licity in her faith that he had glad
~ riskcd everything for her, would
now think she had put her family
pride above his love.
The gay holiday throng surgcd
around her. Girls with glowing eyes
looked M into the faces smiling
above them, happy voices rang in
her ears, passing singers trollcd gay
loyc-Songs. while tho f~orlorn little
tov-ycDdur stood motionlcsS in her
corner
Would be 90? Had he given her
upn She strained her eyes after him
as he mingled with the crowd. Per.
haps he did not care so much after
all.
No. he was coming back, If she
could only tell him she was true, she
thought. If he could know all the
long years that were to follow that
she had failed him only to save him,
then he would think kindly of the
nun in the Spanish convent.
He was again almost within reach,
pcering, searching, wondering. She
could stand il no longer. Dropping
her basket quic,ly to the ground the
, piteouo little creature turned and
) fled.
When Randol reached the angle OF
the wall where the shadows grew
deep and thick he looked carefully
but found it empty.
Back through the streets the little
peOn fled. alone. No II tried t,
: speak to her, for every ry" was filled
with the lights and pleasures in the
, plaza beyond.
She reached the frowning Eous'
! she had 50 lately left forever, anc
found it still in darkness.
= 1t was early yet, but she had livrt
ont all the joys and SORROWS Of heI
life in this one hour. She slipped
quietly around to the servants en-
trance. then into the great hall. The
T. door was still half open, and the
hishun'S .nirn WnS still rNnlnininr Il