The Washington times., 1904-08-07
CHAPTER VIII.
An Intractahle Prisoner.

The distance 10 the pavement was
greater than l had supposed. but the
force Of my fall was Unexpectedly
broken. There was a sudden exclama-
ton of surprises half-suppressed cry.
and / rolled over on the ground, Crap
ping with a man who had been un-
lucky enough to be standing under the
balcony.
What he should be doing there 1 did
not take time to consider. Naturally
my first thought was that 1t was an at
tempt TO prevent my escape. But the
man. whoever he was, could not have
seen me. or he would not have. let me
drop on his head. but would have got out
OF the way.
He fell heavily. and lay as one stun
ned. Before he could recover himself
had my hand at his throat. and might
have chozed the life out of him had
not discovered by his long gown that he
was a monk. I released my hold, and
he rose, crossing himself and muttering
a prayer.
'Who are your I demanded And
what are you doing here?"
I had begun to suspect that he was
there for no good purpose
81 need not tell you who l am: you
can see bv my Dress he replied. still
breathing heavily.
You nave no business here"
1T is the public street." he answered
curtlv. How was I to know that You
were to drop upon me? Men who visit
houses for any honorable purpose do
not let themselves out of second-story
windows. or drop from balconies" he
added his voice marked By a sarcastic
twang.
What is II 10 you if 1 choose to leave
a house by a window rather than by
the door," 1 demanded.
You fell upon me You nearly killed
me. Curses on you for your careless
ness. And curses on you for your i'm
! pudence:''
You sneaking dog. move off, or
will kill you. Be off with you, or III
not answer for what I'll do l cried,
having hard work 70 restrain myself
! from laying hands on him.
You will find that poor priest has
I his friends"
/ "A dead priest has fewer friends. -
/ I said. moving toward him. and FRO
voked beyond endurance, for he vas
blocking the way and evidently trying
20 detain me.
! I would not have put my threat in-o
execution, though recalling what Martin
had told me the day before ! felt that
he would make trouble for me in the
! end. But he moved away, evidently
deeming it best TO take no chances With
my temper-shuffiing of. going little
Flame as I observed.
I could hear no noise within the
Louise. The window above had been
! closed, and what had occurred there l
had no way of finding out. But fearing
that nv visit and escape had been dis
covered, l hurried along the street and
made off in a different direction from
that taken by the monk l had not
gone 200 yards. however. when looking
around I saw twenty or thirty horsesnen
ride away from the house
l could hear the hoofs of the horses as
they struck the pavement, the clanking
Of bits. the rafting of sabers as they
drew up in order. and then the whole
party dashed along the street, passing
me unnoticed as / stood watching them
! from the angle Of a building II was
probable that they had other business
on hand that night of more importance
than hunting down housebreaker,
such as they might have considered me
TO be.
I afterward learned that excitement
had been created by reports that the
/ 7 liberals had gained another victory in
the interior and that General Dogol-
llado was already marching upon the
capital; this proving true. an uprising
was TO take place in the city, to act in
conjunction with the forces outside. The
rIInors were afterward found 10 be
without foundation; nut at the time
they caused some uneasiness among
those in authority. and led 10 the taking
Of precautionary measures TO defeat any
lat+ack which might be made, and pre-
vent the assembling Of Constitutional
lists in the city.
| The orasence of a considerable number
If armed troops. stationed in different
narts of the town. had served so far to
lcbeck any unusual demonstrations. The
civ was practically under martial law.
II saw several companies Of soldiers I'M
dor arms that night, and squads of cav
airy rode recklessly by me.
There were few people on the street;
VET thinking best TO avoid as much as
possfble the more populous districts.
made the circuit of the Plaza, going as
far as the Mercado de Ia MERGED. and
then turning north
I had not been in the city long enough
10 be well acquainted with it's thorough
| fares. and becoming somewhat confused
in the darkness. soon found that 1 was
unable 10 locate the street l was on.
knew that 1 was in the northeast part
of the city. and that was about all The
streets were quiet, and few people were
TO be seen.
| I was endeavoring to find some land
mark which was familiar TO me. from
which 1 could get my bearings, when
become aware that was being follow
ed. Two men had kept behind me fol-
some time though at a distance.
The streets were dark. there being
lights only here and there ~ long In
tervals, and I could only occasionally
see the men when 1 looked back; but
their footsteps came nearer and nearer
as vent on. The meanest and lowest