Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-05
DAILY SHORT STORY
LIGHTING The SIGNAL.
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tOr!g.nal.l


up to camp in palm grove.
The president" cried Il sentry,
bringing his mUsket TO a present.
Turn out the guard
The horseman, without noticing the
sentry, the guard turned out in his
honor or a group of officers who rose
to salute him, threw himself 10 the
ground. while the commandment of the
outpost advanced to meet him.
Major" said the president. a plot
has been discovered 10 depOse me and
make Rodcrigucs Sanchez dictator. To
night when Il signal fire is lighted on
the top of the peak overlooking your
camp the revolutionists are To close in
on the city from different points, make
me Il prisoner or murder me and pro-
claim Sanchez. We are not ready. nor
will We be till the troops ordered iii
from the south arrive. You are To pre-
vent at all hazards the lighting of the
signal. You are not to do this, reveal
ing that the plot is discovered
DO you understands"
IL do. your eXcelIency."
'Remcmbcr, any failure on your part
and You shall be shot tomorrow in the
plaza"
Yes, your eXCellcnCy."
Louis MendC ~, the president. turned
and Gallopcd away. Major Jose Ala
man rs soon ; it was dark posted his
men about the peak as nearly in touch
rs possible. The moon WAS ut the full.
Il great disadvantage to the revolution
lists. and except when there were trees
or brush any one ascending the sugar
loaf peak would be noticed. Jose Ala
man, having made disposition of his
men, paced anXiously in front OF his
tent till midnight Then it occurred to
him to test his Gordon by trying to slip
through it. Stealing through clump
Of thick bushes midway between two
of his SentricS. he penetrated the line.
He was about to turn and change the
disposition when a stone fell from
above and rolled down nearly to where
he stood. Looking up, he saw some
thing disappearing behind Il rock. He
followed, again and again catching
sight of n dim figure that. if it We're a
man, judging from its garments, must
be Il frockcd priest He chased it to
point near the crest. when suddenly he
saw it stand out clearly on rock di-
reCtly above him. 1t was Il woman. To
reach her lie must make Il long detour,
but she was within reach of shot |
from his revolver.
HALT there" he commanded.
The figure stood still for moment, |
then started on.
HALT or | fire.
Jose would you kill your JuanaY
asked IL soft voice.
what. You Iuana Sanchez"
"YcS, T.
What are you doing here, sweet
heart?"
81 am about to light Il signal fire
1.-The plot to make your father dicta |
tor has been discovered. Come to me |
and l will try and get you away with |
out discovery"
Il shall light the signal"
"Juana, | implOrc you, dcsist. or ] |
shall have to take you to the city. |
where you will be shot. Mendoza will
not spare you because you are n wo |
man
The girl without reply pushed on up |
the peak.
''Juana, dear heart- come back" call |
ed her lover. 1T is death either to you |
or me-
She went on without reply till she |
reached the summit. There was but |
one thing for Jose to do to prevent her
lighting the signal to shoot her.
\ match sputtercd, she covering it |
from the wind with her hands II |
went ont, and she lighted another. |
This time he saw that Il bonfire had |
been prepared for her. His revolver |
was in his hand cooked, but he was |
irreSolute The second match went 1
out There was one more chance for |
him to save his life by taking hers. |
Again lie heard n scratch. This time |
he raised his weapon. The match |
blazed out, lighting up her face. He
threw his revolver on the ground. She
touched the match to bit of paper. |
The signal was abaze.
Jose descended the peak and called |
his men to 4 rally OF the center, thus
giving the signal lighter an opportuni-
ty to make her descent unobserved, !
then waited in his camp for the doom
that had been promised him in case
Of failure. 1t was not long before a
horsemen dashed up, seized
him, placed him in their center and
rode away with him. He was taken
TO the city, but had no sooner entered
than the gates We're in possession of
the revolutiOnists. His guard carried
him 10 the plaza. where the president
was marshalinG his forces to resist the
attack. As soon as he saw Jose Ala
man his eye was ablaze with fury.
stupid. Incompetent. The task 1
gave you was simple. Why did you
let the fellow slip through your Iines:"
1T was not man, but a woman. I
saw her light the signal and could
have shot her before she did So
And why didn't your
because l preferred TO die in her
place.
That you shall do at once"
Mendoza called for a platoon, which
was drawn up in the plaza, and Ala
man was placed before IL. But the
- Go