The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-06-12

/ that support an ancient title on a
marvelously slender purse, the only
career Ouen to him was that afforded
/ by the army.
Mertrez was more fortunate than some
of his fellow-ofhcers. however. in that
he had a natural liking for the only
vocation that he could adopt without
/ losing caste He loved the very ac-
cOuterments of military life. and baked
| at none OF the privatiOns that IL IN
/ vOlved.
In spite of his somewhat effeminate
4 manner he was a skiIlful swordsman
and a daring soldier
| He was as quick to find an insult or
to avenge one as he had been to make
/ love to pretty girl Altogether little
more could be said Of him than that
he was young Spanish gentleman of
! good parts and more than ordinary
promise, with rather more than enough
| OF pride and none too little of bravery.
Although the young mans thoughts
| Travelled at random all the way, from
| the lonely girl on the Rock behind him
| to the fancied gayeties Of the capital
ahead. he did not permit his horse 70
slacken its pace nor his glance 70 wan
! der from the path before him.
He knew that his message was ur-
gent. AS he had guessed, it set forth
| the commandments reasons for the i'm
mediate dispatch of the troops that had
been promised often, but had never
come. to re-enforce the little garrison
I'm the southern fortress.
The road was little Travelled, and
parts of it were frequented by bandits.
| Therefore Mertrez let one hand rest
always near his pistol holster, where f.
could grasp a weapon without delay.
He saved his horse as much as posi-
bic, not knowing whether he could pro-
cure another at the infrequent inns
along the way.
For the first few hours of his journey
he made good time across a compare
| lively level country and at midday found
a comfortable meal. with feed for hi:
horse, at a little village which ha6
been garrison town. although at pres
ent the post was deserted.
Soon afterward he struck into a more
broken country and started to climb the
range OF hills. beyond which. the dis
lance Of a days journey, lay Cordova-
| Until an hour after shutdown Mertrez
followed this road. mounting higher and
/ higher among the hills and passing no
houses except wOodcutters' cottages or
abandoned sheep huts.
His horse was weary and plOdded on
with dropping head. For himself, the
lieutenant would not have objected TO
a bed by the roadside with his saddle
for a pillow, but he was anxious to 1ad
an inn In order that the horse might be
stabbed and refreshed in preparation for
the next days Journey.
Accordingly he kept on until the last
Of the evening twilight had faded from
the sky and he dared go no further for
fear OF losing the path.
de was peering about in the thicken-
ing shadows for a spot in which his
1 horse could find "A good cropping Of
grass. when he discerned through an
opening in the trees some distance
ahead the dim outline of low building.
Even such poor shelter as that af-
forded by a deserted sheep hut was
preferable TO night in the open. He
pushed on to it.
From the appearance Of the place it
was evidently. as he had surmised. a
shelter used by shepherds in the late
autumn when the grass in the open pas
lures failed and the sheep were driven
TO these woodland meadows, where the
protecting trees kept the grass sweet
and green throughout almost the whole
year.
The hut stood at the edge Of a meadow
which seemed to be many acres in OK
tent From one side of the building a
lire of low sheds extended for con-
siderable distance. They were intended
70 AFFORD shelter to the sheep against
the chill north winds.
The place was silent and In darkness.
Mertrez dismounted before the door OF
the hut and knocked upon 1t on the
chance that II might be inhabited. His
summons brought no response. and it
was evident that nobody was within,
for the door was fastened with a chain
and locked on the outside.
This was unusual, but might indicate
merely that the hut was private prop
erty and not to be used by any person
who CHANGED along the road.
! Finding that the place yielded moth
ing in the way of hospitality, the lieu
tenant turned his attention to the sheds.
Near their farther end he found a store
OF hay from which he promptly pulled
down enough to furnish n plentiful sup
per for his horse. and a good bed for
himself.
FASTENING the steed to one Of the up
right supports of the shed and lying
down near by with his cloak wrapped
p
II must have been several hours later
when he awakened. The moon. now I'm
its second half. was well up in the sky.
He had a dim idea that he had heard
voices close at hand. but although he
listened no sound came to his ears.
Even the breathing of his horse was so
low that he scarcely caught IT,
Nevertheless the impression that hui
: man beings were close at hand was too
vivid TO be shaken off readily. TO con-
vince himself that he had been mistaken
by some dream. the lieutenant rose from
the hay and moved along toward the
? hut, keeping beneath the shadow of the
| shed.
He had not advanced far, putting his
: arms before him as nd walked. before
he encountered the soft coat OF a horse
tethered beneath the end of the shed
nearest the house and opposite to the
one that he occupied.
Tho shock of the sudden contact set
his nerves aquiver. and he stood silent
~ awaiting developments. beyond this
horse he presently made out the dim
outline of Il second one
The animal beside him uttered a low
WliQnV buf gave M ptbar @acoupFtf,-