Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-11

i fled out of the passage.
ran to Seraphina. Put out your hand
to me-" painted In the darkness i need
your help"
felt 1t resting lightly on my bowed heao.
She did not even ask me what 1 meant; as
II the greatness of her soul was omnisc1ent'
There was I'm that silence. supreme I'M
selfishness, the Lnquestioning devotion OF
a woman.
Patience patience" l kept on mutter-
ing / was losing confidence in myself. IL
only / had been free to dash my head
against the rock. l had the courage for
that, yet. But this was a situation from
which there was issue In death.
I'VE are saved" l murmured distract
eddy.
Patience" she breathed out. Her hand
slipped languidly off my head.
And began to creep away from her side,
/ am here to tell the truth. | began to creep
away toward the flask. / did not confess
this to myself; but know now. There was
a devilish power in it. / have learned the
nature of feelings in a whom Satan
beguiles into selling his soul-the horror of
an irresistible and fatal longing for su-
preme felicity.
i saw with Indignation, my own wretched
self being angled for like fish. And with
all that in my forlorn state. l remained
prudent L did not rush out blindly. NO.
] approached the inner end of the passage,
as though / had been stalking a wild crea-
ture, slowly, from the side. L crept along
the wall of the cavern, and protruded my
head far enough to look at the tiendsh
temptation.
There 1t was small dark object sus-
pended in the light, with the yellow rock
across the ravine for a background. TIE
silver top shivered the sunbeams brilliantly
/ had half hopes they had taken 1t away by
this time. When | drew my head back l
lost sight of 1t. but all my being went out
to 1t with an almost pitiful long ng. / re-
membered Castro for the first time in many
hours. Was moth. ng better than castro!
He had been angled for with sailed meat.
/ shuddered.
darkness fell into the passage. 1 put
down my uplifted foot without advancing.
The unexpectedness of that shadow saved
me, l believe. Manuel had descended the
corn!ce.
He was alone. Standing before the outer
opening. he darkened the passage, through
which his talk to the people above came
loudly into my ears. They could see, now,
If he were not a worthy Capataz. If the
Inglez I'm there he was corpse. And
yet of these living hearts above. of these
valientes of Rio Medic there was not one
who would go alone to look upon dead
body. He had contrived an infallible test,
and yet they would not believe him. Well,
his valance should prove It: his valance,
afraid neither of light nor of darkness
/ had the time to charge Seraphina not
to move, our liveS-on the wretched
remnant of our lives-when his black shapa
with a thread OF light following the contour
of his hat of his shoulders, of his whole
body down to his feet-whence a long
shadow fell upon the pool of twilight on
the floor.
Would he have the courage to explore
at least the immediate neighborhood of the
opening? Who could tell his complex
motiveso Who could tell his purpose
his fears? He had killed man in there
once But then, he had not been alone
If he were only showing off before his I'M
ruly band he need not stir a step further
He did not advance. He leaned his Shout
ders against the rock just clear of the
opening One-half of him was lighted plain
~: his long profile. part of his raven locks
one lStleSS hand. his crossed legs, the
buckle of one shoe.
Nobody" he pronounced slowly. in a
dead whisper.
/ am not conscious of having stirred
limb: neither had Seraphina moved, | am
ready to swear; but plainly something,
some sort of sound, startled him. He
bounded out of his immobility and in one
leap had his shoulders against the rock
standing at bay before the darkness, with
his knife In his hand. | wonder he did not
surprise me into an exclamation. l was
as startled as himself. All this took place
so quickly that | had no time to make one
movement toward receiving his attack
when | saw him make a great sign of the
cross in the air with the point of his dag
ger.
He sheatfed 1t slowly. and sidled along
the few feet to the entrance. his shoulders
rubbing the wall. He blocked out the light,
and in moment had backed out of sight.
Before he got to the further end l was
already at the inner. creeping after him.
l had started at once. as II his disappear
ance had removed a spell. as though he
had drawn me after him by an invisible
bond. Raising myself my forearms /
him. from his knees up, standing out
side the sill, with his back to the precipice
and his face turned up.
There is nobody In there" he shouted.
/ sank down and wriggled forward on my
stomach, raising myself on my elbows, now
and then, to look Manuel was looking up
wards, conversng with the people above,
and holding the flask In both his hands.
He never once glanced into the passage;
he seemed to be trying to undo the cord
knotted to the end of the thick rope. which
hung In a long blight before him The flask
captured my eyes, my thought my energy.
j would tear 1t away from him directly.
There was In me. then, neither fear nor
intelligence; only the desire of possessing
myself of the thing: but an instructive eau
ton prevented my rushing out violently. |
proceeded with an animal-like stealthiness.
with which cool reason had nothing to do.
II come at once!' he cried to them, with
out lifting his head.
I had crept up almost near enough to
grab the flask. 1t never occurred to
that by fnging myself on him I could have
pushed him off the sill. My only idea was
10 get hold. He did not exist for me.
The leather-covered bottle was the only
insane. i heard a faint defamation, and
Manuel got up quickly from the sill. The
flask was out OF my reach
There were more popping sounds Of shots
fired. away on the plain. The poems were
attacking an outpost of the Lugarenos. A
deep voice cried. They are driving them
inr' Then several together yelled
Come away Manuel! Come away, POI
Dios-"
Stretched at full length in the passage
and sustaining myself my trembling
arms, | gazed up at him. He stood very
rigid holding the flask in both hands. Sew
sral muskets were discharged together first
above. and in the noise of the reports l
remember a voice crying urgently over the
edge. Manuel! Manuel! The shadow of
irresolution passed over his features. He
hesitated whether to run up the ledge or
bolt into the cave. He shouted something
He was not answered. but the yelling and
the firing ceased suddenly, as II the La
gurenos had given up and taken to their
heels. / became aware of a sort of In
creasing throbbing sound that seemed TO
come from behind me. out of the cave:
then. as Manuel lifted his foot hastily to
step over the sill. I jumped up deiriously
and with outstretched hands lurched for
ward at the flask In his fingers.
j believe / laughed * him In an imbecile