Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-14
PART FOURTH.
Blade and Guitar.
CHAPTER i.


There was a slight, almost imperceptioie
lar. n faint grating noise, a whispering
sound of sand-and the boat. without
splash fioated.
Hurry. senor." whispered Castro The
-n,sts in the middle of the Gay will hide US
when the moon rises
1t was time-if we were to escape. ESCAPE
where? Into the open sea? With that 81
lent sorrowing girl by my side! In TINS
miserable cockeshell, and without any REL
uge open to us" It was not really hesi-
tation: she could not be left at the mercy
of O'Brien.
Perhaps If / had known what was before
us my heart would have failed me utterly
out of sheer rity. Suddenly my eyes caught
sight of the moon making like the glow of
a bush fire on the black slope of the noun
tain. In a moment it would flood the bay
with light and the schooner anchored OFF
the beach before the Casa Riego was not
eighty yards away, l dipped my oar without
a splash. Castro pulled with his one hand
The mists rising on the lowiands never
filled the bay, and 1 could see them lynn"
in moonlight acOss the outlet like sllVeiy
white ghost OF a wall. We penetrated II,
and instantly became lost to view from the
shore
on this very night Manuel-del-Po
was outside with a good many roWpoats,
waiting on an lndiaman. The snip hau
She was becalmed now. Perhaps they we g
looting her already.
Domingo's partisans were watching the
Casa Riego. while Manuel (who was mora
of a seaman) had taken most of his per-
soral friends and all the larger boats that
would float. to do bit of outside WORK
as they called 1t, upon the becalmed west
Indiaman.
This had facilitated Castro's plan. and 1t
also accounted for the smallness of the
boat. which was the only one of the refuse
fI,.f AZ mo a
every seam. She was not tight by any
means though. 1 could hear the water
washing above the bottom boards, and L
remember how concern about keeping Sera
phina's feet dry mingled with the grave
eprrehensions of our enterprise.
The vague shadows and dim outlines that
had hung around US began, at last to van
ish utterly N an impenetrable and lum1-
nous whitensss. And through the. tumble of
my thoughts darted the sudden knowledge
that there was a sea-fog outside-a thing
quite different from the nightly mists OF
the bay. 1t was rolling into the passage
inexplicably, for no stir of air reached US.
1t answered our immediate need for con-
cealment, and this was enough for me-
when all our future hung upon every pass
ing minute.
I heard seraphina's voice saying softly:
You are true friend, Tomas Castro. 10
you shall come a friends reward"
ALAS, senorita" he sighed. What re-
mains for me in this world-for me who
have given for two masses for the souls
of that illustrious man, and OF your COUSIN
Don Carlos. my last piece Of silverY
I'VE shall make you very rich, Tomas
Castro" she said with decision. as If there
had been bags of gold in the boat.
He returned a high-flown phrase oil
thanks in bitter, absent whisper. knew
well enough that the help he had given me
was not for money, not for love-not even
for loyalty TO the Riegos. 1t was obedi-
ence to the FAST recommendation Of Carlos.
He ran risks for my safety but gave me
- OF his allegiance.
twas still the same tubby, murderous
little man. with a steel blade screwed 10
the wooden stump of his forearm, as When'
swelling his breast, he had stepped on MS
toes before me like bloodthirsty pigeon, In
the steerage of the ship that mad orougnt
us from home. l heard him humble, with
almost incredible, sardonic contempt, tnat,
indeed the senior would soon have none nut
dead friends II he RETAINED from striKing
at his enemies. Had the senior taken the
very excellent opportunity AFFORDED py
Providence and that any sane Christian
man would have taken-to let him stab the
Juez O'Brien-we should not then De wan
derine in a little boat. What follyl What
folly! One little thrust of knife, ana we
should all have been now safe in our BEDS.
His tone was one of weary superiority,
and I remained appalled, by that truth, strip
ned OF all chIvalrous pretense. 1t was
clear in sparing that defenseless me- mad
been guilty OF cruelty for the sake or my
conscience. There was Seraphina by my
side; il was she who had to suffer. 1 had
let her enemy go free, because he had
happened to be near me, disarmed. Had l
acted like an Englishman and a gentleman
or only like a fool satisfying his sentiment
at other peoples expense?
She gave no sign of having heard Castro's
words But suddenly l felt, without her
cloaked figure having stirred, her small
hand slipped into mine
"Ab YOU are generous" 1 whispered close
10 the edge of the cloak overshadowing her
face.
you must now think of yourself, Juan"
she said
"Of myself" echoed sadly. Il have only
YOU TO think of. and you are so far away
out of my reach. There are your dead-aII
your loss-between you and me-.
She touched my arm.
cit is / who must think of my dead" she
whispered but you, you must think or
yourself. because l have nothing of mine In
this world now.
| satd no more. II I could have taken
O'Brien with me into the other world,
would have died to save her the pain of SO
much as a pinprck. But because 1 could
not she must even go with me; must sur
fer because l chung to her as men cling to
their hope OF highest goodwill an exalted
and selfish devotion.