Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-04

was tempted to call out, as though had
loved Castro well enough to save him from
the shame and remorse of a plain betrayal.
was to learn then that the ultimate
value of life to all of us is based on the
means of self-deception. Morally he had
his back against the wall-he could not
had cried again at him, Where are they?'
in a really terrible tone, heard his answer:
"At the bottom of the sea-"
Sometimes 1t seems to me as II the whole
scene, with his wild cries for help, had
been the outcome of a supreme exercise of
cunning. For. indeed, he could not have
invented anything better to bring the con-
viction of our death to the most skeptical
words had been a great shout, followed by
solemn and unbroken silence. It seemed
to last very long time. He had thrown
himself over! Them after a time, a voice
below, to the left Of the cave assembled
with hooting and mournful effect from
the depths.
Manuel! Manuel! We have found him,
Els muerte!'
And from above ManuePs shout rolled
augmented, between the rocks
Bueno! Turn his face up-for the birdsv'
They continued calling to each other for
a good while The men below declared
their intention of going on to the seashore:
and Manuel shouted to them not to forget
to send him up good rope early in the
morning: Apparently, the schooner had
been relocated some time before: nanv Of
the Lugarenos were to sleep on board.
They purposed to set sail early next day.
rms revived me, and l spent the night
between Seraphina's couch and the mouth
OF the cave, keeping tight hold of nv rea-
son, that seemed to lose itself in this hone
In this darkness, in this torment I touched
her cheek, It was hot-while her forehead
1eit to my myers as cold as ice. 1 had
no more voice but tried to force out some
harsh whispers through my throat They
sounded horrible toemy own ears and she
endeavored to soothe me by murmuring
E~AI1 holt
delirious. tried to pray for my strength
to last till 1 could carry her out of that
cave to the side of the brook-then let
death come. Live, live, whispered into
her ear, and would hear a sigh so faint SO
feeble, that it swayed all my soul with pity
and fear. YES, Juan" And would
go away to watch for the dawn from the
mouth of the cave, and curse the stars
that would not fade.
ManuePs voice always steadied me- A
languor had come over them above, as if
their passion had been exhausted Several
of them, / understood, left the camp for
the schooner, but, avoiding the road by the
ravine as If Castro's dead body down there
had made 1t impossible. And. the talk
went on late into the night. There was
some superstitious fear attached to the
cave-a legend of men who had gone in and
had never come back any more. All they
knew of it was the region of twilight; for
merly, when they. used the shelter of the
side the circle Of the fire. Manuel dis
dained their fears. Had he not been such
a profound politico, man of stratagems,
there would have been a necessity to go
down and see *IThey all protested.
Who was going down? Not they. .
Their craven cowardice was amazing.
He begged them to keep themselves quiet.
They had him for Capataz now A man
of intelligence Had he not enticed Cas-
tro out? He had never believed there was
anyone else In there. He sighed. Other
wise Castro would have tried to save his
life by confessing There had been moth
ing to confess. But he had the means of
making sure. A voice suggested that Ing
lez might have withdrawn himself into the
depths These English were not afraid of
demons, being devils themselves; and this
one was fiendishly reckless
Manuel kept watch. He fed the fire, and
his incomplete shadow, projected across the
chasm, would pass and return, obscuring
the glow that fell on the rock His foot
steps seemed to measure the interminable
duration of the night. Sometimes he would
stop short and talk to himself in low. ex-
allied mutters. A big bright star rested on
the brow of the rock opposite, shining
straight into my eyes. It sank, as IL It
had plunged into the stone At last An
other came toe look into the cavern. I
watched the gradual coming of a gray
sheen from the side of Seraphina's couch
This was the day. the last day of pain. or
else OF life. pressed my lips silently upon
her cheek. Her eyes were open. It seemed