Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-30

darkness on our left, and by the means Of
the Chica.
That II whAG b. meant" said the en-
chanting voice by ny side: "And you re-
we stopped L. ,hica, silent. as If ex-
shoulder against etA wall BY seraphina's
door.
poor Don Cariosi' she said. ct had a
great affection for him. was afraid they
Won, would Ivan want me to marry him. He loved
a.r s T. never ass s1 ,9,a hsr Il
"He was poor, homeless. Ill already. in q
| foreign land.'tt 81
I'VE all loved him at home" said.
He never asked her" she breathed out.
| And perhapslbut he never asked her."
You have been very good to him." said;
only he need not have demanded this from
you. OF course, understood perfectly.
I hope you understand. too. that +"
| "Senor, my cousin" she flashed out sud
denly, do you think that would have
consented only from my affection for him p
"Senorita," cried, Il am poor. home
| less, in foreign land. How can I be-
lieve? How can dare to dream?-unless
Then you are permitted to ask. Ask,
Don Juan"
dropped on one knee, and, suddenly
extending her arm, she pressed her hand
to my lips. A minute passed. could hear
her rapid breathing above, and stood up
| before her. holding both her hands.
| How very few days have We been to-
gether." she whispered. Juan, am
| ashamed"
IT did not count the days. I have known
| you always. have dreamed OF you since
can remember-for days, for months.
| year. all my life"
The crash Of a heavy door flung to. ex-
| ploded, filling the galleries all round the
I - VAN linda
peril.
"Ah! We had forgotten"
I heard her voice and felt her form in my
| arms. Her lips at my ear pronounced
Remember, Juan. Two lives but one
death only
And she was gone so quickly that II was
! as If she had passed through the wood OF
the massive panels.
The Chica crouched on her knees.
What do you fear from him." I asked.
She looked up; moved nearer to me on her
knees.
1T don't know
She did not know Like myself! Was there
anything in the way of our undoing which
| 1t was not in his power to achieve?
Invent to my room, walking upon air,
upon tempestuous air, In a feeling Of in
security and exultation.
I stood two candlesticks on a table. l
left the door of my room open on purpose,
SO that he should know l was back there,
and ready for him. 1 took down a long,
straight blade, like rapier, with a basket
hilt. 1t was a cumbrous weapon, and with
blunt edge; still, it had point, and I was
ready to thrust and parry against the world.
Somebody was coming toward me along
the silent galleries. 1t was he: knew 1t.
He was coming nearer and nearer. In the
profound, tomb-like stiffness of the great
house, 1 heard the sound of his footsteps on
the tesselated pavement from afar. NOW
he had turned the corner, and the calm,
strolling pace of his approach was enough
IN frfl auyn Int a
never hesitated. not once; never hurried;
never slowed till they stopped
I suppose in that big room by the light
of two candles, 1 must have presented an
impressive picture of a menacing youth all
in black. with tense face. and holding a
naked. long rapier in his hand. At any
rate, he stood still. cycling me from the
doorway, the picture of dapper Spanish
lawyer in a lofty frame; all in black, also.
with fair head and well-turned leg ad-
vanced in black silk stocking. There was
no weapon in his hand. or at his side.
I lowered the point, and. seeing he re-
NAMED on the doorstep, as If not willing
to trust himself within, 1 said disdainfully:
You don't suppose I would murder de-
fenseless man.
Am 1 defenseless?" He had a slight
lift of the eyebrows. THAT is news, in
deed. 1t is you who are supposing I have
been very certain man for this many
year?'
How can you know how an English gen.
murderer nor yet an intriguer."
He walked right in rapidly, and, getting
round to the other side of the table, drew
a small pistol out of his breeches pocket.
You seeI am not trusting too much to
your English generosity Z IL q 2 .
He laid the pistol negHgently on the table.
l had turned about on my heels. AS we
stood by lunging between the two candle
sticks, l should have been able to run him
through the body before he could cry out.
laid the sword on the table
He remained for some time with his eyes
fixed on the table. and when he looked up
at me 1t was with sort of amused in
credulity. His tone was not resentful. He
spoke in a business-like manner. a little
contemptuously. 1 had only Don Carlos to
thank for the position in which found my
SELF What the poor devil over there ex-
pected from me, he, O'Brien, would not
inquire. 1t was ridiculous boy and girl
anafr: If those two-meaning Carlos and
Seraphina,had not been SO mighty clever,
should have been safe now in Jamaica
jail, on charge of treasona BILE practices
He seemed to find the idea funny. Well.
ANYHOW. he had meant no worse by me than
my own dear countrymen. When he.
O'Brien, had found how absurdly he had
been hoodwinked by Don Carlos-the poor
devil-and misled by Ramon-he would
make him smart for it, yet-all he had in
tended to do was to lodge me in Havana
Jail. On his word of honor.
Me in jail"' l cried angrily. "You-you
would dare! On what charge? You could
You don't know what Pat O'Brten can
90 In Cuba The little country solicitor
came out in flash from under the Spanish
lawyer. Then he frowned slightly at me.
You being an Englishman l would have
had you taken up on a charge Of stealing"
Blood rushed to my face. lost control
over myself. Mr.. O'Brien," 1 said. II
dare say you could have trumped up any
thing against me. You are a very great
scoundrel"
why? Because don't lie about NV mo-
tives, as you all do? 1 would wish YOU to
know that would scorn to lie either to my
self or to you"
I touched the haft Of the sword on the
table. 1t was lying with the point his way.
Il had been thinking" said I, In great
heat Ito propose to you that we should
fight 1t out between US two. man to man,
rebel and traitor as you have BEEN"
THE devil you havev he muttered.
But really you are too much of a
Picaroon. I think the gallows should be
your end"
1T may be your lot, yet" he said.
I burst into nervous laugh For a mo-
ment could not stop myself
Il won't murder you" 1 cried.
To this he said astonishinely. "WilI Won
go to Mexico?"
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