The Indianapolis journal., 1904-02-21
The Black Fan.How 1t Figured in ~ II
n ~ ~ South American Political Intrigue
r n st 9 a willie

1T is my horse you have illtreated."
might have known said the master,
with bow, that so perfect a horse could
only have belonged To you, yet by an un-
fortunate mistake, l thought il was mine. Z"
She turned TO a peon, and with culver
ing voice ordered him to take the horse
away-turn it loose. kill it, do anything so
that she never saw ii again.
"A pity" he said for the horse is better
for the lesson / gave him."
"A lessoni 1t is you who require
She paused, her eyes fixed on a fan he car
ried. How came you by that?''
This fan? See, senorita, there is some
on the other there are red waters, no less
than two hundred and fifty. The number
of a troop of horse"
Where did you find it?''
ION the road, senorita. A poor woman
complained that she had been robbed, and,
thanks TO the speed of your horse, L over
took the robber, and this fan, strange tc
say, was the only thing he had"
And the mann
''The man went his way"
"A pity. she said. "You should have
killed him.
For taking a fan?"
For robblng a poor woman" she said,
hotly.. II win keep the fan. Did the woman
say where she came from?''
From the Ago del Inferno
THAT is near the Hacienda Morro." she
murmured Il forgive you, senor, she
added, with brilliant smile, land forgive
my beautiful horse. | will restore this fan
to the owner, and be discreet. senior. 1 beg
for her sake 1t is objectionable for a
woman to lose her fan"
Il will be discreet as night"
She stood playing with the fan, and he
fingered, absorbed in her beauty.
1t occurs to me, senor," she said, that
you may be disposed to ride to the Ago del
Inferno tomorrow, if in the meantime do
not see the poor woman"
/ am at your command, senorita."
Tomorrow, then, senor," and she swept
him a curtsey.
he acfa 70
fected. Evidently the pace was quickening.
de had meant TO secure a fan for himself,
but so had someone else, and luck had been
with him. The spots on the fan meant
the number of recruits in certain districts.
And he was to be sent to one of these dis
tricts, to be put out of the way, perhaps.
What beauty" he thought, "and what
little spitfire. What a delicious smile.
and what a vindictive suggestion that was
that L should have killed the man who
stole the fan" His thoughts We're with her
when he listened under the brilliant skies
to the music of a mandolin outside where
the poems were at play, and when he
heard her name pronounced his attention
was arrested immediately. They were two
women who spoke.
MY heart beats for her." said one, 80
tender, so young"
paws of the black senior and that fool,
Zelaga.'
But what can we do but pray to the
Holy Virgin?" and the two moved off.
dressed for the road, entered his room.
Haste senori''
whats the hurry?"
''It is to-day You will ride to the place
And the directions-I must have direc-
tions."
You will find your orders when you reach
the Ago del Inferno. Carrambo" and
Zeaga struck his forehead
What has happened? You seem wor-
ried, senor."
Something has leaked OUTFLOW, 1 can
not say, but we must hurry
And you wish me TO ride to this internal
gorge-alone?'
I'VE have no one to spare, senor. 1t is
thirty miles out, and the last ten miles over
rough country You will go?"
"Of course"
Zelaga hurried out and hurriedly re-
turned. his face shining with perspiration:
81 almost forgot. The password is the
Seventh of May You understand
THE Seventh of May 1t is now April
25, and the revolution was expected within
a month. L understand"
Zelaga opened his mouth to speak, but
withdrew in silence
The master got out of bed. He fully
dressed, and in one hand he held revolver.
He stood d moment listening then went
to the window.
"Ah!' he muttered, there goes Zelaga
with an escort. The senorita left at 6, and
Someone has betrayed them, and they yet
give me the Seventh of May as a watch
word. l don't like it-no, l don't. But it
seems to me the senorita is in greater
danger than l am, and this is great enough,
l take it, to satisfy a glutton." He ex-
amined his cartridges, placed the weapon
in his pocket; then tramped heavily across
his room and out to the stable, where he
saddled his horse and brought it round to
the door, when he made hurried meal.
Il will pay you when | return, landlord.
"Senor / am but a poor man." cried the
landlord; and the master smiled grimly at
the look of CONSERVATION in the fat face
80" he thought, ''he thinks 1 am good
as dead" He settled UP. and was directed
as to the road he should follow.
A few miles on he overlook a horseman,
who saluted in military fashion-a man
heavily armed.
said after look which ranged over horse
and rider. Il have orders TO guide you"
''Who gave orders %
Colonel Rodriguez Carrera, senor"
The master certainly was man OF
prompt action. In a moment he had the
astonished cabalero by the throat and a
minute later on the ground. trussed up with
his own reins.
The master cooked his revolver. LET us
understand each other, comrade. If you
wish to live, the matter is in your own
The man recognized the position at once
eh?''
1.-THE knife is more certain" said the
''Of course Did he give you reason?"
You were an enemy to the cause
''What cause?"
''The senorita's cause Excellency.''
What part does the senorita play in this
game, comrade?'
''The illustrious lady owns the largest
estate, Senor, and is the most wealthy
Moreover, her brother was killed in the last
affair"
And who is the next heir to the estate?'
Her cousin, the Senor Colonel Rodriguez
but he also is the cause"
lis hep said the master. 'Well, thanh
you for the information. One more ques
ton. Where is the senOrita?",
1.-The senorita is riding TO the rendezvous
at the Ago del Inferno"
"On this road?"
Mon, senior. This road leads to the Ha.
ciendo Morro, the property of the despot
When you took this road il was proof thai
you were in league with the President
perhaps his spy. The road to the rendez
vous is farther on.
'Do they ride fast?"
''They will camp ten miles from here
And the password?
us Isabella, senior.
81 see Many thanks. Now I will ex
change clothes. 1 think we are of
height"
The exchange was made The master
remounted, clad in gay bolero with silver
buttons, a red sash, wide trousers, som
brerO and an armory of weapons.
Nov, what shall 1 do with you, my
friend?"
1T is death if 1 return to the colonel
senior. You can let me free without fear.
The master untrussed the man, tossed
him a gold coin. and left him.
Il will tie your horse up an hours ride
ahead. but don't hurry to overtake him.
Il will crawl, SenOr," said the rascal
with a grin, and the master rode on to ii,
the led horse. Then he galloped on till h'
saw the dust from moving men ahead, anC