The Washington times., 1904-07-10
CHAPTER XIII.
The Romany Blood Claims It's Own.

Anita had never known such misery
as she felt when she left the English
courtroom and climbed to her accus-
toned aerie upon the Rock 1t seemed
as though the blackness of some terrible
plague had settled upon her and blotted
out all interest in existence. Had death
come 70 her in kindly form at that mo-
ment she would have welcomed II
warmly.
She could have borne the defeat of
her lovers enterprise. She could have
borne his death, although that would
have been terrible.
But to find that his love belonged to
another! The very thought filled her
with an ungovernable fury that made
her almost afraid OF herself.
She did not know what had become
Of Mertrez. She had not asked for him /:
had tried not TO give him a thought
after the moment when she left him
upon the cliff. She believed that he
would die; surely he deserved death for
his Derfidy.
But she told. herself that it was moth
ing to her whether he lived or died.
Fol her ne had ceased TO live when she
had found the evidence OF his unfaith-
ANeAAiNSS " Icl
For the first few days after the fatal
houT upon the cliff she had kept 20 her
self within the house. She had avoided
even Courtney and had hidden her rage
ana anguish within her own room
1t was only when the place had be-
come hateful TO her that she had ven.
tured once more upon the Rock Here
friendly English sentry. who had seer
her in conversation with Lieutenant
Calthorpe and believed that she har
come to meet him informed her of that
officers plight and of his approaching
trial for neglect of duty in permitting
himself to be surprised by the attacking
party of Sraniards.
Ia spite OF her own distress. Anita
was able TO feel a certain pity for the
young English officer. For his out.
spoken admiration of herself she cared
nothing; she had been willing to use
him 10 further her own plans.
II those plans had succeeded she
would have cared nothing as to what
became of him. Yet she was sorry that
lie seemed likely to suffer for some
thing that was no fault of his own.
She alone was responsible for the
Spanish attack; she could explain ex-
eANNAs AiOH IL AlelI COllt 4DOuL-
such an act might ease her own trou-
bled spirit and help to remove the curse
which in her superstitious fancy she
! felt had descended upon her.
| This train of thought had at length
decided the girl to visit the trial OF
the lieutenant and TO tell her story.
She knew nothing of courts of justice.
but imagined that the only one to hear
ne" story would be the judge. She was
somewhat abashed. therefore. TO find
how large a crowd had assembled In
/ the courtroom. But she was OF too de-
ternined a spirit to turn back at this
point. and accordingly she had gone
bravely through the ordeal.
! She had no thought of concealing sny
part of the story or her motives for her
& ctions. She had confessed 1t all. SIM
/ ply, yet haughtily. though IT had cost
her pride a twinge to do so.
| Now that IL was over, she knew not
whittier to turn. She dared not go back
to her own home.
| Courtney had been present in the
courtroom. He had heard her story OF
her love for the Spaniard and her trea-
son to the British authorities. She
knew his own fierce dislike of the Dons
4 w nat must DC MS IeSiAtlSS tOWdIu nef
| For the first time in her life the cir
| felt a fear of Courtney.
Habit had turned her steps toward
| the little arbor where she had spent 81
many happy and anxious hours. Their,
calthorpe had found her in the cours,
of the eager search which he began i'm
mediateiy upon his acquital The sigh
| of her trouble, and yet so queenly
In her trouble. had drawn from hin
the declaration OF his love. which haC
often before trembled upon his lips whel
| in her presence.
| Her sad but dignifled answer baC
awed him a little. He had seen that /
was useless to press his attentions upoI
| her at this time, and he had gone awal
| respecting her trouble and leaving he
! 10 the solitude which she evidently de
] sired.
| For a long time after his departur
| she sat there in silence, her head bowet
/ upon her hands. Her thoughts followe,
no certain line, but passed disconnect
| eddy over the recent events that ha,
! crowded so rapidly one upon another an,
had brought so much misery into he
| life.
| 1t was true that a curse seemed Z
be upon her and to affect all with whom