Morris tribune., 1905-12-23

/ LaraS. My father shall find it. / sign
/ ed that contract under duress. You
would do nothing. Oh, Alsarado Alya.
| RADIO, wilt thou stand by and let me be
1 taken into the arms of another? But
no; shall die before that happens
Donna Mercedes cried the unhap-
| py young man, Il love thee, adore
| thee, | worship thee with all my heart
| and soull Were it not a towards act
| I would have plunged my dagger into
| my breast ere / witnessed that be-
| trothal tonight"
Thou shouldst first have sheathed it
! in mine,' she whispered '.But couldst
find no better use for thy weapon than
that?'
would you have me kill Don Fe-
lipe?"
''No, no, but defend me with it.
There are hidden recesses in the noun
tains Your soldiers worship you. Take
me away, away into the undiscovered
countries to the southwark A con-
tinent is before you We will find a
new Mexico, carve out a new Peru
with your sword, though l want moth
ing but to be with you. alone with you,
my soldier, my lover, my king!''
"But your plighted word2''
"'Tis nothing. Ny heart was plight
ed to you. That is enough Let us go.
We may never have the chance again, =
she urged, clinging to him.
A fearful struggle was going on in
Alvarados breast. What she proposed
was the very thing he would have at
tempted were the circumstances other
than they were. But his patron, his
friend, his military duty, his honor as
a soldier-the sweat beaded his fore
head again. He had made up his mind
at the betrothal to give her up. He
had abandoned hope; he had put aside
possibilities, for he could see none. But
here she was in his arms, a living,
breathing, vital, passionate figure, her
heart beating against his own, plead
ing with him to take her away. Here
was love with all it's witchery, with all
its magic, with all it's power, attacking
the defenses of his heart, and the WON
an whom he adored as his very life,
with all the passion in his being, was
urging, imploring, begging him to take
her away He was weakening, waver
ing, and the woman who watched him
realized it and added fuel to the fame.
''The love / bear your fatherY he
gasped
SHOULD it bind where mine breaks?
I am his daughter"
Sand Don Felipe is my personal
friend"
"And my betrothed, but I hesitate
not
''My oath as a soldier
''And mine as woman"
"Gratitude-duty'-
ooh, Alvarado, you love me notr she
cried. '"These are the strongest. I
have dreamed a dream. Lend me your
dagger There shall be no awakening.
Without you l cannot bear
AS she spoke she plucked the dagger
from the belt of the Young soldier,
lifted the point cleaning III the moon
light and raised it to her heart. He
caught it instantly.
''No, no." he cried. "Give back the
weapon"
The poniard fell from her hand.
'Thou hast taken me; thank thee"
she murmured, thinking the battle won
as he swept her once more in his arms.
This time he bent his head to her up
turned face and pressed kiss after
kiss upon the trembling lips. 1t was
the first time, and they abandoned
themselves to their transports with all
the fire Of their long restrained pas
sion.
''And is this the honor Of Captain
Alvarado," cried stern voice as the
viceroy entered the room my officer
Donna Mercedes, what do you here"
''The fault is mine," said Alvarado,
stepping between the woman he loved
and her Infatuated father 81 found
Donna Mercedes in the cabinet when
1 came in. She strove to fly. de-
tanned her-by force. / poured into
her ear a tale Of my guilty passion.
Mine is the fault She repulsed me.
She drove me Off"
''The dagger at your feetY
''She snatched it from me and swore
to bury it in her heart unless I left |
her. I alone am guilty"
''Thou villain! Thou false friend!''
shouted the viceroy, whipping out his |
sword. He was beside himself with
fury, but there was a characteristic
touch of magnanimity about his next
action. So handsome, so splendid, so
noble, in spite 1of his degrading con
fession, did the young man look that |
he gave him a chance.
Draw your sword Captain Alya
RADIO, for as | live / shall run you
Alvarado's hand went to his belt;
he unclasped it and threw it aside.
"There lies my sword I am dishon-
ored," he cried Strike and end it
air.
Not so!7 screamed Mercedes, who
had heard as if in a daze 'tIIe hath.
not told the truth He hath lied for