Morris tribune., 1905-12-23

| quickly Keep silent, AlvaradO. Get
| me tell it ALL / am her father l would
/ consult with the captain upon the jour
| ney of the morrow and other matters
| OF state. With US here was my daugh-
ter. Is there aught to provoke thy
Jealousy or rage in this? Overcome bv
er-the events Of the day, she faint
ed. One of us had to go for aid
Twas not meet that the young man
| should go to the women's apartments:
| L left them together"
| ''Alone:' queried De Tobar.
| 'sAye, alone. One was my daughter.
! a De Lara, and she was senseless. The
other was almost my son. knew him.
He had proved himself. l could trust
him.
your excellency, thank your cried
| Alvarado, selling the hand of the ieId
nobleman and carrying it to his lips.
You said you loved her, said De
! Tobar, turning to Alvarado
"And so / do" answered Alvarado.
"But who could help it? 1t is an in
lection have caught from my friend
Have you spoken words of love 80
her? Have you pleaded with her? Did
you meet here by appointment
| Don Felipe" cried Donna Mercedes,
| who had kept silent at first, hardly
comprehendiag, and then holding her
breath at the denouement, tt'hear me!
Captain Alvarado's manner1to me has
been coldness itself may, he scarcely
manifested the emotion of friend"
/ no 0lyn
sentiment painfully apparent to Alva-
RADIO, but which in his bewilderment
| Don Felipe did not discover N
81 swear to you, senor," she went Oh
cunningly, until this hour | never
heard him say those words, L love
you But this scene is too much for
| me. | cannot bear it. Help me hence.
Nay neither of you gentlemen. With
Sonora Agapida's aid l can manage.
Farewell. When you wish to claim
me, Don Felipe, the betrothal shall be
carried out, and | shall be yours.
Good night"
De Tobar sprang after her and caught
her hand, raising it respectfully to his
lips.
Nov, senior" he cried, turning back
''we can discuss this question unhin-
dered by the presence of the lady. You
said you loved her. How dare you, a
man of no birth, whose very name ~
an assumption, lift your eyes so high?''i
'"This from you, my friend" cried
Alyarado, whittier than ever at this in
suit
"Sir," interposed the voice of the
viceroy, RESTRAIN yourself. 'Tis true
we know not the birth or name of this
young man whom have honored with
my confidence, upon whom you have
bestowed your friendship, but he hath
ever shown himself-and I have watch
ed him from his youth-a gentleman,
Spanish gentleman whom all might ERR
uAate You wrong him deeply ~
'But he loved her,
''What of that?" answered the vice
roy.
AYE" cried Alyarado, Il do love her,
and that | make no secret of it from
you proves the sincerity of my SOUL
Who could help loving her, and much
less man in my position? For, in so far
as was proper in a maiden, she has been
kind to me since was boy. I cher
ish no hopes, no dreams, no ambitions.
/ locked my passion within my breast
and determined to keep it there though
1t killed me- Tonight, with her help
less at my feet, thrown on my pity, it
was wrung from me, but swear to
you by my knightly honor, by that
friendship that hath subsisted betWeap
us Of old, that from this hour those
words shall never pass my lips again;
that from this hour | shall be as silent
ais before. Oh, trust me! l am sadly
torn. Thou hast all, l nothing! If thou
canst not trust mel babe you strike
before, strike now and end it all Your
exceilency, bid him strike"
''Thy life is not thine" answered the
older man. ut belongs to Spain We
have fallen on evil times, and thy coun-
try needs thine arm. Thou hast said
Alright. Senior de Tobar," he cried, ''he
is thy friend. Take him back to thy
affection. I am an old man and a IA
Their, but were | young and one so
beautiful crossed my path as Donna
Mercedes by Our Lady he hath excuse
for anything! He speaks the truth,
though it be to his own hurt. Canst
stand unmoved, senior, in thy happiness
before such misery as that?'
Dominique forgive met' cried De
Tobar Il was wrong. am ashamed.
Thou couldst not help it. forgive
thee. love thee STILL"
He made as if to embrace his friend,
but Alyarado held him off
''YNilt trust me fully, absolutely, en-
tirely?'
with all my life. answered De TOE
bar.
'T7hou shalt be tried said the vice
roy. We march toward the Orinoco in
three days. / had proposed to establish
Donna Mercedes at La Guayra under.
care of AlVarado."
mot now, your exeellencyr' cried the
young man.
Nay; / shall, provided De Tobar is
rvs HIM, f5lsi