The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-25
Our Daily $bcrt Story

the time. A week went by, two, three
 talked but 1t did no good. I blamed
 myseh for his infatuation. It was my Icrasy notion of painting her that be- gan the trouble. I could not altogeth- ter blame him. She was a witch, wo- ,man. saint, and a child. The mix ture of old Spanish and Indian train- ing, with young American ideas, gave her pfquant charm, yet I do not think she encouraged him. She loved
 nm, l am very sure, but she was lafraid-of what?
 ] The picture was done, so far as I Icould paint 1t. The expression want
 ed could never get. One cannot paint
 such fear as lay In her eyes. It was not human. But he would not go, and
 would not leave him.
 It was an afternoon late in June
 when He came into the studio and stood In front of me by the window.
 She will not marry me-" he said harshly. She will not even speak to me again. She says we must go away
 tonight. She Is afraid. I do not know why. and she will not tell me-"
 what nonsense are you talking" [ lasked, startled.
 And by nonsense did not mean his Iasking her to marry him, never that. She had so made us feel her purity. her delicate. subtle reserve. that no other solution of the problem had ever even presented itself to me, and I am sure Ilt had not to Sargent The nonsensical thing to me was that danger threat ened us. and that she was afraid for us.
 None" he said. and began throw ing things into the trunk, and the suit case at the other end of the room
 Are you coming?" he asked, after Ia minute or two
 Only too glad. even at that late day. to ger nlm away, I began prepara- tions for departure.
 It was late in the afternoon by the time we were ready Leaving the trunk to be sent after us we started down the narrow. crooked street. with Jour suit cases. '
 Ine days siesta was over. Greasy
 Mexicans lounged by us in their broad
 mats and graceful, tight fitting trous-
 CTS. From The Happy Day" came the
 souhd or singing. It was an old bor-
 and get refreshed. The barroom was
 long and narrow, with stone floor.
 ana the coolness was enticing.
 tall Mexican near the doorway
 eyed us curiously.
 ly. You go?" nodded indifferently.
 "Oh, and he laughed t is-perhaps-you ar afraid, si?" Sargent was following the song gloomily, not even Hooking at us.
 a.r The Mexican shfugged his shoul-
 Don Pedro. ths corcovads. ehamp- Well who is heT' sharply. The Mexican looked around him, si. senor." '' He crossed himself
 He, fool born. with a curse, a bone , wrong in his back. He want to mar ry Lasca. She will not. no. He grow
 ugly and follow her. always. She tell . him she hate him. Then he give un. and kill himself, so," drawing 6ne fin ger across his swarthy throat, be
 fore her one night and tell her-what? ? ) No one knows. She will not tell. It [ Is curse. She Is afraid ever now. l would be lover to her, mo- she is l afraid. She will not One-Antonio.
 see a shadow. once behind her-not her shadow-but he will not tell" P He crossed himself again and went
 over to the bar.
 s I shook myself and touched Sargent 2 on the arm. We would get out of , the place before we lost our wits al- z together, or our heads.
 There was never man who be- lived less in old women's tales than I. as you know. Stun and nonsense.
 all such foolery. But that girls face . and that heavy foreboding that could
 not shake off wefe fast getting the upper hands of me.
 Come" l said.S~"do let us get to : San MarciaL"
 | We started for the station. There was shorter way through the old
 garden and cemetery back of the Holy Rosary, and after a moments s
 debate we took it. It was a quaint old place. with wide paths and high hedges on either side. A bird sang
 with shrill intensity from some unseen , corner.
 , The sun had not yet gone down. and the tall cedars and pines made a pleasant shade a portion of the way. , For the remainder our shadows
 strtehed out, long and 1ank behind us.
 We walked silently. I knew what
 he was thinking poor; Ted, As we turned down the last path I caught , movement of the hedge at the cor ner.
 If I had not turnsd!, But did and saw Lasca. She was watching us go. secure as she thought, behind the hedge. As I : turned Sargent turned also and saw } her. With an exclamation he dropped his
 suit case and strode back. She fled } down the path from him. He pursued She went like a flash. but he was fleet and in a second she knew it was | Ho uSes 0He cdlleu tO me Snarply. DO not let him. No-no. I am afraid. Oh. for Our Ladys sake, no, do not--the shadow will come again; no, no"
 But he had her fast The barriers were down. His face was set like a , rock.
 q will never let you go. I do not
 care what you say. I was a fool to
 listen before. You love me, that Is
 enough. You are coming with us. The father at San Marcial shall mar ;; ry us. You shall--you must. You love
 me little one, Lasca. Lasca, do not fight me so, my darling, my little In-
 dian blossom"
 Those were the last words he ever } spoke
 l She screamed suddenly and straight } ened out in his arms. She saw 1t, there, at her feet. I saw 1t, also. It was not her shadow, nor Sargents.
 It was the shadow of a short, thick
 set man the shadow of hunch-
 back!
 She was stiff and motionless, but the
 shadow moved. Was I going crazy. l There was not another person with
 in sight, yet that shadow at her feet. ' where her shadow should have been, ! writhed and twisted like live thing!
 It strengthened out It's full length. \ then drew itself up like a toad, and itS haad sUelled thonPh filling with