The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-05-27

forever, but infinitely the more danger
Gus Of his two adversaTies remained.
So far Don Q. felt things had gone
well enough, but the danger to his
long hopes and hereditary pride still
doomed darkly ahead. Diego was
man of cunning and malevolence, and
one who did not lack courage. Per
haps he had not yet recovered con-
seriousness, or he might have departed,
taking the secret with him, or most
likely Of all he was lying in wait for
Don O., whose return he very well
knew he might safely count on.
Yet who could say what turn Don
DiegOs enmity might take? Suppose he
recognized the fact that his deepest. re-
venge lay in spreading abroad his
knowledge to befoUl the honor of that
kingly name, At the thought Don Q.
drove his horse on, but cloud drifting
Up ObscuTed the moon, and in a NOM
ent horse and rider were wrapped in a
binding squall Of snow. It was i'm
possible to tell the direction in which
they were travelling. so for a madden
ing hour Don @ plodded slowly on.
consumed with Impotence and anxiety.
keenly alert to every sound, yet be
numbed by cold and wind.
In the midst Of his despair. he found
himself on the mound Of Las I.achuzas.
CROPPED his way into the building
through the silent passages to the hall.
In the dull glow Of the fire il seemed
empty.
Empty. empty nothing to be seen but
little ftfUI flames. feeling about the
freshly piled wood on the hearth Diego
no longer lay where the brigand had
left him Don O., keeping in cover of
the great screen. waited. for il was
clear that during his absence his op-
pOnent had recovered consciousness.
But the fire languished. and cast long
deceptive shadows on the floor and rug
ged walls. Watching. the chief at
length made out something black and
round. from which a dull CLEAN was
struck at intervals.
All was very still. save those weird
noises that wander forever in old habf-
tations. The brigand crawIed nearer
and nearer 20 the dark, well-grOomed
head lying within hand reach.
On the brow the death chill had gath
cred. and in the strong throat was
thrust a dagger Don Q. felt for the
hlt: it was slender and delicateIy fash
Toned. Quickly he sought the dead
mans right hand it vas empty, though
a revolver lay beneath II; but among
the fingers of the left he found coiIed a
strand of long. dark hair
The chief started I'd What then.
was become of Dona Anita? For a mo
ment he forgot to exuIt that his name
was once more safe from that world
where people talk The next he had
kicked the fire into a blaze and looked
around
The girl lay half on the ground. half
prOpped against the wall. with her
/ hands clenched in her ZAP. her white
face set in a tangle Of dark hair. her
great black eyes wide
In an instant Don @. was beside her
Diego shot me- she whispered very
! family. He wanted to for &c me to give
up your ring as proof-but I saved it. -
Gently Don Q. took it from her failing
fingers. when I am dead" she went
on, you viii perhaps forgive me, and
carry me away from this place and lay
me in some niche in the sierra, with
the pure snow about me, where I can
sleep we'll at last"
An hour before the dawn Don Q. be-
gan his journey back to the noun
/ tains. and across the saddle bow. wrap
ped in her long cloak. he carried DOna
/ Anita to. the burial she had desired
/ Scattered snOwfiakes struck at him and
at his burden. TOT a wind had arisen,
| but far way from whence il came one
/ star began to shine and sparkle
/ through the snOw-wet night.
/ -(Copyright BY Pearson Pub Coz