The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-04-01

My wife is on the roof-I will tell her. [ Del Pino restrained him. Pardon, excelleney make sure of him first"
 They descended to the level of the or
 dinary cells, then lower to those more
 remote and secured dungeons reserved for the worst criminals.
 No, no, sexeelleney, allow me to show , you the way. The cell Is already It," del Pino's voice was heard to say as the door shut behind them. A quarter of an hour passed, but the | effervescence of excitement had not yet i subsided in the assembly room. when the door opened and a figure stood upon the
 threshold. It was not that of the gov
 ernor nor of del Pino A sombrero and
 cloak concealed the actual features but the attitude and the hudded folds
 of the cloak bore the uncouth outlines of vultures plumage.
 Don CT a shout of astonishment went up.
 At your service, senores. Be silent,
 I pray you'-a small, commanding hand
 rose from the cloak. Be silent and re-
 main seated Remember, you have to
 deal with a man who is equally ready to
 die tonight or 10 years hence Also, if
 l may remind you. of a man who has
 never been known to neglect a precau-
 tion.
 Where is the governor?' demanded a
 voice. in which anger was beginning to conquer the first shock FN
 Safe, senores. in a cell of his own
 prison, and with him Is the body of a vile footpad. nicknamed Fl Duques,
 whose methods have brought discredit upon my profession, and whom l have at length punished. 1 undertook the
 function properly appertaining to the
 helpless executive. Late yesterday I
 killed El Duques."
 ''But del Pino-have you killed him | also?"
 He is no more. senores. regret to inform you" Don Q. laughed siblantly. But do not implore his loss, for with
 the exception of his weli-curled wig and his hat of the civil guard he survives in me-"
 You passed yourself off as Captain del Pino of the civil guard. But how could you impose upon any one with the body?
 The corpse was the corpse, you tell us, of | Fl Dnquosn
 T will explain, senores A razor passed over the skull a little coloring on the eyelids the refinement bestowed by the bulging hand of death converted it into q poor caricature of-myself." Don Q. rais- ed his sombero, and from the doubngs of the cloak shot up the lean scraggy l neck, the bald-browed malignant face, the aspect of vulture paraphrased into human likeness
 One word more, senores. This Don Hugo committed a crime It became nec- essary that l should come down from my sierra to deal with him. He made be- fore you this evening a statement that he has made before the public. He said that Don Q. was poorer than the meanest ass in Spain-1 give you his exact words senores-for he carried but one ear Sit still! His livid-lidded eyes fiickered ominously upon them. Behold senores, one, two" he touched his ears one after the other with the hand that was not en- gagged in holding a pistol. You can now as honorable men bear witness that you have yourself counted the ears of Don O., and that he possesses both. You will
 have tne, goodness to count those of the governor of the prison of Castelleno-- presently
 The door was softly and suddenly, shut and the lock clicked. Immediately an in- describable uproar broke out The Countess, from her chair, on the house-top, heard it and sprang ato 2he e,A feet, for in the moonlight before her stood figure she had seen dimly half month earlier across the smoke and flame of a fire. She recoiled with cry Fear nothing, beautiful senora," said the soft hissing voice. I come but to tell you that I have kept my word' What have you done?" she cried trem- bling. .1n "I have had little interview with Don Hugo"
 The lady shrieked His ears?" Will decorate my modest museum up in the mountains. But he will be, be-
 lieve me, for time at least, better husband" s..