The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-04-08
BY K. AND
HASKETH
PRiTCHARD
OF THE

with his rifle on his knee, ready to fire, |
not dreaming that the muffed figure on
the mule was not Don O.; but his own
/ brother.
If only he could make some sign of
warning whereby Gregorio might es-
cape the cruel vengeance of the chief
! For himself, he could rely on the accu-
racy Of his brothers Workmanship.
I The earth seemed suddenly to reel
and give way beneath him and he knew
no more. After he had fallen, the bark
/ of Gregorios rifle reached Don G.
The chief stood back in the shadow
/ of a rock and watched the active figure
| of Cregorie leaping down the slope.
| Where are you, brother?. Is he
| stunned? I shot the mule under him
when I saw you alone were with him"
said GregoTiO STOPPING over the fallen
| animal and his rider
The dim shape by the rock laughed
and sprang at the same instant Be
J meath the irOn-bound muslTet-butt,
which descended on his head, Gregorio
went down kicking feebly on the sand.
/ Don Q.'s delicate little hands Ulnioned
| him with a rapid and scientific COM
pIetene=s. Then he turned to Manuelo
tore the gag from his mouth, and with
a strength surprising In so fragile a
body pulled him free of the dead mule,
| He rolled the brothers into a sitting
| posture against the moonlit rock-face
| dashed water over them and finally sat
down IN front of them to watch their
| return to consciousness, breaking now
and then into shakings of sibilant
| laughter.
I'VE will wait until our excellent
| Gregorio, whose shooting IS so ad-
mirable. has regained his senses suffi-
GENTLY to join in our conversation"
! Don q. began. as GregOrjO with
groan shifted his head from one bump
on the rock to another and blinked up
dizzily at the moon. He is already
better. I trust Gregorio. that your
thoughts are quite clear?"
The man shivered, then scowled.
Recollection had come to him also.
At wish you both to listen to me very
| carefully" the chief PURSUED. I'VE
have played a very inter esting game
! together, Manuelo. for yours is the
brain behind 1t. But I do not think
fiatter myself when l say that the hon
Ors rest with me?"
Yves. we have lost the game" sa:d
Manuelo, in the old rigid manner. But
we are not afraid"
"YOu are a brave man." commented
Don O. politely, but because you are
not afraid now, 1T does not follow that
you will not be afraid before we have
done with one another"
What does it matter?" answered
Manuelo. - brother and I took an
oath to kill you. We have failed.
Nothing remains bit to make an end of
US"
Not so fast. ManueIo," put in the
|; cnlel- L nave just De6Il IllllhAlAS nov
full of romance is your situation. You
and Gregorio are twins. You were
born together, you have lived and
worked together. and now In the fitness
OF things you are to die together.
And" resumed the brigand, be
Iieve me. / should not interfere with
so artistic a conclusion had only our
selves to think of But I cannot afford
, | to forget that you have both belonged
to that estimable force, TO whose kind
| into IN deem
debt 1t is incumbent upon me TO send
I them information by a reliable hand
: say by one of yOu-hOw a civil guard
dies who has failed I'm a duel with Don
O. 7 trust you follow me?"
The two men stared at him stolidly.
1T is clear that you do. There are.
, TO return to my subject many chan
/, neIs by which the whole story will find
I, it's way down to the plains. But that
| is not sufficient for my purpose. l
wish the civil guard to know from
, the lips of one of their own corps that
! I have scored another point in the
: twenty years gamble that has been
: played out between us. have, there
fore. decided that one of you shall go
: free The other must die and-well,,
I warn you he will need all his forti-
tude before the happy moment Of his
departure from life. You are brave
men; choose, then, between you which
shall go free and which ShaII-remaln
= forever in the sierra
Don @. moved away a little space
, and the brothers began to talk eager
! " together in low tones. At the end
of five minutes the chief returned.
Well" he asked. Il am waiting for
2 your decision. Who is to be the lucky
, oue?''
e "Gregorio," shouted ManueIo al
: once.
n ''No, no, Manuelo, I cannot" de-
y clared the other hOarsely.
n There seems to be a slight differ
q ence Of opinion; shall I decide the
. n matter for your
d 81 will decide" said Manuelo; %
L have the right of choice before my
e brother. since I am the elder"
mo. nor' cried the other passionate
> Iy: Il viii not buy life at such {
y price
; Don Q. held I'D his hand.
u TT is enough. You cannot agree
q The decision must be mine, for regre
would be- 70 listen TO an argument be-
tween you
! Manuelo broke into his speech.
Hear me-" he groaned: "Gregori;
st has a wife and child. Let him gO!'
THE choice is in my hands, and II
l. my hands it must remain" Don Q
e answered: II have decided. Gregori;
q shall go free after he has looked upOl
$ his brothers. death. I have chOsel
n him. not because he has a wife am
n child waiting for him IN Murcia, bu
e because being reader of speech tina
Is o'-~ ~+iN'-tongued Manuelo, he will ren
der MOI, Ivid picture of what h
{, has wirIessed."
y The soft flow Of the chiefs voic
-