The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-18
SECTION TWO.
By K. and
Hesketh
Pritchard

Presently Don O. came back and re-
sumed his seat opposite.
Senior" he said in the old days it
used To be The custom here in the
sierra for guest and host to exchange
glasses. Let US follow the custom and
do so now.
He filled his glass with the poisoned
wine and passed it over to Don Luis,
who accepted it with a bow. Then,
Don Luis pouring out half the wine
into his own glass, handed that in ex-
change to Don Q.
we viii drink to our friendship and
mutual prosperity, senor,' said he,
using the words heartily
ITO the first drinker be the best
WISH" quoted Don @, with much ur-
banity Drink. then, my friend; 1 do
not grudge you a better fortune, alas,
than mine"
But, no, senor," declared Don Luis
CALAMITY; then / must urge that your
need is greater than mine Drink, and
man all befau as one would destreT
How long this pretended struggle OF
generosity might have been maintained
it is impossible to tell had not the chief
brought the scene to an end He would
take no refusal, while the other desper-
ateIy declined.
why do you not drink?" cried the
brigand. Il do not poison my guests"
But a saving thought had by this
time come to Don Luis help.
They call this the parting cup, Sc
nor" he replied: therefore I will not
drink it with you. You are alone here;
you need a gentleman whom you can
trust. If you want a lieutenant, why,
you see before you a man who has
dealt with the difficulties of life and
whose courage needs no testing
have a liking for yon. senior; let me
keep you company up here in the ST.
eTra!"
Don Q. seemed to pause for cOnsid-
Grafton.
Then it shall be as you say" he said
at last: you shall keep me company
UP here in the sierra-eternal COM
pany, I may follow five years hence
or tomorrow, but you go tonight"
Don @. was more courteous, more
soft-spoken than ever, and Del Monte
stared at him. Then he cleared his
throat. for something rose in 1T that
chOked him
L do not think 1 quite take your
meaning" he said.
1T is plain, nevertheless Luis Del
Monte. What passed between you and
that gross fool Felipe Mazda on the
balcony at Malaga? What errand
brought YOU into the mountains but
that which is held together by a few
| drops of poison at the one end and two
| thousand dollars at the other? I know
if ALL And if / have sinned against
! heaven nv punishment has come to
/ me nOw-that the hand Of your moth
er's son should be raised to seek my
life
"Senor. hear mel"
But rough fingers were slapped upon
his mouth, and in moment he was
pinioned at the door of the cave.
The plan was painted in upon the
/ darkness. The picturesque ladrones.
yellow handkerchiefs tied across their
brows. were playing cards beside the
fires Behind them rose the rocky wall
of the valley.
/ When Don @. spoke again he dellV-
! cred sentence in cold tones.
/ Il was at some trouble" he said, to
allow YOU time enough to poison my
wine You did il. And now it still
! wants five minutes to midnight, and at
/ : and in the morning two things are
going to happen. They both concern
Won Intimately. Can you guess? At
/ the priests of San Pedro, the little
/ church you passed on your way here.
/ will begin to sing masses for a soul.
/ Yours. Don Luis At you will begin
to die. If you have not completed the
operation by o'clock, why you will, OF
course. lose some of the good things
the kind fathers are trying to do for
you!"
Copyright by Pearson Pub Coz