Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-07-20

man so cut up over a woman. At that
time ] think he'd have fought . whole
regiment to win her. but / wasn't at
all ready for the desperate thing he
really did. Ihsd q cottage over in the
new section, or rather shack. for
there were only two rooms, and was
frying my bacon one night about IL
whom Gerald came In At the open door
with very dirty and disrsputsbls-
looking spanisrd.
Colonel" he laughed, ''this IL Ramon
Jesus Felipe del Agar, the famous bull
fighter. He's pretty drunk, but he
wants drink"
Then he put the hero on my army
cot and gave him bottle Of mescsl.
which the victim gulpsd like famished
hound.
I've got to keep him here till the
fighting Is over" whispered Flsd, "snd
hyou're my friend, colonel, you'll help
me-"
Iasked him what he meant to do with
Del Agar. but the rascal said: SHOW
him good time. That's all"
made sure that no violence was in
tended, and as the Spaniard was laps
ing into state of unconscious quies-
cence asked Gerald to mess and prom
ised to take care Of his guest. To show
you what cunning strategist he was,
he never told me a word about his ul-
innate scheme, but suspected that by
preventing Del Agar from appearing
in the bull ring in the morning he
hoped to make good his suit with the
senorita. He stayed all night with me,
but at sunrise when rose he was gone,
and the sleeping stranger, surrounded
by half-empty bottles, WAS deep in
dreamland. At ten o'clock that morn
ing ! went across the river after lock-
ing up my shack, and as soon as got
into my tier saw Cafferty and some
Of his men, waiting for the second on
set. The first bull had been killed by
one Of the lesser swordsmen and the
whole amphitheater was alive with
gossip about the disappearance Of Ra-
mon del Agar.
What do you think, Hutchinson"
'oared Cafferty. coming over to me, "the
Spanish champion has vanished, and
that fool Flad is to take his place. See
that girl over there-that one with the
black mant tilla and the red flowers
that's the cause Of II all. Flad's so
mashed on her that he'd stand up
against a whole herd Of Andalusians
for a smile of hers"
Then the trumpet sounded and the
procession OF matadores. picadores
and banderilleros marched in. We
saw Gerald at once. He was arrayed
In the tight-fitting bolero. breeches,
hose and slippers Of the Spa MIA rds,
but he wore neither queue nor head
piece. and his yellow curls looked
singularly out of place among his
swarthy comrades. When the fighters
advanced to salute the governor, Flad
did very queer thing. He stepped up
to the barrier in front Of the smiling
senorita and, ignoring the evident dis
approval Of the crowd trailed his
sword as he bowed low before her. A
moment later the bull. a particularly
ferocious young monster. came bound
ing into the arena. Flad had retired.
as is the custom, to give place for the
batting by the bande erilleros and plea
dores hut the crowd was oddly impa-
tient for the "Gringo" star to have his
chance, and before the play was half
completed and while the bull was at
the very climax Of his fighting rage
the bugle sounded for the swords
man.
think the governor yielded TO the
popular impstience in the hope OF sat
isfying his own grudge against the
American who had ignored him, hut
at any rate. the first note had hardly
sounded when Flad. hnrehsaded and
laughing like boy. bounded through
the gates, his scarlet mantle on his
left arm and his Italian rapier flashing
in his right, Again he ignored the dig
nitaries and smiled at the woman
Then he faced the astonished bull and
Haunted the crimson ten yards from
its blazing eyes.
bravo, Toro!" screamed the mob,
which already hated the intruder.
"Bravo. mio Gerald" piped a girls
voice. and then there was the quick
stifed gasp of fascinated interest as
the beast lowered his crest and
charged the enemy 10 the mdges and
spectators expected an equal ar nro-