The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-22

You look as if you knew too mnehl
Every one warns me of the vulture of
the sierra, yet you. who live under the
shadow of his beak. know nothing of
him"
Not 50. excelleney.H exclaimed the
man. THE lord of the sierra dwells up
there in truth'-he wavered his hand to-
ward the north--but poor folk like our
selves speak little of him.
Il am curious to see him | wish he
would at this moment enter by your
doorl"
THE saints forbid senorr' put in the
priest. You know not what you say
Without question you are a rich and q
great man, but the lord of the sierra de-
mands more than ransom sometimes
McCorkadale snapped his fingers.
Patron, you shall hire me mule to-
morrow and I will ride into the noun
tains to look for Don O."
You must. then. buy the mule at its
full price. exeellency." replied the inn
keeper sullenly, for I am poor man,
and | shall never set eyes on it or you
any more"
The Cuban laughed, yawned, stretch
Ing his arms over his head
Have you no fear patron; I do not be-
lieve in your brigand. I have met some
in my time a. good deal more terrible.
will but ride back into Malaga"
AS he spoke someone struck a guitar
and began to sing Verse by verse it
howed=a pethetic song of love and part
ing. Then another voice followed, in an
altered rythm, the singer improvising-
as Spaniards commonly do-with a witty
allusion 10 the stranger who. mistaking
the quebranta-huesos for a parrot, would
go up into the sierra to scratch his head.
A handsome young man, in the worn,
leather accoutrements of a mountaineer,
with scarlet waistband, who had been
doing in corner. an ancient fowling-
piece propped between his knees. now
woke up. and Selling the guitar chanted
out hunting-song in praise of the wild
boar and the Joys of bringing him to bay
in some deep thicket under the mountain
spurs.
The company was visibly stirred.
Any boars To be had hereabouts ~
McCorkadale asked with interest.
A chorus answered him. Robledo. the
singer, was himself a cazador-a hunter
who had killed many bears. There were
also roe deer and foxes up there In the
sorges. But Robledo, in spite of the
cuban's brusque urging and offers of good
payment, hung back at first though, af-
ter some persuasion, he promised to ar
range hunt for his excelleney
Under cover of surge of talk, the
innkeeper brushed past the Cuban.
DO not so. senior" he said In a low
voice. ut is dangerous to hunt wild
boars. If anything should happen to
You, 1t will give my inn bad name"
But opposition was the salt of life to
McCorkadale. His eyes cleaned.
What is your good name to me?" he
asked. with a laugh
Thrim- thrm- thrm-thrm! The guitar
twanged dancing measure Immedi-
Ila
tie of castanets the circle about the fire
broke up, and in the clear space two
couples were dancing the girls swaying
gracefully as meadow grasses. with many
delicate steppings. swift and involved.
McCorkadale watched them. glow
coming slowly up into his face. Then he
sprang to his feet, thrust aside one of
the young men, and took his place as
partner in the dance There was a sup
pressed scuffle behind him as the caza-
doris sinewy wrist spoiled a knife thrust
aimed at the Cubans back The ousted
partner, a young shepherd, turned in hot
blood on the hunter
BE content, EStaban; my lord desires
him, said Robledo soothingly
In these dances partners advance and
retreat. circle and bend, each moving in
relation to the other. but separately, with
out contact even of the hands McCork-
adale took his part ably and with aban-
don, but as the music quickened he caught
the girl by the waist and whirled her
round in a rough waltz He fancied he
heard growl from the spectators. but
the dance hurried to an end and a black
proved man at once came up to tell him
that the cazador had already departed