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

to locate the quarry for his excefency' $
pleasure.
In the forenoon of the next day Will
son from his couch by the wall watched
McCorkadale ride away toward the noun
tains with Robledo and one or two 9th
ers. The innkeeper turned in from the
doorway.
George Mccorkadale. most entirely at
your service" the gentleman of that name
was saying as he swept his hat in an
elaborate bow across his feet.
"MeCorkadale, Don @. repeated slow
~, gazing at the swarthy face opposite.
land an Englishman? Yet that turn of
the wrist was surely never learned be-
yond the sound of the Spanish tongue"
He illustrated the supple movement as he
spoke
Don O. was summing himself on the
rocky terrace outside his dwelling-cave
In front of him stood the reeently-caught
captive, smiling and jaunty. in these par
ticulars varying to a marked degree from
the generality Of individuals who occu-
pied that position.
The boar hunt had resolved itself into
trap for the hunter. When McCorka-
dale arrived at the patch of level ground
shut in by steep cliffs and feathered with
brushwood-whieh he was assured was
excellent ground for pig-the men had
closed in about him, He grasped at the
rifle slung behind his saddle, but his cap
tors were too quick for him.
His first feeling was murderous flare
of age. But Robledo and his companions
knew how to handle furious men, and
as the mule was led upwards through
patches of pine and pinsapo, along tracks
hardly to be detected, and lastly, through
barren, echoing rayines, the Cuban cooled
down to a more reasonable view of the
situation. For an idea terminated in his
mind that temporary secluson in the
glen of the brigand might very well an
swer the purpose for which he had left
England. He proposed to have as good
a time as possible, and though when he
left the languorous woods behind and
climbed further and further into the
shadows of bare black gorges, the DESC
ation and intangible menace of the land
scape communicated itself to his thoughts,
he shook it Off and prepared to meet
the dread chief with a cheerfulness he
judged that parsonage would find un-
usual.
Though English born, senior. had the
privilege to be brought up in your coun-
try" He supplemented the speech by an
other extravagant bow.
The chiefs eyelids fickered. There was
a suspicion of moekery in the mans cour-
teses
II have long been an exile from the
world, he remarked with apparent irrele-
vance-'and there are many types of
Englishmen.
McCorkadale looked sharply at him.
The words might have conveyed an insult
had the tone been lest suave.
Shall we touch on the disagreeable of
business?" went on Don Q. urbanely
1.-THE matter of your ransom. for example,
senor?"
Certainly. But pray let me assure you
| am not a rich man. More's the pityi'
ut is indeed a pity. as / had thought
of saying fifty thousand,
"Pesetas?" INTERCEPTED the prisoner
ariy.
THE senior is mistaken l was about
to say dollars; but, since he has tho
bad taste to bargain, we will say pounds
fifty thousand English pounds sterling. =
You joke, surely? 1t is the ransom of
a millionaire" exclaimed McCorkadale
Don Q. bent his head with a polite ges-
ture of assent.
Precisely. ] perceive you do not I'M
derstand that l am a man whom sordid
considerations easily pain and Offend The
question is now in allowance. We will
not return to it for week The petty
details of business disgust me, as ! have
said; but finance on a grand scale-that
Is another affair. | have looked forward
for some time to discussing the subject
McCorkadale turned the dark red of a
swarthy man.
''In spite of your exile you seem to
gather some news up here he remarked,
dropping his debonair manner.
II fatter myself that 1t is So agreed