Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-11-01
CHAPTER yxHT.

VI AOIl xllllu. L.Ha ##.Z
CHAPTER xXTfI.
The abbess, who understood the impor-
lance of n speedy conclusion. left her
visitors in the parlor, and, in order to
avoid any misunderstanding, herself un-
dertook to fetch the two young ladies,
after giving n lay sister orders to call
the carriage into the first courtyard.
The leaye-taking was short. for there
was no time to lose in vain compliments.
The young ladies drew down their wells,
and proceeded to the courtyard under
guidance of the abbess. The carriage
had been drawn as close as possible to
the cloisters, and the court ,Tas entirely
deserted, only the abbess, the sister por-
ter, and q confidential nun witnessing the
departure.
AS the F'renchman opened the door of
the carriage a piece of paper lying on
the seat caught his eye. He seized it
without being seen, and hid it in the hol-
low of his hand. After kissing the good
abbess for the last time, the young ladies
took the back seat, and Don Martial the
front, as did M. Rallier, after previously
whispering to the %coachman, that is, to
Curumilla, two Indian words, to which
he replied by a sinister grin. Then, at a
signal from the abbess, the convent gates
were opened, and the carriage started at
full speed, drawn by six powerful mules.
1t was about seven o'clock in the morn
ing. The fugitives-for we can give them
no other name-galloped in silence for
the first ten or fifteen minutes, when the
Frenchman gently touched his compan-
ions shoulder, and offered him the paper
he had found in the carriage.
Read" he said.
The paper only contained two words,
hurriedly written in pencil
flake care"
sserstoh, oh" the Tigrero exclaimed, turn
ing pale, what does this mean?"
1T means that in spite of our precau-
tions, or perhaps IN account of them,
for in these COMPOUNDED affairs a man
never knows how to act in order to de-
.ceive the persons he fears, we are dis
covered, and probably have spies at our
HEELS
"And what will become of the young
ladies' in the event of a dispute ~,
SIN the event of a fight, you mean. for
there will be an obstinate one, I f~oretell.
Well, we will defend them as well as we
can"
Il know that but suppose we are
killed?'
'.Ah! there is that chance; but I never
think Of that until after the event."
Dona Anita hid her head in her
friends bosom.
s.Reassure yourself, senorita," the
Frenchman said, land, above all, be ST.
lent, for the sound of YOU voice might
be recognized, and change into certainty
what nay still be only a suspicion. Be
sides, remember that if you have enemies
you have also friends, since they took the
precaution to warn us. Now, in all
probability, this unknown offer Of advice
will not have stopped there but thought
of the means to come to our assistance in
the most effectual manner"
General Don Sebastian Guerrero had
organized a hband of spies composed of
leperos and scoundrels, who, however,
possessed acknowledged c~leverness and
skill, and if Valentine had escaped their
surveillance int foiled their machina-
tons, it was solely through the habits
which he contracted during a heightened
life in the prairies, and which had be-
come an intuition with him, SO far did
he carry the quality of seeming and I'M
masking an enemy, whatever might be
the countenance he borrowed.
The Convent Of the Bernardines had
naturally become for some days past the
of the surveillance, as it was the
headquarters, Of Don Sebastian's
agents. The arrival Of a carriage with
closed blinds Mt the convent ri once gave
the alarm and though NJ. Rallier was
not personally known, the fact of his be-
ing a Frenchman was sufficient to rouse
suspicious.
While the Frenchman and the monk
were conversing with the abbess, a lepero
pretended to hurt himself, and was con
veyed by two Of his acolytes to the con-
gate, and the good-hearted porter
had not refused him admission, but, on
the contrary, had eagerly given him all
the assistance his condition seemed to
require.
While the lepero was gradually regain
his senses, his comrades asked ques-
tons with that caution still peculiar to
their Mexican nature. The sister-porter
was a worthy woman, endowed with a
small stock of brains, and fond OF
talking. On finding this opportunity to
indulge in her favorite employment, she
was easily led on, and, almost of her own
accord, told all she knew, not suspecting
the harm she did. $3.50
When the three leperos had drawn oil
could out of the sister-porter, they
to leave the convent. Just as
emerged into the street, they found
face to face with No Carnero,
generals capataz, whom his master
had sent ON a tour of discovery. They
IN 10 kypx nr1 - - fn.x,1 xrrrIS foil
him b had happened.
b was grave, and the capataz trem-
bied inwardly at the revelation, for he un-
the terrible danger by which his
friends were menaced. But Carnero was
2 clever mar. and atEaonce yasade UP his
mind xoshiss course oksnctica. -
He ssreatly praised the leperos for the
skill they had displayed in discovering
AAAD ~