Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-06-20
CHAPTER XXII.-(Continued.)


yes. caballero," she at once answered,
Il duly received this letter, and your sis
ter Helena is ready to go away with you.
whenever you express the wish. Still
permit me to make one request of you"
Speak, madam, and if l can be of
any service to you, believe me, that l
shall eagerly seize the opportunity
Il know not, caballero, how to explain
myself, for what I have TO say to you is
really so strange that | fear lest it should
call up a smile to your lips. Although
Dona Helena has only beer few months
in our convent, she has made herself. so
beloved by all her companions, through
her charming character. that her depart
ure is an occasion of mourning for all of
u.s."
You render me very happy and very
proud by speaking thus of my sister,
madam"
This praise is only the expression of
the strictest truth, caballero. We are all
really most grieved to see her leave us
thus. Still l should not have ventured
thus to make myself the interpreter of
our regrets were there not very strong
reason that renders it almost duty to
speak to you"
Il am listening, madam, though I can
guess beforehand what you are going to
say to me-
She looked at him in surprise.
you guess! Oh, it is impossible,
senor," she exclaimed.
The Frenchman smiled
MY sister Dona Helena, as is gen
orally the case in converts, has chosen
one of her companions, whom she loves
more dearly than the others, and made
her her intimate friend. Is such the case,
madam"
How do you know it"
He continued, with a smile:
Now, this young lady so beloved not
only by Helena but by you, madam, and
all your community, is a gentle, kind,
loving girl, who, in consequence of a great
misfortune, became insane, but whom
your tender care has restored to reason.
Still, you keep the latter fact profound
secret, before all from her guardian.
who, not contented with having stripped
her of her fortune. now insists of robbing
her of her happiness by forcing her to
marry him"
Senior, senor," the abbess exclaimed,
as she rose from her seat, with an aston
ishment blended with terror, who are
you that you know so many things of
which | believed the whole world ignor-
ant?'
who am l, madam? the brother of
Helena, that is to say, a man in whom
you can place the most entire confidence"
go on. caballcro.'
1.-THE guardian of Dona Anita, either
| that he has suspicion, or for some other
motive, wrote to you yesterday, ordering
you to prepare her to marry him within
twenty-four hours. Since the receipt of
this fatal letter, Dona Anita has been
plunged in the deepest despair. despair
further heightened by the sudden depart
ure of my sister. the only friend in whose
arms she can safely reveal her heart
secrets. Did you not receive a visit
yesterday from Don Serapio de la
Ronda?"
"Yes. that gentleman deigned to visit
me a few moments before l received the
fatal letter to which you have referred"
Did not Don Serapio, on leaving you,
say these words: BE kind enough to in
form Dona Anita that a friend is watch
ing over her; that this friend has al
ready given her unequivocal proofs of the
interest he takes in her happiness, and
that, on the day when she again sees the
Franciscan monk, to whom she confessed
once before, all her misfortunes will be
endedP"
Yes, Don Serapio did utter those
Words
We'll. madam. l am sent to YOU. not
only by him, but by another person. who
Is no less than the President of the Re-
public, not only to take away my sister.
but also to ask you to deliver I'D to me
bona Anita, who will accompany her."
Heaven is my witness, senior. that !
would be delighted to do what YOU ask
of me. Unhappily, it Is not in nv DOW
er; Dona Anita was entrusted to me by
her sole relation, who is at the same time
her guardian. and though he is unworthy
of that title, and my heart bleeds in re-
fusing you. it is to him alone that | am
bound to deliver her.
This objection, madam. the Justice of
which l fully appreciate. has been fore
seen by the persons whose representative
l am. Hence they consulted on the means
TO remove the scrupes by entirely releas-
Ing you from responsibility. Father. give
this lady the paper, OF which you are the
bearer"
Without uttering word. Don Martial
took from his pocket the blank signature
Valentine had entrusted to him, and
handed it to the abbess filed up.
What is this?" she asked.
Madam" the Frenchman answered
that paper is a blank signature of the
President of the Republic. who orders YOU
to deliver Dona Anita into my hands"
Il see it." she said, sorrowfully: "un-
fortunately this blank signature. which
would everywhere else have the strength
of the law. is powerless here. We only
indirectly depend on the temporal power,
but are completely subjugated to the spir-
itual power. and we can only receive or
ders from it,
The Tigrero took a side glance, full OF
despair, at his companion. whose face
was still smiling.
What would you require. madam" he
continued, I'm order to consent to give
up this unhappy young lady to me?"
Alas, senior. it is not l who refuse
compliance. Heaven is my witness that
It is my greatest desire to see her escape
| from her prosecutor"
Il am thoroughly convinced of that.
madam; that is why, feeling persuaded of
your good feeling towards your charge
/ ask you TO tell me what authority you
require in order TO give her up to me-"
Il cannot senior. allow Dona Anita to
quit this convent without perfectly reg
ular order, signed by Monseigneur the
Archbishop of Mexico. who alone has the
right to command here, and whom l am
compelled to obey"
And if l had that order. madam, all
your scruples would be remoyed?"
Yes, all, senior"
"You would have no further difficulty
in allowing Dona Anita to depart?"
Il would deliver her to you at once
senior"
"Since that is the case, madam. l will
ask you to do so, for l have brought you
ihat order"
.syou have it," she said with undiS-