Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-30

have fallen. but that he upheld ner ana
'i "Re brave" he said. I'VE are quite
"What-what was that?'' she asked.
shrinking horror of him In her tone.
ut must have BEEN 1t was But
never mind" he answered. reassurlnsiy.
ut was the priest" she whispered,
brokeniy. "and-and-you knew that he
was going to his death. Ygnacio!
Ybarra. sullenly There is some traitor
in my household. l thought 1t must be
he
II would have warmed him. butt was
an oversight-an accident-l was not
| thinking. am not to blame.
| I'VE must-we must get on-away from
here. Come Close your eyes IL you feel
giddy. You need not fear while ! am
| with you
| He struck a light and looked about
him. His face was wet and CHASTITY.
| A few steps further down there was q
| cresset in the tunnel wall. and In niche
| underneath q plentiful supply OF pine
knots. He paused to kindle a handful of
these in the iron ba sket. and the illumi-
nation they sopplied lasted until ne mao
led his unresisting companion across the
chasm into which their Inflated forerun-
ner had fallen headlong.
1t was q gaping assure in the heart OF
the Titanic altar upon which the hacienda
| stood q cleft which came together over.
| head and In an alc0ve on either sioe OF
the tunnel Below 1t seemed to open OUT
| in bottle shape. and Beatriz. looking I'M
blinkingly into its black. abysmal depths
as DON Ygnacio guided her TO SAFETY on
the other side. saw for herself the secret
he had spoken of.
an Internal ingenuity had fashioned the
| steps on either side in such wise that
| stranger must most surely slip ana so
slide smoothly to most dreadful death.
For those who knew there was neIso"
! gallery a two-foot ledge cut for man
height in the rock around the up sktt-
ing one corner of the open mouth. No
one who did not know the turning could
| escape.
Ybarra breathed more freely after they
| had set another hundred steps between
them and the greedy oubliette.
II hate this passage!' he said. savagely.
''Ive always hated it. Thank God were
| nearly through"
His spirits rose again. however. as soon
as they had gotten through the egress In
the UNCOVERED cliff face behind the sta
bles at its foot
Thence they emerged unseen. unheard,
and. since his excellency could not seek
| conveyance save at the risk OF rousing
| inconvenient curiosity. they were COM
| PEELED to make their way on foot toward
7 Won Rudolfs camp.
since to resist would have been futile,
but she refused his proRered arm and
walked apart while he chatted volubly
in the reaction which followed the strain
| he had endured.
| Dom Agustin is dead-and buried" he
said. "more's the pity. But the old
monks who made my private passage
[ the Golden Horseshoe was once mis-
| sion. Beatriz. but long ago. when the
| spaniards ruled here-must shoulder the
| responsibility.
There is no other priest at hand-and
| must wait a day or two. for appear
ance's sake. before I nominate new
chaplain. can't conveniently account
| for his disappearance till then.
He was faithful fellow, Beatriz. and
| always wide awake. He caught my idea
about the candlestick at once-a tele-
pathic sympathy, no doubt. 1t will be
difihcult to find his equal: In soon ind
| some one else to marry us. though.
She bore with him because. she must
but speechlessly, and was unspeakably
relieved when the sharp challenge Of
| sentry interrupted his "reminiscences. for
then he took upon himself again the dig.
nifty Of his high ONCE and his habitual
| reserve.
Won Rudolf galloped out to greet them
| when he heard Of their miraculous appear
ance at the picket. and. having satisfied
himself that 1t was really they. made
hasty disposition for their housing in the
/ camp sending a man in on his own horse
with all the orders necessary. He walked
back at his excellency's side. discussing
l
ming prompt reprisals. but asked no
needless questions
They sauntered slowly through the lines
that their men might reassure themselves
as to the presidents capacity for further
mischief-the story that the guard OF
honor had brought back had not i'm
proved his prestige-and see beside him
Dona Beatriz. the beautiful and wealthy;
upon whose within, 1t had been rumored,
depended all the back pay due them. And.
by the time they reached the tents which
had already been prepared for their re-
ception. everything there was as COM
Portable as 1t could be made at such
short notice.
Won Rudolrs field pavilion had been
swept and garnished for his exceilency's
cousin. After Ybarra had inspected 1t
she plead fatigue and passed within leav-
ing the others to their own devices. Once
trusion. she threw herself despairingly
on the thick rugs with which the floor
was covered. Her head fell forward on
her forearm. two tears OF misery ran
deep and dreamless slumber Of exhaus-
ton. mental and physical
When she awoke, refreshed and
| strengthened. 1t seemed strange to her
that day had not yet broken. The inner
chamber where she lay was dark, but In
the anteroom beyond shaded lamp was
burning. And seated in a rocking chair
was Fin Florian. sewing busily.
| She lay still Tor moment, struggling
| to recollect, somewhat bewildered, and,
between the curtains. saw Fiji rise as q
| step came softly toward the canvas
| porchway, also discreetiy draped.
Some one tapped gently and a hand
| which held q scrap of paper was thrust
| through. Fiji took that with downcast
eyes. and, turning her back to the In
| truder. read the note, scrubbed q hasty
answer on the reverse side and intrusted
1t to the five fingers visible behind the
/ screen.
The hand was withdrawn. the sound of
receding footsteps died away. and the oc-
| cupant Of the rocking chair faced about
with guilty haste. laying finger on lips
| imploringly.l as Beatriz came through to
confront the traitress who was on terms
SO confidential with her worst enemies.
l. ''Fif! she said. in broken
| whisper, her whole soul in revolt against
the Thought that her only woman friend
could display such calculating treachery.
| Fla held up q hand In protest, and an
| swered swiftly: BE very cautious In
| case we're overheard.
I'm Jerry Mega
ITO be continued tomorrow.)