The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-09-21
well, colonel. I've got 70 lower his
eOlOra somehow"

ferty's men and was thinking OF join
Ing the rangers again. The girl livet
on the American side. and though .
got but few glimpses Of her, must
say she was . beauty. never saw =
man 80 cut UP over a woman. At that
time think he'd have fought whole
regiment to win her, but wasn't 1t
all ready for the desperate thing he
really did. 1had . cottage over in the
new section, or rather shack, for
there were only two rooms, and l was
frying my bacon one night about 1
when Gerald came in 1t the open dobt
with = very dirty and disreputable-
looking Spaniard.
Colonel, " he laughed. this IL Ramon
Jesus Felipe del Agar, the famous bull
fighter. He's pretty drunk, but he
wants drink"
Then he put the hero on my army
cot and gave him bottle Of mescal.
which the victim gulped like famished
hound.
I've got to keep him here till the
hghting 10 over" whispered Flad. land
II you're my friend. colonel, you'll help
me-"
asked him what he meant to do with
Del Agar, but the rascal said: ''Show
him good time. That's all"
made sure that no violence was in
tended. and as the Spaniard was laps
ing into a state Of unconscious quiea-
cence asked Gerald to mess and prom
ised to take care Of his guest. To show
you what cunning strategist he was,
he never told me q word about his ul-
innate scheme. but suspected that by
preventing Del Agar from appearing
IN the bull ring in the morning he
hoped to make good his suit with the
senorfta. He stayed all night with me,
but at sunrise when rose he was gone,
and the sleeping strang surrounded
by half-empty bottles. was deep in
dream'and. At ten o'clock that morn
ing I went across the river after lock-
ing up my shack. and AZ soon as got
into my tier 1 saw Cafferty and some
OF his men, waiting for the second on
set. The first bull had been killed by
one OF the Lesser swordsmen and the
''sAOAC AkAC6tCE W08 01lvG Win
gossip about the di<appearance Of Ra-
mon del Agar.
What do you think, Hutchinson? ?"
roared Caferty. coming over to me. 1.-THE
Spanish champion has vanished, and
that fool Flad Is to take his place See
that girl over there-that one with the
black mantilla and the red flowers
that's the cause of it all. Flad's SO
mashed ON her that he'd stand IN
against a whole herd Of Andalusians
for a smile Of hers"
Then the trumpet sounded and the
procession Of matadores. picadores
and banderilleros marched in. We
saw Gerald at once. He was arrayed
in the tight-fitting bolero, breeches,
hose and slippers of the Spaniards,
but he wore neither queue nor head
piece, and his yellow curls looked
singularly out Of place among his
swarthy comrades. When the fighters
advanced to salute the governor, Flad
lid very queer thing. He stepped up
to the barrier in front of the smiling
senorita and. ignoring the evident dis
approval of the crowd, trailed his
sword a he bowed low before her. A
moment later the bull, particularly
ferocious young monster. came bound
ing into the arena. Flad had retired,
as is the custom. to give place for the
batting by the bandsrilleros and plea
dores, but the crowd was oddly impa-
tient for the "Gringo" star to have his
chance, and before the play was half
completed and while the bull was at
the very climax Of his fighting rage
the bugle sounded for the swords
man.
l think the governor yielded to the
popular impotence in the hope Of sat
isfying his own grudge against the
American who had ignored him, but
at any rate. the first note had hardly
sounded when Flad, bareheaded and
laughing like boy. bounded through
the gates, his scarlet mantle on his
left arm and his Italian rapier flashing
in his right. Again he ignored the dig
nitaries and smiled at the woman.
Then he faced the astonixhed bull and
Haunted the crimson ten yards from
its blazing eyes.
bravo, Toro!" screamed the mob,
which already hated the intruder.
Bravo. milo Gerald!" piped a girls
voice. and then there was the quick,
stif1ed gasp of fascinated interest as
the beast lowered his crest and
charged the enemy. If the judges and
spectators expected an equal or pro-
longed fight between the American
and the bull they were disappointed.
Instead of missing or half-thrusting.
as the best bull-fghters often do. Flad
buried lis weapon to the hilt. true be-
tween the shoulders Of the bull. az
swift and certain as il it had been
pricking sawdust target. As the
brute sank quivering to its knees, Flad
stood = second before it. as IL
ashamed. Then he plucked out his
sword. flung it on the ground and
walked out at the gate as sullen and a
bowed as If he had been beaten in a
fair fight. He saluted nobody, needed
not the cheers of the multitude, nor
stopped till he was alone in his dress
ing room.
When Flad reached nv house that