The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1910-05-12

eympathy OF many-first, from q stand.
ara Of honor which he set up for HIM
self and. second. because his heart
was given to woman. His word
was passed that he would return every
evening to his jail. and every evening
be returned.
Was this because he respected his.
promise or because he knew the gov-
eminent could recapture him II : he
broke his parole and would then be
likely to fix date for his execution !?
It seems more likely that the govern
ment, for reasons best known to It.
self, preferred that he should take
himself away and relieve It Of the
necessity OF his execution. There
were doubtless secrets in their con-
nectton with the bandit that they
would not care to have him reveal and
which may account for their leniency.
But to some who knew nothing about
this Cortina was considered paradox
ically) the soul Of honor
But in the case Of the bandits love
there were no such reasons for with
holding sympathy. There was no
cause for his loving-nothing to gain.
1t was simply product Of nature
that pertains alike to- the good and
the bad. After he had been permit
ted to go about at his pleasure for
more than year there came to the
capital beautiful woman from the
Caribbean coast. Cortina met this
woman and, though he was convict.
murderer and robber. she permit
ted him to become acquainted with
her. From becoming acquainted the
two became companions. They were
frequently seen together in the streets,
and Cortina visited her In her apart
ments
People wondered when they met the
strange couple If this were not case
Of genuine love. under the influence
OF which IL fend incarnate would be
transformed into Il loyable and loving
man. Soldiers who were responsible
for the mans keeping observed. but
said nothing. They had their orders
from the government and obeyed
them. Indeed. all that pertained to
this man to whom cities had given up
their gold and silver. before whom
whole towns had Disappeared by
whom the streets of both cities and
towns had been made TO run blood
and who was now permitted to go
where he liked upon his word of hon
or-his every movement was observed.
and yet no one openly made any COM
ment or criticism.
But underneath the people marveied
to see one who was ostensibly wait
ing for the government to fix a day
when the garrotte should end his ca
reer forever, giving himself up to the
pleasure Of loving and being loved.
without an effort to avert the final
tragedy. Why did he not steal away,
which he might easily have done with
the woman he loved, and in some for
eign land live life Of atonement for
his crimes? But would she go with
him? Would she share his exile, al
ways in dread wherever they might
make home. that he should become
known as the bandit Cortina? OF this
no one knew. They could only wonder.
And still the man under sentence and
the Caribbean beauty appeared to-
gether on the thoroughfares and
through her open windows came their
voices, sometimes mingled with laugh
ter or the strains from her guitar.
One night Cortina's jailers met with
surprise. The sunset and the pris-
oner had not returned Perhaps he
had been belated. The twilight faded.
and yet nothing was seen Of the pris-
oner. At dark he was still absent, and
the guard was turned out Whether
it was called out under pretense
or whether the orders were that they
should make an effort to find the pris-
oner and return him to Jail doesn't
matter. This man Of so much unrecog-
nized Importance to the government
was missing and it behooyed the au-
thorities to show zeal in looking for
him.
The guard was about to start from
the prison yard when man staggered
up to the gate, threw up his hands
and fell upon his face Lifting him
up lucy luICW OdCA Ills J0CACt, 0uu
there up against his breast was the
hilt Of stiletto
The man was Cortina.
Yes, am late" he said feebly. 'but
l came. Love lured me to death
had been with her all the afternoon.
Then when it was time for me to
return here she begged me to stay
longer with her. When came away
the night had fallen. We walked to-
gether to the door, / kissed her good
by. It was dark. / felt the point Of
a knife as it slipped into my vitals.
drew the pistol you have permitted
me to carry, but she had vanished in
the shadow
Cortina gasped. and his head fell
upon his breast He was dead.
The beautiful Caribbean was not
again seen in the capital The next
day the story Of Cortina's death was
A~pA ~ -