The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-06-27
THE FLOWER OF SPAIN

nv VI dih st4i l1uk A1t6s h4kG
station agent informed me. and to
add to my annoyance the waiting
room was decidedly hot and stuffy.
Sitting for 80 minutes in an isolated
railway station in the mountainous
section Of Spain with $4,000 worth
OF jewels in ones travelling bag Ia
aot cheerful outlook. l glanced
at the stupid-looking agent, but he
was doing peacefully In his chair.
No danger from that section, at any
rate
Then, once more, my thoughts re-
verified to girl l had met in Sc
Vile week ago-a girl with face
like a queen of heaven, and great,
| aombre. inscrutable dark eyes. Even
before had talked with her, real
| lied that she was the one woman,
and determined to return to Spain
| as quickly as possible after | had
| deposited the jewels with my bank
ers In England, and endeayor to win
| his flower of Spain, as | called her,
| for my wife.
A faint tapping against the win
| dow suddenly attracted my atten-
ton, and glanced up, nervousiy. A
| pair OF familiar dark eyes, sad and
luminous, We're peering In at me.
and with a glad cry l rushed out to
her,
"Senorita'' | cried, joyfully. this
| is indeed an unexpected pleasure. :"
She clasped my arm with both
| hands, and | saw that she was trem-
| bling violently. Senior, your life is
in danger. | have come all the way
| from Seville to warn you! They are
| determined 10 get possession Of your
| rubies, and they will murder you II
| necessary" Her voice trembled and
broke, and my heart throbbed with
sudden. fierce JOY.
And you have risked your life
10 bring me this warning?"
THAT does not matter it is of
| no account, senior. There Is no time
to lose; you must come with me at
once!"
She had already started down the
| cleaning tracks, and | stumbled
along behind her, my travelling bag
grasped tightly in one hand
| Half an hour later we reached a
cave In the mountains, and my com
panion sank down YEARLY on one of
the moss-covered rocks. stood be-
| fore her, looking down at her, and
some OF the tenderness which was In
my heart must have been mirrored
in my eyes, for the color suddenly
famed up into her face and she rose
to her feet neryously.
You are safe here. senior, until
tomorrow | must leave you now
felt my face whiten ut her words,
Leave me perhaps forever and
had only just found herl drew
nearer to her and took one of her
hands. "Senorita, you are q Span
ish woman, and should know what
love means. Can you then under
stand me when tell you that have
loved you from the minute I saw
you In Seville that | want you to
return to England with me as my
Wife,"
She started back from me and put
her hand UP to her throat. You
must not speak of love to me, senior!
1t Is impossible!"
4 | smiled confidently. Every gest-
ure proclaimed her love for me, and
that was sufficient. Il am very GER
tain that can teach you to care for
me If you will give me permission
to try"
She looked at me silently for a
minute, with her great, sad, black
/ eyes, and | wondered II, In all the
world, there were another woman
as beautiful.
1T is impossible, senior, because
the chief of the brigands who In
tended to murder you Is my hus-
band"
The world seemed to grow sud
denly black and sitting. l turned,
abruptly and walked few PAGES
from her, to regain my self-control.
A long silence, then: You under
stand now how impossible 1t isg"
"Yes!"
| "Good-by, senior! God bless and
keep you always"
knew she had gone, and yet
remained there. motionless. staring
before me with unseeing eyes. Az
last turned and walked slowly back
to the rock where she hao sat. apd
an | sank down on 1t. my eyes fell
on the travelling bag, which | had
4 placed by tina sido OF the cave MY
\ rubies -they alone were loft to me!
Perhaps their rich, red beauty might
dull the ache In my heart g drew
, the bag over to me and opened It
And suddenly. nay heart seemed te
stop beating, and felt faint and
sick! The bag was empty! ! stag
gered to my feet, slowly realizing
what It meant. / had been tricked
deceived by the woman loved, but