El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-09-27
The Herald's
Daily Short Story
A Narrow Escape

martial and treated according to the
sentence passed upon him."
And if he should fall into your own
hands, lieutenant"
ct will have him shot down like a
dog"
There was a deadly silence in the hall
as the lieutenant pronounced these
words and everybody's eyes were turn
ed towards the marquis. who Shrugged
his shoulders and asked:
"And what do you think would hap
pen to yourself if you were to fall into
Mina's hands?'
Exactly the same thing. The blood
thirsty monster has never spared, any
of my comrades, so there is no reason
to think he would treat me differently"
There was the clank OF arms, and as
de BalIette turned his head he saw
that all the doors were guarded by
Spanish soldiers At the same mo-
ment he realized what this meant and
whose hospitality he had accepted, so
he was not surprised when his host
said:
You are right. senior. I am Xavier
Nina. and you and your men will all
be shot as soon as we have finished
this meal"
With the utmost caimness the young
French officer listened to his own
death sentence, conscious that his
beautiful neighbor was eagerly watch
ing him to discover the slightest trace
of fear in his face.
He had finished eating and placidly
raised his glass to his lips while his
brain tried to invent some plan to es-
through his mind. With his left arm
he gripped his beautiful neighbours
shoulder. while his right pressed the
cold steel barrel of his pistol against
her temple.
Keep your seats, senors.~ Make the
slightest movement and this lady dies.
The lady gave a shrek of terror but
sat motionless, her eyes transf1Xed
! with nameless fear.
| MARQUIS de Rondo bit his lips in
| fury. His prey was about to escape
and in powerless rage he clenched his
/ fists.
Since when has it become the GUS
| tom among the soldiers of the emperor
| to attack defen3eless women" he
roared.
| since the laws of hospitality were
violated at your table, marquis" the
young soldier replied. But let us have
an end to this / will count ten and
| If you have not given in to my de-
mands before then. the Senorita dies.
| And what are your demands?"
-T and my men are to leave this
place unframed"
Mina's reply to this was a sneering
| laugh, but a glance at the lieuten-
ant cut it short.
"Oneir-the lieutenant's voice had an
uncanny sound in the midst of the deep
silence-"Twor'-'
Stop roared the marquis, Go to
! the devil. You are free"
This time it was Ballette's turn to
sneer.
| Are you childish enough to sup
| pose that 1 will trust your mere word
| and give up my only chance. Never
senior! Take down that crucifix and
| swear on that and the holy Virgin, that
neither you nor any of your men will
try to prevent our departure. Give me
| your sacred word of honor as a Span
] ish nobleman that there is to be q
| truce between us from this moment
until at noon tomorrow"
| in a voice that trembled with fury
J the marquis swore the oath demanded
and only then the lieutenant lowered
| the little weapon and left the room
slowly without looking at anybody.
Half an hour later he left the castle
in front of his men and Joined his regi-
ment, which two days later destroyed
! the castle, whose occupants had al
ready fled.