Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-06-28

| A COUP OF THE NAPOLEoNlC ORDER.
| ~ARMELA went back to house.
hold that paid scant heed to her
~ screaming. Dom Corria was
there, bareheaded, his gorgeous
uniform sword slashed and blood be,
spattered. General Russo, too, was
beating his capacious chest and shout
ing:
Gods bones! Let us make a fight
of it,
A sprinkling Of soldiers, all dis,
mounted cavalry or gunners. a few
,.isheveled officers, had accompanied
De sylvia in his fight. With reckless
bravery he and Russo had tried to
rally the troops camped at headquar-
ters. 1t was hopeless effort. Half
breeds can never produce military
caste They may fight valiantly in
the line of battle-they will not face
the unknown. the terrible. the harpies
that come ut night, borne on the hur-
ricane wings of panic. Unhappily
De sylvia and his bodyguard were the
messengers of their own disaster. The
cowardly genius at Pesqueira had
planned surprise. He would not lead
II. Of course. but in Dom Miguel Bar
raca he found an eager substitute. 1t
was Il coup Of the Napoleonic order.
An infantry attack along the entire
front Of the Liberationist position
cloaked the launching against the CEN
ter Of formidable body Of cavalry.
The project was to thrust this lance
into the rebel position, probe 1t thor
oughly, as surgeon explores gun
shot wound, and extract the offender
in the guise of Dom Corria.
The scheme had proved eminently
successful. The Liberationists were
crumpled up. and here was Dom Cor
ria making his last stand.
He deserved better luck, for he was
magnificent in failure. Calm as ever.
he tried to be shot or captured when
the reserves in camp failed him. Rus
so and the rest dragged him onward
by main force.
"They want me only" he urged.
''My death will end useless struggle
l shall die little later, when many
more of my friends are killed. why
not die now?
They would not listen.
ut Is nightw they cried. "The en-
emy's horses are spent. A determined
stand may give us another chance"
But it was forlorn hope. AS San
Benavides lurched into the pateo the
horses of the first pursuing detach'
ment strained up the slope between
the house and encampment.
Carmela, all her fire gone. the pallid
ghost of the vengeful woman who
would have shattered her lovers skull
were the revolver loaded, was the first
to see him She actually crouched IN
terror. Her tongue was parched. II
she uttered some low cry none heard
her.
Dom Corria. striving to dispose his
meager garrison as best he could, met
his trusted lieutenant. His face lit
with joy.
"Ah, my poor Salvador" he cried.
81 thought we had lost you at the
ford.
NO" said San Benavides. II ran
away"
Even in his dire extremity De Sylvia
smiled.
would that others had run like you'
my SALVADOR. he said. Then we
should have been in Pernambuco to.
morrow"
The Brazilian looked around. His
eye dwelt heedlessly on the covering
Carmela. He was searching for Iris,
who had been compelled by Coke and
Bulnler and her uncle to take shelter
behind the score Of sailors who still
remained at Las Flores.
''It is true ne ertheless," he said Ia
eonically. II knew the game was lost,
so came here to try to save lady,
"Ah-our Carmela? You thought OF
her"
Nor
Then the spell passed from Carmela
She literally threw herself on her
lover.
.Yes, it is truem she shrieked. HE
came to save me, but l preferred TO
die herewith you. father. and with
him"
Dom Corria did not understand these
fireworks. but he had no time Tor
thought. Bullets were crashing through
the closed venetians. Light they must
have or the defense would become an
orgy of self destruction. yet light was
their most dangerous foe when men
were shooting from the somber depths
Of the trees.
The assailants were steadily closing
around the house. Their rifles covered
every door and window. Each minute
brought up fresh bands in tens and
twenties. At last Barraca himself ar
| rived. Some members OF his stan
made a hasty survey Of the situation
There were some 300 men available
and In all probability Dom Corria could
| net muster one-sixth of that number
| It was a crisis that called for vigor
| The cavalry lance was twenty miles
| from Its base, and there was no know
ing what accident might reunite the
| scattered Liberationists. One column
at least of the Nationalists had failed
to keep It's rendezvous or this last des
perate stand at Las Flores would have
proved a sheer impossibility.
So the house must be rushed, nc
matter what the cost. This was wal
of leaders. Let Dom Corria fall ant
his most enthusiastic supporters would
pay Dom Miguers taxes without rur
ther parley. A scheme Of concerted
action was hastily arranged. Stimuli
taneously FIVE detachments swrmee
against the chosen points OF assault
One crossed the pateo to the porcn
another made for the stable entrance
n third attacked the garden door,
fourth assailed the servants quarters
and the ffth. strongest Of all and In
spired by Dom MiguePs presence, Dat