Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-04-14


| which may account for their leniency.
| But to some who knew nothing about
| this Cortna 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 a convict.
n murderer and n 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 We're not case
Of genuine love, under the influence
of which n fiend incarnate would be
transformed into Il lOvable 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 10y
whom the streets of both cities and
towns had been made to run blood
and who was now permitted to 20
where he liked upon his word of hon
or-his every movement was observed.
and vet no one openly made any COM
ment or criticism.
But underneath the people marveled
to see one who was ostensiby 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 q 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 Cortinas jailers met with
n surprise. The sunset and the pris-
oner had not returned Perhaps lie
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
1t was called out under a 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 1t behooved the au-
thorities to show zeal In looking for
him.
The guard was about to stalt from
the prison yard when a man staggered
up to the gate. threw up his hands
and fell upon his face. Lifting him
up, they threw back his jacket, and
there up against his breast was the
hilt of a stiletto.
The man was Cortina
Yes, 1 am late" he said feebly. "but
l came. Love lured me to death. I
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 l came away
the night had fallen. We walked to-
gether to the door. | kissed her good
by. 1t was dark l felt the point Of
a knife as it slipped into my vitals
l 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
told among the people, but no one ven
tured upon IN explanation. Some sup
posed that the woman who killed him
was one on whom he had inflicted
misfortune during the period of his
crimes. Perhaps he might have muir
dered some one dear to her-might
have robbed her of fortune. Others
who were nearer the truth kept their
suppositions to themselves. The sti-
letto was convenient method ut the
time for silencing people who talked
too much
But gradually Cortina, his singular
treatment by the government the
manner of his taking off. ceased to he
the wonder of the day, giving place to
new sensations. Some years after.
when new president came into pow
er, many acts OF wickedness of his
predecessor came to light 1t then be.
came known that the government
dared not openly execute Cortina be-
cause Of his threats and those of his
former companions in crime to reveal
the governments completely I'm their
robbcries. The beautiful Caribbean
had been paid large sum to become
his cXccutioncr.
Ancient Ropes.
Ropes made of various kinds Of fiber