The Forrest City times., 1911-05-05
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Three Episodes and a Climax
teepyrisht. 1911. by Associated Literary Pres.)
By M. J. PHILLIPS

It was a blade as heavy as a broad. aA. They worshiped He was an Americana, and a man!
 He had peculiarity. Very seldom was he in conversation with the sen orita or her guest; but he watched over them.
 when the two young women drove through the plantation the overseer. on his horse, was in front or behind. He was always lowering about. just out of sight.
 AS the days wore on, the planter whose estates adjoined came more frequently. Always he scowled when he saw the overseer.
 One afternoon. following an inter view with the senorita alone. he flung himself away in deadly rage. That evening she WAS very quiet and thoughtful.
 The workmen noticed that the over seer seemed to redouble his watchfui- ness They saw him slip away few days later. melting into the jungle Ike panther. They did not know that he was following one of the maids from the big house, and that he trailed her to a trysting place with the planter.
 IL was bright moonlight, and two o'clock in the morning The traitor ous maid had left the front door un- barred. The overseer, his machete across his knees. a revolver on his nip. sat fin the gloom of the old stone house.
 The planter. for whom he was walt Ing. came. He swaggered up the palm walk. secure in the feeling that the American senorita was unguarded.
 The plantation workmen were snor- Ing In their kennels half a mile away; Inc oYerseer was also asleep in his quarters. And ten of the planters own men waited by the road
 Twenty paces from the house, iH the center of an open space where the white moon beat down. he stopped figure with a naked machete ad- sanced to meet him.
 The planters own weapon leaped out as he hissed curses. He recog- nired the overseer.
 At the clash of blade on blade the planters builies came running from the fringe Of the palms. With a laugh the American pressed his attack until his adversary gave ground. He heard the batter of feet and saw the ad Yaneing wave of his enemies.
 The cave man who overcame his enemies with stone ax awoke in the American. He shouted aloud in sheer delight of the conflict.
 "fow-yowyow, wheee-e-ee,"
 At the high-pitched yell the plan ters thoughts fled back to the scene of twelve years before on San Juan hill. Again he was Capt Luis Olfaro. of the Royal Twenty-ninth infantry; again he was crossing blades beneath the fierce sunlight with an American No wonder he had hated the overseer instinetively-it was the same man.
 In his fright and amazement he lowered his guard for the fraction of a second. and the Americans machete laid open his cheek from nose to ear
 Blood streamed down his face. He wavered. retreated. turned. And then. in sudden mad panic. he threw away his machete and fled. his bullies about him
 'Whe-e-e-e-ee." roared the victor. Kun. you piker: run."
 A hand was laid on his arm. He turned 10 look into the face of his fair eountrywoman. And now. Mir John Harris Burnham. third" she said. calmly, albeit with a little tremble in her voice. perhaps you will finish that little conversation we began on the stairsf'
 But. Doris" he remonstrated. I'm thirty-three now. and broke. besides. |"
 T don't care if you were hun dred." she flashed: and l have money enough for us both"
 So he dropped his maehete and took her sn his arms.