Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-05-30

probed tine mat:a-. wondering all the
while at the strange occurrence. Then
suddenly theory suggested itself to
me. Might she not have come to pro-
tect me? And would she have come
all the way across an ocean on my ac.
count except for one reason-that she
loved me?
But such suspicion / was not In
clined to make known to Dolores.
Nevertheless 1t caught my fancy ana
brought wild Joy to my heart Set
apart from those with whom I had
been reared. dead to every living he
ing l had known. the bare suspict n
that this girl loved me and loved me
so well that she had come all the way
from my beloved Spain for me was
like new birth to me. With this girl
for companion would be willing t.
live on In my changed existence.
said no more to her as to the rea
son for her coming. In any event IT
was her secret. provided she chose TO
keep 1t a secret. and not mine. / found
that she was stopping at house not
far from mine. and there later on |
left her. having arranged to call and
walk with her the next morning.
And 80 did. In that mountain air
We strolled. invigorated not only by
its purity. but by the companionship
of Dolores. But while / grew strong
she seemed to be wasting away
Something was distressing her. ask
ed her to confess 1t to me. and she
declined. l pressed her to do so. and
in d spasm of feeling she cried:
eff you don't leave shall go mad.
TO express my sympathy took her
hand In mine, but she snatched II
away.
Zone would suppose" said. wound
ed, that a viper had touched you"
"Or that you had touched a viper"
she replied.
was looking her in the face at the
time she said this and saw her bite her
LID. Perhaps the words and the &C
ton should have given me a clew TO
her secret. but they did not. ! was as
much puzzled as ever.
One day when we were walking to-
eether we met q woman with dark
hair and eyes.
THAT woman" said, "came either
from Spain or Mexico At any rate,
she's Spanish"
turned to look at Dolores and saw
that she was struggling with some
emotion. But by this time had 81
en- over questioning her upon these
strange matters and said nothing. To
attempt to extract from her their
cause seemed only to madden her.
We met the same woman again the
next day, and l saw on her face
look that assured me that there was
some understanding between them;
but, as before. I refrained from speak
ing Of 1t.
One night I awoke with a start.
The moon, shining In at the window.
showed a woman's figure standing
near. She held something In one
hand, while with the forefnger OF the
other she was smearing what she held.
Then suddenly she flung the article
out of the window. A ray OF moon.
light struck 1t and revealed what l
took to be knife.
rose. supporting myself on my el'
bow. and asked:
""Who's there?"
A hand grasped mine-a hand cold
as ice.
flush! am Dolores"
"What are you doing hereT
"Don't interrupt me while tell you
and what to do. Our lives depend
upon 1t. came to America ordered
by the circle to kill you. A woman
was sent with me to see that I did the
work. She is the Spanish woman we
met Tonight l told her that would
come to your room. plunge dagger
into your heart and throw the dagger
out Of the window to prove to her
that / have done the deed. I have
smeared It with beef's blood. She Is
to leave by one route. by another;
she by the stony Glove and I by the
Glove leading down eastward. Good
by"
"Doloresw I cried. II will go with
you!"
."Where-to deathf"
1--WE will hide ourselves from the
world"
"Hide yourself. II you are discov-
cred alive must de-"
"But. Dolores, darling. this won1-
an, not hearing Of murder here. will
know that you have not done the
deed"
81 have thought Of that But she
will not stop till she reaches Madrid.
"Go with me. sweetheart. I love
you and so fur as I can will protect
you"
That was many years ago. recall
how. long before day we met at the
mouth Of the Glove; how we walked
ten miles to railway station and
boarding n train. went so fur as those
who had known us were concerned
out Of existence.