The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-15


sputtering OF rifles cracked in the
valley. There was q blurred clamor
OF voices. He looked at the sky, ut
the black SUBMITS Of the hills. He
stood up, and his inseparable sword
clanked on the stony ground.
"Ah, WELL" he growled, 'I have done
with women. They have had the best
OF my life. What Is left give to
Brazil"
CHAPTER XVII.
A COUP OF THE NAPoLEoNIC ORDER.
NARMELA went back to a 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. few
disheveled officers. had accompanied
De Sylvia i'm his flight. With reckless
bravery he and Russo had tried TO
rally the troops camped at headquar-
ters. Ii 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 at 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
1t, Of course. but In Dom Miguel Bar
raca he found an eager substitute. 1t
was 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 a surgeon explores a gun
shot wound, and extract the offender
In the guise Of Dom Corria.
The scheme had proved eminently
successful. The Iiberationists 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
! shall die little later. when many
more of my friends are killed. Why
not die now?"
They would not listen.
''It is night! they cried. "The ell
emy's horses are spent. A determined
stand may give us another chance"
But IL 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 yengeful woman who
would have shattered her lovers skull
were the revolver loaded. was the frs,
TO see him. She actually crouched In
terror. Her tongue was parched. IL
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
"l thought we had lost you at the
ford.
NO" said San Benavides. 81 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
Bulmer and her uncle to take shelter
behind the score of sailors who still
remained at Las Flores.
1T Is true nevertheless" he said la
conically. Il knew the game was lost,
SO came here to try to save a lady,"
"Ah-our Carmela? You thought OF
herY
"Now
Then the spell passed from Carmela.
She literally threw herself on her
lover.
"Yes, 1t Is true!' she shrieked "He
came to save me, but i preferred to
die herewith you, father, and with
him"
Dom Corria did not understand these
fireworks, but he had no time for
thought. Bullets were crashing through
the closed venetians. Light they must
have or the defense would become an
orgy OF self destruction yet lipht was