Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-01-30

bloodthirsty Weyler. Joined by some
Of my neighbors and those they con-
troll, we are to oppose the passage of
this Spanish force till our friends can
arrange either to get away or prepare
for defense"
While he spoke l was thinking of
the two influences that had been draw
ing him, the gentle Concia and the ag-
gressive Inez.
Where did you get your informa-
ton as to this move Of the Spaniards?"
I asked.
A singular look came over his face,
a look in which l fancied I saw some
thing Of doubt, Of pain, as he replied:
II have the right to tell you anything
that concerns only myself. have no
right to implicate another"
WELL" l added, you have taken
sides at last. 1 hope you have decided
for the best"
"That remains to be SEEN"
We parted with a firm hand grip.
I went to bed, but not to sleep.
There was a faint glimmer Of dawn
at the windows when I heard sounds
without-the tread of horses boots,
men talking. Then there was a loud
rap on the main door below. 1t was
not answered and was followed by a
kick. Then a window was shattered.
l arose, threw on a double gown and
went downstairs. The hall was light
ed and filled with Spanish soldiers.
Henry Molina was in their midst,
dressed, and as l looked was marched
away. 1t was plain to me what had
happened. The willy governor had
through his spies learned Of his con.
templated move, nipped it in the bud
and possessed himself Of its leader.
My view Of Henry Molina passing
out Of his home to go to prison ended
my immediate cogniZance Of what was
leading up to a tragedy. If I could
have got my friend out Of the clutches
of General Weyler | would have taken
some chances to do SO. 1t seemed
wiser for me to depart and leave the
struggle going on in Cuba to those d.
rectly interested. So l sailed away
from Havana and felt that 1 could
draw a free breath as soon as I was
out Of the harbor.
But the blowing up Of the Maine
gave our people an interest in the Gu
ban struggle for independence that led
to it's attainment. and I was n Of
those who went to the island for the
p,1rNnca II NO NOT It'll ~ woo oil
over and l had been mustered out Of
the United States service that I return
ed to Cuba with a view to learning
what had become Of Henry Molina.
1 gathered the story gradually. The
first part Of it I heard was that Henry
had been taken to Moro castle at Ha~
vana and had been condemned to
death, but had escaped the day before
he was to have been executed. How
he escaped I did not learn, but it was
reported that a boy some seventeen or
eighteen years old had visited his pris-
on and managed to convey to him saws
with which to remove a bar in his win"
dow. He had Joined the revolutionary
forces, but had done more for the
cause in other ways than as a com
mander. This l could understand, re-
Numbering his education at an Ameri-
al university.
The next chapter in the story was
that Inez de la Barra had been found
on the grounds Of her home with q
bullet hole in her left breast and in a
dying condition. She had been, assassi.
mated, but could not or would,not tell
who had been her assassin. 1t was
we'll known, however, that she had
been a spy of General Weyler, and, the
Molina plantation having been confs
Gated by the Spanish government, sht
had received a large sum of money
Lastly, I heard that my chum ihad re
gained possession of his estate, his ia
Their having died, and the son had JUS
been married to Concia Sierra.
Naturally I put these facts togethe
and filed out the story in my own way
but 1 could not tell how far I wa
right or how far wrong. Iilost no'tim
in going to the Molina plantation
where / found its owner recoverin
from the privations he had endure
since l had parted with him. he Wa
rejoiced to see me, and, after l ha
been received by his wife, he took N
apart and told me that Inez de la Bal
ra had entrapped him and caused hi
arrest. He gave me a, surprise whe
he said that Concia had been th
means Of his escape from Moro ca
tie, having gone there disguised an
bribed a guard to give eher secret a
cess to her lover.
All this interested me-, but the q
max to the drama, the Eassassinahe
of Senorita de la Barra,e was what
wished to have explained
"Who killed the womanawho betra
ed your ! asked.
, A singular expression a1n " he
RVS face in which l fancied there w
something Of pain. He turned his ey
] away from me andidid not reply.
Zone question:" 4 added. "and ] W
ask no more. Surely you did not
: this deedy"
mo-" he replied. Ibid not"
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