Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-09-03
THE FLOWER OF SPAIN

FOOm was uCCluGuiy not anu Sluuy.
Sitting for 60 minutes in an isolated
railway station in the mountainous
section of Spain with $4,000 worth
of jewels IN ones travelling bag is
aot a cheerful CRITICISM | glanced
at the stupid-looking a3oat, but he
was doing peacefully il his chair.
No danger from that section, ut any
rate.
Then, once more, my thoughts re-
verified to girl I had met in Sc
vile week ago-a girl with face
like a queen of heaven, and great,
eombre, inscrutable dark eyes. Even
before | had talked with her, real
lied that she was the one woman,
and l determined to return to Spain
as quickly as possible after l had
deposited the jewels with my bank
ers in England, and endeavor to win
this flower of Spain, as l called her,
for my wife.
A faint tapping against the win
dow suddenly attracted my atten-
ton, and l glanced up, nervously. A
pair OF familiar dark eyes, sad and
luminous, were peering in at me,
and with a glad cry rushed out to
her.
''Senorita!" l cried, joyfully, "this
is indeed an unexpected pleasure.
She clasped my arm with both
hands, and l saw that she was trem-
bling violently. "Senor, your life is
in danger! l have come all the way
from Seville to warn you! They are
determined to get possession of your
rubies, and they will murder you If
necessary" Her voice trembled and
broke. and my heart throbbed with
a sudden fierce Joy.
>"And you have risked your life
| to bring me this warning?"
''That does not matter-it is of
| no account, senior. There is no time
to lose; you must come with me at
| once!"
She had already started down the
cleaning tracks, and l stumbled
along behind her, my travelling bag
| grasped tightly in one hand.
Half an hour later we reached
cave in the mountains, and my COM
panion sank down YEARLY on one of
the moss-coyered rocks. stood be-
lore her, looking down at her, and
! some of the tenderness which was in
my heart must have been mirrored
in my eyes, for the color suddenly
famed up into her face and she rose
| to her feet nervously.
"You are safe here, senior, until
| tomorrow | must leave you now"
felt my face whiten at her words,
Leave me-perhaps forever-and
had only just found her! l drew
nearer to her and took one of her
| hands. 'Senorita, you are Span
ism woman, and should know what
| love means. Can you then under
stand me when tell you that have
| loved you from the minute I saw
you in Seville-that I want you to
return to England with me as my
wife?"
her hand up to her throat you
must not speak of love to me, senior!
1t is inpossible!"
smiled confidently. Every gest-
ure proclaimed her love for me, and
/ that was sufficient. Il am very GER
! tain that I can teach you to care for
me if you will give me permission
to try"
She looked at me silently for
minute, with her great, sad, black
eyes, and I wondered if, in all the
world, there were another woman
as beautiful.
1T is impossible, senior, because
the chief OF the brigands who in
tended to murder you is my hus-,
band!"
The world seemed to grow sud-
/ denly black and sitting. | turned,
abruptly, and walked a few PAGES
from her, to regain my self-control.
A long silence, then: "You under
stand--now-h impossible it isl"
"Yes!"
Good-Dy, senior! Coo bless and
keep you alWays!"
l knew she had gone, and yet l
remained there, motionless, staring
before me with unseeing eyes. At
last l turned and walked slowly back
to the rock where she had sat, and
as I sank down on it, my eyes fell
on the travelling bag, which I had
placed by the side Of the cave. My
rubies- they alone were left to me!
Perhaps their rich, red beauty might
dull the ache in my heart. | drew
the bag over to me and opened 1t.
And suddenly my heart seemed to
stop beating, and l felt faint and
sick! The bag was empty! stag
gered to my feet, slowly realizing
what it meant. | had been tricked,
deceived by the woman l loved, but
even at that moment there was no
anger in my heart against her
only overwhelming love and pity.
l put my hand back into the bag,
hoping that l might have been mis-