The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-11-13
|SAVEDBY
|AWOMAN
An Episode of the
/ Peninsular War
By ALAN HINSDALE


When the Duke Of Wellington was
lighting the French in Spain in 1909 to
1914, gaining one victory after another.
naturally the Spanish people were In
an unsettled condition. In all coun-
tries when there Is war there are per,
sons who pretend to belong to one side
or the other-sometimes both sides
either doing secret service or partisan
work or engaged in robbery.
Alfonso Fernandez, youngster of
twenty-five hated both the French
and the English. expecting that. which
ever conquered, Spain would have Il
foreign yoke about her neck. Fernan-
dez, who commanded a small body of
mounted men. would harass either
side alike. Sometimes he would attack
q supply train of the British. then the
very next day. when they were pursu-
ing the French after one of their many
victories, he would be found in the van
of the English ranks sabering those
Frenchmen who were unable to keep
up with their retreating companies.
Fernandez was the son Of Spanish
grandee and highly educated. One day
he was riding at the head of his men
through q rural district not far from
Talavera. when screams were heard In
advance. Fernandez put spurs to his
horse and, followed by his troops, rode
around bend in the road through trees
that obscured his vision. and, emerg-
ing into the open. came to gentle
mans country place that was being
looted by stragglers from the French
army.
Dashing through the gateway and up
to the house the Spaniards attacked
the marauders and drove them Off.
Fernandez himself found young lady
struggling with a French grenadier
and cut him down.
Naturally those occupying the place
were very grateful for their deliver
ance. and Donna Maria Matelinia' g
heart went out to her preserver The
troop encamped. or. rather, bivouacked
on the grounds of her home and re-
ceived everything they needed that the
place afforded. For some time they
made 1t a base Of their operations.
striking out in different directions, al.
ways returning after foray. But
their absences were neither so frequent
nor so long as they had been, for the
leader spent much time dallying with
Donna Maria.
Nevertheless the harassing Fernan.
dez gave the French about this time
was sufficient to excite the ire Of Colo
mel Pierre Villiers, who vowed that II
he could catch the bandits" as he
preferred to call them. he would hang
every one of them The colonel sent
out a scout after one of Fernandez S
attacks on French outpost to follow
him at distance and discover his lair
The scout returned with the infOrma
ton that Fernandez himself spent
much time at the Matilinias. but as for
his troop they had no stopping place.
The more time Fernandez and Donna
Maria spent together the more deeply
they fell in love with each other and
the more reckless Fernandez became in
exposing himself to attack from his
enemies. But woman readily scents
danger to the man she loves The lady
frequently expressed disapprobation al
her lover remaining with her when his
men were away, pointing out how easy
1t would be for either the French oil
the English to take him while he was
alone. But whenever he consented tC
leave her she was sure to ask him t
take the risk just once more.
Meanwhile Fernandez's band. undeI
the leadership of his lieutenant. wa,
harassing the French night and day
1t being known what force was max
Ing all the trouble and 1t not bein!
known that Fernandez himself wal
dallying with his beloved he incurred
all the obloquy of these attacks.
Colonel Nilliers, having learned tina
Fernandez visited certain place
made up his mind to take him there
He sent one or two expeditions there
but at the time Fernandez was ava.
with his troop The Frenchman. no
wishing to brighten the bird away. con
cealed the fact that they were afte
him. But they did not deceive Donn
Maria.
Colonel Villiers. eager to take tn
man who was annoying him. fnall
put watch on the house Fernando
frequented and. one evening when
was reported that the Spaniard wa
there, concluded to go i'm person [
capture him. Putting himself at tn
head of a dozen men-Fernandezs me
were not with him-the colonel lie
them to the house where the lover
were dallying. surrounded it with b
men, then closed in upon the premise
Fernandez and Maria were sittin
on bench in the flower garden whe
suddenly they heard steps approach
ing. accompanied by the Jingle I
spurs. Both jumped to their feet an
retreated to the house. screened G
the way by high growing plants con
mon to tropical countries, and close
door behind them without havin
been seen. Discerning from a windo
the forms of men without, the love
chat Eornapdar xrac an, do