The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-11-13

! door was violently thrown open ana
there was tread of boots on the
, floor.
what means this intrusionT' he
heard spoken in a voice which he rec
! ognized as Maria's.
Pardon, senorita,' said a mans
voice, "but there is man in this house
who is wanted. We must find him."
"In lady's chamber"
81 regret to disturb you"
you mean that you regret to insult
me-"
"That is not intended
you come into my room when am
in bed and yet you do not intend to
insult me?'
"God forbid that l. a French soldier.
should insult a woman"
"Will you take the word Of a ladyT'
Certainly"
"Well, then l am an unmarried wo-
| man. Is It not an insult for you to
look for man in a maiden's bed
| room?"
Certainly. senorita, provided the
man Is not some near relative"
There is no near relative Of mine
| in this house. My father Is at the
capital. I have no brother. Would
that I had to protect me from this in
dignity"
This evidently had marked effect
on the man. for after humble apol-
ogy he closed the door, and all was
still. In a few moments the closet
! door was opened, and Maria, in a
double gown, stood before her lover.
Get into the bed" she said, "and l
will take your place in the closet.
When they do not find you In other
parts Of the house they will return
and search this ROOM"
! As he stepped out Of the closet she
was about to 60 in when steps were
again heard without. Maria took the
| key from the outside of the closet door
and put 1t on the inside, but she did
not close the door.
Have you your pistol?' she asked
hurriedly.
| 1.-TWO Of them"
"Well, be guided by what I say to
| any one who comes to the ROOM"
Fernandez got into the bed with his
clothes on and covered himself up.
Maria had blown out the candles in the
room, and 1t was dark. She stood
within the closet, the door open and
her hand on the knob.
Colonel Villiers had sent his men
to search the house, and when the
man who had failed to search Donna
Maria's room returned and reported
that he had been prevented from do
ing so by motives Of delicacy for a
woman the colonel started at once to
| make the search himself. But the colo
mel was gentleman of France, and
the work before him was not to his
taste. Going to Maria's bedroom. he
knocked at the door.
"Who's there?" asked Maria.
Pardon me, senorita, but must
search your room. am sorry to-
81 give you warming" interrupted
Maria, that will not suffer insult Il
second time. have armed myself,
and whoever desecrates the privacy of
, my chamber shall receive bullet for
| 0OihS So.
The colonel. though he disliked to
intrude upon woman forcibly, was
not afraid of one who opposed him In
a masculine way. He opened the door
and entered. His figure was plain
! enough to one in the room. but he
could see nothing. He had taken two
steps beyond the Intel when a pistol
/ nd hn foil in, n
heap on the floor.
"Quick! Change with mel! cried
Maria as she darted from the closet 10
the bed. AS Fernandez passed her she
seized a pistol from him and hurried
into bed Fernandez took position in
the closet. The exchange had scarce
ly been made when the colonel's men
having heard the shot, appeared before
the chamber door and saw their com
mander lying in the opening.
Garry him away" said Maria from
the bed. "If any of you approach me
| will serve you as l served him."
The men drew back at this. But In
another moment one of them asked
whether, If they attended to the colo
mel, they would have to do so under
fire.
80 long as you attend to him." was
the reply, you are safe. All ! ask o.
you is to respect me"
At this one of them raised Villiers
who had bullet in his lung, and. see
ing that he was alive, took him up ant
carried him into another room. Mari,
called to Fernandez:
"Now is your chance. The men havt
lost their leader and are busy minister
ing to him. Go before they again turf
to continue the search for you."
Rather you go before they return
for their revenge. | will join you"
what! You. to whom the churcl
has not united me?"
I'VE will go TO priest"
I go. then: will follow you"
! In another moment Fernandez wa
D on trellis without the window. an
E Maria followed him. Reaching tn
4 ground. they ran among the plants I'll
they made an exit from the place
$ A short distance from their startin