The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-06-18

could see him from the tavern veran-
da, and, going there. l took a seat in
order to observe what would follow.
While doing so the landlord came out
on to the veranda, and, pointing to the
walking man, asked him what he
was doing.
''He is the man who shot the hacen-
dado last night. The girl who was
robbed of her sweetheart lives there.
The man is probably trying to see her
and ask her forgiveness"
An hour had passed from the time
had first seen the man walking under
the window when a figure Of a woman
appeared within the house. The walk
er stopped. and l saw that he was
speaking. The woman came to the
window. and. the sunlight falling upon
her. recognized the young girl who
had been robbed Of her lover. / won
dered If the murderer could obtain for
giveness so soon after the tragedy.
The two talked together for some
time; then the man held his hand up
to the window. After some delay the
girl took it, but l fancied l could see
her shudder A few more words be-
tween them and the man went away.
He passed the veranda near where
sat, and | saw an unmistakable look
Of triumph on his face.
Interested in the drama which was
being enacted before me, | determined
to remain where | was till the last act
had been played. ! wondered if the
girl, actuated by religious motives, had
felt constrained to forgive the slayer
of her lover. Had it not been for the
triumphant look on the mans face as
he passed me | would not have dream
ed Of anything more than this. But !
had discovered that the Mexicans are
strange people. and one cannot In
any event tell what woman is going
to do. Was it possible that this man,
like King Richard I'LL, would win her
whose lover he had slain?
had seen no sign of a burial Of the
first love and did not think it possible
that the girl could take another until
the body had been laid away. What.
then, was my surprise when just before
dark saw the murderer approach the
house where the bereaved girl lived
and stand under her window! Present
ly she came out Of the door, Joined
bun and they walked RYey together.
l confess That, though BY this time 7
was prepared for almost anything in
Mexico. could not believe what my
eyes revealed to me. I wished that l
might follow the couple and see what
occurred between them, though shrank
from witnessing girl throwing her
self into the arms of man who had
only the night before shot down in cold
blood the man she loved
lit cigar and sat smoking on the
veranda. The twilight faded: the stars
came out. All about me was so peace
full that l could not realize l was in
country torn with anarchy and Il
great part of it in the hands Of rObber
bands; that within twenty four hours
had witnessed an instance Of the
desperate condition of the country But
i
seen go out into the darkness l !
thought Of the lover Of the evening be- |
fore, smile on his handsome lips re-
turned by one on those of the girl he !
loved, now lying cold in death in ono
of the houses within the range of my
vision, while the girl he loved had gone
with his murderer.
1t was quite dark. 8 o'clock perhaps |
when, tired of sitting, l arose to stretch |
my legs | walked down a roadway
on which the two persons I had been
watching had disappeared Suddenly |
a figure, woman's figure, fitted by |
me. She was moving rapidly and | |
got glimpse only of something white |
And yet | was impressed with the idea |
that 1t was the girl who had lost her |
lover. IL So where was the man with |
whom she had set out?
Believing that nothing more Of the
drama which was unfolding would be
revealed to me that night, returned |
to the tavern and went to bed.
In the morning everything about me
was still peaceful. The inhabitants of
the place went about their daily yo-
cations as usual. If there was war in
the neighborhood it was too far dis.
tant to be heard. Still l refrained
from leaving the place without more
information as to what interested me
l determined to remain where | was
until the climax ]
In the afternoon occurred a simple
FUNERAL OF the murdered man. The
chief mourner was the girl who had
been bereaved. The murderer was nor
In evidence at any time during the day.
The poor girl was supported by her
mother and attended by a few friends.
went into the tavern and asked the
what had become of the sol
der.
He was found this morning. not far
from here. stabbed to the heart" was
the reply.
WHO killed him?" l asked.
The landlord shrugged his shoulders
snd said that this was not known.
The climax to my drama had been
played. Whether any one know who