The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-06-17
CHAPTER u.
Abduction.

The hacienda where Antonio de Ia
Guerra had lived for the fifty-oCsi
years OF his exile from his beloved
spain, where his granddaughter had
peen born and reared. was one of the
landmarks which linger on In stately
white walls under dark red tiles from
the time of the Spanish occupation.
The old Spaniard was overload of
what had once been grant from his
Erandfathers king, the boundaries
carelessly marked In leagues instead
Of miles.
He bred cattle and fine horses, In
trusted Gnucho Morales, his foreman.
with the business details, and vet man
aged, so large and fertile was his en-
pire, to 20 on from Year to year swell.
ing his wealth.
The widc-vcrandacd house with none
OF its walls less than three feet thick.
with great, spacious rooms, Spread
out across wide extent of the shaded
land among the olive and pear and
pepper trees. In the time of the fa
ther of Antonio de la Guerra there
had been fourteen roomS-now there
were twenty. No less could suffice
Tor the master of the estate and his
Cherished granddaughter.
There was the patio with It's flower
Ing garden and leaping fountain.
About II were the rooms, all on the
ground floor with the exception of the
three rooms added by the old man for
the use Of Ia scnorita.
Here mt the southeastern cyposurc
OF the rambling dwelling. ii wide and
winding staircase had been constructed
to lead upward To spacious landing
Then came broad doors. "A decD win.
dow and beyond the senorita's private
sitting room. Her bedroom was high
ceilcd, with much ornate cmbeliSh-
mcnt after the Moorish fashion. and
lavish display of gilt under the
domod roof
'p"n the landing couch where
each night Pedro lay across his mis-.
treSS doorway.
And then the balcony.
Teresa must pick up her skirts dain.
lilly To step out through the deep win.
doWS To 1T from her bedroom. and
once there she was all but lost behind
the bank of Towering roses, swallowed
by aim dusk through which the moon
had difficulty in tiltcring, Tapped in
the perfume of the flowers which clung
about the balcony I'm the warm June
night
Ana from here, while her scholarly
grandfather annotated his remarks
concerning the hated Americana, Te-
reSh le'tied out, her beauty us soft and
delicate thing aS that of the rose
brushing her cheek, and talked with
one particular Americana.
MAKE me some pretty speeches.
Sen0r Billy" she laughed softly. "They
font up to me here through the noon
lght like the perfume from red roses -
She had drawn her mantilla closely
about her for no other reason in tba
world but to tHntaliZe the man below
her by hiding herself from him, and
there was only her voice and the vague
outline OF her young body through the
vines to tell him that she was there.
But 10 her his face, upliftcd in tbe
moonlight, flushed and eager. was nm
hidden.
"lou are a firtr ne cried. seeking
To make his voice savage and angry.
and succeeding admirably in filing II
with alteration.
but no." she answered him from
the dusk about her. "That is to he
cruel And II am so soft hearted
that to make one suffer would distress
me-"
III you roll your RS at me like That
again" Stanway told her very posi- !
lively 81 aTs going right in and tell
the old gentleman that | am going to
marry YOU"
She laughed gayly at his impctuous
declaration.
1T would be like n play" she said |
after little as though she were think !
Ing seriously of what he had said he !
would do. 1T would interest me tn
see. Papa grandc would he very po- I
lite and would ask SenOr Billy To have /
glass of wine and n cigarita.
"And then"-the laughter yelling I'D
again, I'm the eyes he could not see.
trilling I'm the voice which dropped
down to him-"he would call Pedro .
and old Juan TO take you GUS, =" and !
shoot you with their guns -
"h1d -Ju find that funny? uemand-
ed Stairway.
els II not? II is like the opera -