Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-11-20

"Ah" said Don O.. you are the
seventeenth"
"What?'
Il mean that sixteen caballeros be-
my good Robledo with the bait of
that very ibex head. 1t is indeed a
| fine one. The right horn measures
3SHa inches along the curve. the left
alas. is trifie less. l know, Tor as
a matter of fact l shot the animal
| myself seven years ago next Feoru-
ary."
These details were received by Don
Jaime with amusement. but Polema
| held to a sullen silence, and Don Q.
continued:
! TT is quite clear, is it not. that
| both of you caballeros have been the
| victims Of the enterprise OF my men.
Good. Now let us get to business
You are both rich. I believer %,
with a laugh and a shrug. but Polema
held to his sullen silence:
"I do not think it will be a hard
ship" said Don O.. "if I put down
your ransotns at the same t,d ngur re-
dollars apiece? When this sum Is
Daid, senores. you will be free.
"A hundred thousand dollars:
cried Polema. and paused
"A hundred thousand doliars,
Sfteen days. 1 will arrange for a
! messenger to depart for Seville with
in a couple of hours. he Will take
with him the letters which you viii
write explaining your u unior.uha aII
his necessarily sordid detail having
been so happily arranged between US.
Il beg that you will both CONSIDER
Yourselves my guests. and l trust
that you will enjoy your stay IN ve eme
mountains. You Will give me Sooi
.n,o1a, Of co,Yrse"
"parole?" questioned Don Jaime.
yes, you will give me your word
that YOU will not make any attempt
to escape. or for that matter TO- per.
that would be out Of keeping with
your position as my guest.
The count shrugged his shoulders
and quoted the Spanish proverin p
Needs must sv said a md the wh Wali 1"e
II am infinitely indebted to you,
senior" said Don Jaime. land ! have
the honor to give you my parole.
X X + X
-1rcH were the circumstances in
y which this strange party Of three
assembled in the mountains. and II Is
perhaps a remarkable fact that near
" seven days should have passed
without incident.
There was the usual round OF the
brisand camp, and in the evening
Don @. would play cards with MS
visitors. or tell them tales OF forgot
ten DAYS, and sometimes ne even tooK
down the guitar, for Don jaime hAo
sweet voice. Thus, as say, seven
fays passed. when an incldent nap
pened which was to nave It's wv"
bearing upon the sequel
n was about o'clock in the even
ing. and Don Q. had gone rortn
to visit his sentinels VINO were t see
at advantageous spots arouHo
brigand camp. From these .neS
ond line of sentries. who were p.a asa
lower down the mountain, ana these
again in their turn watched TOT the
signals of the outposts. Thus II came
about that il an event occurred IA
down in the foothills news OF p II cou de
Lobo within few minutes.
It was wild evening as Don y.
returned from his rounds ana once
more entered the cave, which was Hs
by the leaping flames of the fre ano
the light of two flashlights set one
at either end. AS ne entered he was
aware that both Don jaime and the
count were on their feet, and, each
Of them armed with knife. were
circling round one another. MOST
clearly they were eHSdSeu III ~
tempting to take each others lives:
Don Q. advanced swiftly. Sc
nores!'' he cried. What does this
mean? Put down those kntves"
Don Jaime stretched across his
hand to obey, when at the same mo-
ment Polema stabbed at him. Only
Don as quickness saved the situation.
for he seized the counts wrist in
you heard my order7" he cried
| 'Your blow was q foul one Men
| have died here In the mountains Tor
less"
with an effort Polema recovered
| himself. IL heard nothing, senior,
he said. IT did not know you were
here until you seized my wrist"
Don @. took no notice OF the words
\ And now. senores." said he. per
haps you will be so good as to explain
| why you were fighting"
at was q duel" said PolemA. Don
| @. looked toward Don Jaime.
"And is 1t permitted to ask about
what you may have QuareledT
what do men usually quarrel
aboutf, asked PolsmA, with . smile
"a woman. perhaps, said Don O.
with an odd flicker Of his eyelids.
.For INV mart" said Don Jaime. ~