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


and It was at such period.
that ennui grew upon the grea'
brigand.
He was sitting over his fire. touch
ing occasionally the strings of his
guitar, for music was always a great
solsce to him: indeed at times he
would chant in his sibilant voice
songs Of old Spain and its long dead
glories. He had always given strict
orders that none was to interrupt
him while he made music. 1t was,
therefore. with an eye bright with
anger that he turned toward the
sound of scufiing and of voices,
which evidently came from the mar
row path to his cave.
II tell you," said a voice. that of a
woman, that 1 must see my lord
at once"
TT cannot be-" replied another
voice. this time a mans. that of
Gaspar:. My lord plays upon the
On this there followed sounds of a
struggle. Don @. went to the door
"Gaspar, did not recognize your
1T is not my fault, lord. She would
come here, and though old, she is as
cunning as a pine-marten and fights
like q wild cat. Hold her, Gregorio.
woman had broken from the bandits
and run past Don Q. into the cave.
IT must see you. my lord" she
painted. II am Marta, old Marta"
AS he recognised her. Don Q.'s face
grew pale.
REST assured. Marta" said he,
"that I will listen to what you have
to say, but first-Gaspar! Gregorio"
he called.
The two bandits presented them
his bleak, unfriendly stare. while they
shifted from one leg to the other.
What were my orders?" said he.
disturbed?"
Yes, my lord, but
Don Q. held up his hand. "In the
mountains there are no excuses"
Don @. turned and once again sat
down before the fire Of pine logs.
And now. Marta" said he. you
will tell me to what owe this visit"
THE old woman-for she looked
old. though she was not more
than fifty years of age-had thrown
back her mantilla. exposing her crag-
gy and wrinkled face.
MY lord" she cried, "a terrible
thing has happened"
toned Don @.
"No. lord. no, she fiourishes, but"
The relaxation OF his muscles
showed the strain of anxiety through
which Don Q. had passed.
Then" said he. 'you will tell me
in as few words as possible what Is
this terrible thing that has hap
Eyes, lord. yes. have said how the
young cabalieros cluster around her,
/ have reported it to my lord in the
letter I write each month. Does my
lord remember the names OF two OF
the other Don Jaime de Ral?''
YES, Marta, I have noted those
names. There have been Counts of
Polema since the days OF Philip the
Second. and the blood Of the de Rails
goes at least as far back. what OF
these young men"
'Tt is that she is too beautiful.
Where are the brightest stars when
the moon swims up into the sky! II
come importunate. The other night.
ON Friday night. both Of them. one
after the other. begged to find favor
in her eyes and she answered them
what did she answer them?"
They told her all that they had TO
offer the ancient names. the rIcn
lands. the broad vegas. the countess
herds Of black bulls-thus the Coqns
de Polema-Don Jaime talked OF his
mines from which each day a thou-
sand men dig up his wealth. But Tor
all this Dona Moves cared nothing.
She said that in these modern Gays
men think more Of wealth and of po.
sition than of honor, of deeds, and OF
fame. and she said that knighthood
was dead in modern Spain. ana tnat
she would marry no man VINO nad not
done q worthy deed. Inen .nese de .Me
left to accomplish and then, my loro,
IT was that my mistress Dona Moves
said the dreadful words that l must
tell you" su,sf,,
words. Marital" he asked.
"She said, let any who sought her
kill Don @. and then she would SPEAK
with him again. To each one sepa-
her within an hour of each other. and
bv night it had been whispered
abroad through Seville that the road
to the heart Of Dona Moves lev Say Jay
through the the heart hsr fat 81 you my '0fo
Al the words Don @. sprang to the
opening Of the cave and looked OUT.
The night was still. and the brigands
lay around their fires. Reassured' ne
.sMartar said he, twenty years ago
Won swore not only to me but to her
mother, who bore my name. tnat
name which only you and In all the
world know was once NINE mine , yot
swore that you would forget Una.
between her and Don .. there exl n,
any tie, and now you have broken
Forgive me. lord: forgive me. but
this ia indeed a fearful thing. These
mon are strong. and there is that IN
her ewes which would drive the least
brave of them to terrible actions Tor
her sake"
II was on the second day after
Marta had brought her news into
the mountains. and had renewed her
oath of secrecy In such manner ana
under such circumstances as insured
mai never would she break it. that
GruIla. watching at the lower escarp-
ments, beheld far below him a man
upon q horse toiling upward. Grulla
had been provided by Don O. with
an excellent Ross telescope. and with
this the bandit soon made out that
the stranger was of the aristocrat
purposed journey through the
sierra. Grulla's course of action was
obvious. He at once descended. and
meeting the rider at the posada,
where he was drinking q cup OF
mountain chocolate, descanted upon
After some inquiries, he was en-
gagged. and the same night he con,
scientiously led Don Jaime de Raj
(for It was he) into an ambush.
ny the next evening the prisoner
- was in the glen Of the Boca de
L..