Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-05-27

Ine stricken animal Ill lLS uedtu-eu uB-
gle had half risen, only to fall again,
this time on the extended left leg OF
his late master; consequently when
Sarros recovered consciousness follow
ing the thoughtful attentions Of his
assailant, it was to discover himself
hopeless prisoner The heavy carcass
of his horse pinned his foot and part
Of his leg to the ground, rendering
him as helpless and desperate as a
trapped animal.
For several minutes now he had
been striving frantically to release
himself; with his sound right leg
pressed against the animals back
bone he tried to gain sufficient pur-
chase to withdraw his left leg from
the carcass.
AS Ricardo caught sight Of SarrOs
he instinctively realized that this was
his mortal enemy mOtiOning his men
to stand back, he approached the
struggling man on tlptoe and thought
fully possessed himself of the dicta-
tors pistol, which lay in back Of him,
but not out of reach. Just as he did
So Sarros, apparently convinced of the
futility of his efforts to free himself,
! surrendered to fate and commenced
rather pitifully to weep with rage
and despair.
Ricardo watched him for few sec
onds, for there was just sufficient of
the blood of his Castilian ancestors
still in his veins to render this sorry
spectacle rather an enjoyable one to
him. Besides, he was 80 per cent
Iberan, a race which can hate quite
as thoroughly as it can love, and
for a time Ricardo even nOurished the
thought of still further indulging his
thirst for revenge by pretending to
aid Sarros in his escapel Presently,
however, he put the ungenerous
thought from him; Selling the dead
horse by the tail, he dragged the car
cass off his enemy'S leg, and while
SarrOs sat up, tailorfashion, and com
menced to rub the circulation back
into the bruised member, Ricardo
seated himself on the rump of the
dead horse and appraised his prisoner
critically.
SarrOs glanced up, remembered his
manners and very heartily and grace
fully thanked his deliverer.
ut is not a matter for which thanks
are due me, Sarros," Ricardo replied
cOldly. II am Ricardo Luiz Ruey,
and I have come back to SObrante to
pay my fathers debt to you. You
will remember having forced the Gbli-
cation upon me in the cemetery some
fifteen years ago.
For perhaps ten Mortified seconds
Sarros stared at Ricardo; then the
dark blood in him came to his defense;
his tense pose relaxed; the fright
and despair left his swarthy counte-
nance as if erased with a moist
sponge. leaving him as calmly stoiCal
and Indifferent as cigarstOre Indian
He fumbled in his coat pocket for
gold cigarette case, selected a ciga-
rette, lighted it and blew smoke at
Ricardo. The jig was up; he knew
il; and with admirable nOnchalance
he declined to lower his presidential
dignity by discussing or considering it.
He realized it would delight his cap
tor to know he dreaded to face the
issue. and it was not Sarros practice
to give aid and comfort to the enemy.
"Spunky devil" Ricardo reflected
forced to admiration despite himself.
Aloud he said: You know the code
of our people, Sarros. An eye for
an eye and a tooth for tooth"
Sarros bowed. ~ am at your serv-
ice" he replied carslesSy.
"Then at daylight tomorrow morn
ing ! shall make settlement" Ricardo
beckOned his men to approach. Take
this man and cOnfine him under
double guard in the arsenal" he or
dered. present my compliments to
the officer in charge there and tell
him it is my wish that a priest be
pIONlueu lOI Ille pl lSonCl 1phiSht' "HN
that tomorrow morning, at six o'clock,
a detail of six men and a sergeant
escort this man to the cemetery in
the rear of the Cathedral de la Cruz.
l will meet the detail there and take
command of it."
Two of Ricardo's imported fighting
men stepped to the prisoners side,
seized him, one by each arm, and lift
ed him to his feet; supported be-
tween them, he limped away to his
doom, while his youthful conqueror
remained seated on the dead horse,
his gaze bent upon the ground his
mind dwelling, not upon his triumph
over Sarros but unOn the prodigiOus
proportions Of the task before him;
the rehabilitation of a nation. After
a while lie rose and strolled over to-
ward the gate, where he paused to
no+o tho fyriuo avidanppc Of the final /