The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-01-15
CHAPTER XI
Polito Lends a Hand

threw his arms around them, and
called them MY boys" and My chill
dren." Or when he stood before the
silent, shattered ranks of the British
legion. his face working in an emo
ton he could not control, his eyes I'M
seeing because of the tears he could
not hold in check, his voice-for the
first time in his life-broken and
halting. and called them, ''Salvadores
de mi patria - For they had been. in
deed. the saviors of his country. That
is picture shall hold to the end of
my days.
1t came TO me that | was free, too,
that now, could lay down my sword
and bark TO the call of love. And,
dreaming, | saw the pleading eyes of
Dulce again, and heard the caressing
tones of her voice, and felt almost the
glory of her presence.
Manuel awakened me from this
pleasant trance. He stood before me,
the bride of fine bay mount in his
hand
Manuel" I said amazed. sis not
this the. horse that brought me from
Caracas"
'No other, major; and he can take
you just as swiftly to Valencia"
But why should I go to Valencia?"
Manuel spoke swiftly: "Adolfo de
Fuentes escaped. as did most of the
Spanish officers for they fight behind
the protection of their men. He may
have gone TO Valencia-who knows?
Colonel PM. with his cavalry, has
been directed TO pursue La Tore and
Morales, who. with a small body of
men, are fleeing toward the safe port
of Cabello. Pini's orders are to the
effect that, if he does not overtake the
Spaniards ere they reach Valencia, he
is TO take over that city, a task that
should please him very much, for the
moonlight glances of the Senorita have
had a devastating effect upon his
heart. He is mad. my friend, and
when Il man of Pini's caliber is mad
about lady, he is dangerous"
You bring i'll tidings, Manuel"
Francisco told me many of these
things" Manuel continued. He has
approached Bolivar, and he has in
formed the general that the Ameri-
eanO. who. with so small force. held
firm against the right wing of the
Spanish army. requests leave to visit
Valencia, and Bolivar has given his
permission. Therefore,
would Francisco's knowledge. nv
friend-which seems. indeed to cover
verything-include the location of
the house where the SenOrita may be
found?''
"Of a surety. It is the home of
Sonora Ybarra, lying three streets east
of the house of the governor-toward
the lake. A large house of stone and
adobe. tinted brown. with border of
red. and resting on a corner of two
streets
"Ah, Manuel" l said fervently. "if
I were less American and more French
I would kiss thee"
Then your American blood has
saved your life" said he: 'begone!"
Eighteen miles-that was aIl-eight-
cen miles or this swift bay horse and
I would reach Valencia. would find
there the lovely Senorita. would take
her in my arms again, for she had
told me that her love for me had filed
her life. I would crush with passion
ate kisses the warm willing lips. I
would hear her call my name again.
and | would look into the purple
depths of her eyes and find there a
light of love.
The battle we had won had opened
up new vistas in my life. Because of
our love the Senorita Lamartina be-
longed to me. I could take her back
TO the land of moonlight that was nv
own. back to the fine sturdy gentleman
who was my father, and to the gra-
cious lady who was my mother. and
to Felice. the slim, exquisite little Sis
ter of mine. They would love her.
and she would make my country her
own.
entered Valencia from the south
west. and had no difficulty in finding
the mansion that had been the habit
tation of various governors. Nanuers
directions proved correct, for | found
the red-bordered house of brown that
was the home of the Sonora Ybarra
in front of which | dismounted. Civ
ing the reins into the keeping of a
grinning muchacho.
| touched very lightly the knocker
of the carved door, for did not know
what the place might hold for me.
That the Senorita was there deemed
sufficient. and was quite willing to
take my chances with anyone else. A
small brown woman opened the door
wide enough to give me careful exam
ination. then she loosed the chain and
let me in. The sight of my uniform
cleansed the fear from her dark eyes
and brought a smile of welcome to her
face. She spoke in a cautious whis-
ger: Have the men of Venezuela
taken over the city,"
AYE, Sonora"
Il am glad
Twill the Senorita Lamartina-?"
Now she was looking at my hair.
you'll be the Americana, Senior
Garde?"
nodded.
''She has spoken Of you; she has
said you would come-some day."
AYE, Sonora"
"But two officers of Spain are with
Ter; can you not hear their voices?''
I started down the wide hallway,
whence had come the murmur of con-
versation, but she put a hand on my
arm. "Wait, I would tell you One
is her brother, the lieutenant"
pS7"