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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1901)
1 (5 THE OMAHA DAILY BEE: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1. 1001. The By S. SimiIh of Preceding Cliniitera. Itamon Clnrcla, known n.i El Snrrla, hav ing been Induced to believe that his wife, Dolores, Ih unfaithful, slabs n village fon, Itnfnel Flores, whom ho finds presumably kissing Dolores through tho window. Ills estates nro confiscated ami he becomes a hunted man, At the name time n young Hcotch adventurer, Hollo Illalr, comes to Hpaln, nnd during in Inn quarrel Is aided by John Mortimer, an Englishman. The two start to vlflt Don Hnltasar, aunot of the mounutcry of Montblunch. Illnlr and Mortimer aro entertained lavishly by the abbot, and meet Ktlcnne Ht, Pierre, a French gallant who Is studying for holy orders. These three, with 121 Harrla. wni has found protection at tho monastery nro commissioned by the nhbot to capture th queen resent and her llttla dnuKhtcr In th: Interests of the church, Enrouto for the camp of Cabrera, the Cnrllst general, they pass tho homo of HI Snrrla, who learns that Dolores was not fnlsc to him nnd that his dnwnfnll was plotted by Mils Fernandez. Dolores Is Imprisoned In Luis' home nnd the on to whom oho has Just Riven birth Is "bout to In; burled allvo bv Luis' brother, Tomas. when El Rarrli falls upon him, Kl Harrln rescues his child nnd takes It to the Convent of tho Holy Innocents, where Conchas Is also staying. Then, aid d by Hollo Illalr and his companions, he cap tures Fernandez' homo and rescues his wife. Ulalr and his comrades, enptured by Oen tral Cabrera, cannot prove their sympathy with tho CarlUl cuuso becauso Ulalr was forced to leave his credentials at the con vent as security for Dolores. They nro sentenced to bu shot at daybreak. Conchas arrives from the convent with credentials, saves their lives and later Joins Iltalr's party In search of the queen regent. Tin. adventurers learn that tho queen regent's court at Man lldefenso has scattered be cause of tho black plague and Cardono nnd l.n Olraldo nro sent forward to reconnolter. CIIAI'TKIt XXVIII. With (lit (iiillnii of the North. Meanwhile wo must go over tho hill with Sergeant Cardono. Whntovcr his thoughts may liavo been as ho trudged up tho bar ren glens, acamed and torn with the winter ruins, no sign of them appeared upon his, sunburnt, weather-beaten fncc. Stealthily and swiftly, yet without haste, ho held his, way, his eyes fixed on tho ground as though perfectly suro of his road, llko a man on n. wcll-bcatcn track which ho has trod 1,000 times. For moro than nn hour he went on, up and ever up, till his feet crisped upon the first snows of l'cnalara and the hill ram-1 parts closed In. Hut wheu he had reached tho narrows of u certain gorgo ho looked ; keenly to cither side, marking tho e.n-1 trance. A pile of stones roughly heaped ono upon tho other fixed his attention. He wont up to them nnd attentively pcrsucd their structuro and arrangement, though they appeared to havo boon thrown to gether at random. Then ho nodded sagely twlco and passed on his wny. Tho glen continued to narrow overhead. Tho sunshlno was entirely shut out. The Jaws of tho prnclplco closed in upon tho wnyfarer bb If to crush him, but Sergeant Cardono advanced with tho stendy strldo of a mountaineer nnd tho aplomb of ono who h entirely suro of his reception. Suddenly through tho utter quiet there rang out, repeated and reduplicated, the loud roport of a rlllc. Tho hills gavo back tho challenge. A moment boforo tho dingy hcdrabbled snow nt Cardono's feet had been puffed upward in a whlto Jot, yet ho neither stopped nor took tho least notlco of this. Again enmo tho same startling challcngo out of tho vagno emptiness of spaco, tho bullet apparontly bursting llko a bomb amid tho wet snow. And again Cardono took nn much notlco ns If somo half dozen of village loungers had been playing ball among tho trees. Only when a third time tho whisk of thi bullet In tho snow, u yard or two to tho right, preceded tho sound of the shot Car dono shook his head and muttered: "Too long range. Tho fools ought to bo bsttfr taught than that." Then ho continued his trnmp steadily, neither looking to tho right nor to tho left. Whatover of uncertainty ns to his fate thn sergeant felt was rigidly concen'cd ard oven when a dozen men dropped suddonly upon htm from various rocky hiding places, he only shook them ott with n quick gesture of contempt nnd said something In n loud voice, which brought them ntl to n hn"t as If turned to stone by nn enchanter's tp I'. Tho men pntisod and looked at c,aeh oth n Thoy wcro all well armed and every nan had an open knlfo In his hand. Thy had been momentarily chocked by tho words of tho sergeant, but now they enmo on ngn n as throntt nlngly as before. Their dark long hair wns encircled by red handkerchiefs knotted about their brows, nnd In gen ra! thoy possessed teeth extraordinarily whit?, gleaming from tho duskiest of skins. Tho beady, sloo-blncJe eyes of tho sergeant were repeated In almost every face, ns well rs that lndoflnnblo somothlng which In all lands marks tho gyp3y face. "Who aro you? demanded a tall, grny hcaded gypsy, who llko tho Bergcant had remained apparently unarmed. "Whit Is your nnme nnd what is your right to lo here?" Tho sorgennt had by this tlmo nented hlm- Bolf on a detached boulder nnd was rolll'g a cigarette. Ho did not troubls to lok up as ho answered carelessly: "To tho Qltano my namo U Joao Maria of Ronda." Tho effect of his words was Instnnlnnccin Tho men who had been ready to 1111 him almost fell at his foot, though here nnd thero somo remained apparently uno.n Ylnccd. Prominent among thcao was tho elderly man who had put tho question to the ser geant. Without taking his eyes from thoso of tho Carllst Boldlcr, he oxclaimcd, "Our own Rreat Jose Marin you cannot be. for with thoso eyes I row him garrotted in tho Plaza Mnypr.of Salamanca!' The sergeant undid his stock and pointed to a blood-red band about his neck, In dented deeply Into tho skin, nnd more ap parent at the back nnd sides than In front "Qarrottcd In good faith I was In tho Plaza of Salmanncn, as this gentleman says," ho remarked with groat coolncsi. "Hut not to death. Tho exccutlonor was ns good n Oltnno as myself nnd removed tho splko which strikes Inward from tho back. So you sco I nm still Jose Maria of Honda in tho llcsh nnd uble to' strlko n blow for myself!" Tho gypsies set up n wild yell. Tho name. of tho most celebrated and moit lnwlesj of their raco stirred thcra to their souls. "Come with us," thoy cried, "wo arc here for tho greatest plunder ever taken or dreamed of among tho Homnny "Hush, I commnnd you," cried tho elder man,. "Jose Mnrln of Ronua this man may bo, but wo aro nitnnos ot tho north and need not a man from Andalusia to lead us oven If ho carry o scarlet cravat about his tiock for a credential!" It was clear to the sergeant that the old man was Jealous of his leadership, and ns ho himself was by no means desirous of taking part in n midnight raid against pinguo-strlcken town, he proceeded to mako it clear that ne was on nis way in nm own rnnntrv of Andalusia and had bean led i,in hv tho gypsy cryptograms he had nhaerved by the wnyildu and tho casual greeting of the crook-back imp of the vll lage. Unon this tho old man Fat down bfs'd Re-recant Cardono or, lis his new friend knew bltu to be, Jcee Martu, the brigand Firebrand. R. CROCKOTT. He did not talk about the Intended attack, as tho sergeant hoped he would. Ilelng Im pressed by the greatness of his guest ha entered Into n minute catalogue of tho captures he had made, the men ho hid slain, as recorded on tbc butt of his gun and on the haft of his knife, and of tho cargoes ho had ucccsfully run across the mountains or benched on tho sands of Catalonia. The Bergcant with grave courtesy reached him a well-rolled cigarette. "I have heard of your famo, brother," lie said, "even ut Honda and on tho Madrid Seville road your deeds arc not unknown. Hut what of this venture tonight? Have you enough men, think you, to overpower the town watchmen nnd the palace guards?" Tho old gypsy tossed his bony hands Into tho air with a gesture of Incomparable con tempt. "Tho p.tlacc guards are fled back to Madrid I" ho crlod. "And as to the town watch, they are either drunk or In thalr dotage." Singularly enough, after tho sergeant had shown tho scarlet mark of tho strangling ring about his neck no ono of nil that com pany doubted for a moment that ho was Indeed the thrice famous Joso Maria of Honda, Nono asked n question as to his whence or whither. Ho was Joao Maria and, therefore, entitled not only to ho taken at once Into the secrets of Egypt, but nlao, as It pleased him, to keep his own. And very desperate nnd bloody some of those were. In tho present Instance plunder and bloodshed wcro to proceed hand In hand. No quarter was to bo given to old or young. Tho plague-smitten Blck man and th watcher by the bed, tho woman feeding her fire of sticks under her puchoro, the chlU aelecp on Its pillow, the queen In tho palaco, tho princess In her nursery all wcro to dlo, quickly nnd suddenly. Tho sergeant sat nnd smoked ana in toncd ,,0 wn8 no stranger to such talk u wa8 tll0 wny of nlg ,joubiu profession of AndllIuBlnn milt and Cnrllst gucrlllero, to dovlso and cxecuto deeds of (error and death. Hut nothing so cold-blooded ns this had Joso Maria over Imagined. "Whoso Idea was all this?" ho asked at Inst. "I would give much to see tho Gltano who could devlso such a stroke." Tho grim smile on tho countcnanco of old Pepo of tho Klovcn Wounds grew yet more rjrlm. "No gypsy planned it and no man!" ho said scntcntlously. "Come hither, Chlca!" And out from among the listening throng enmo n girl of 13 or 11, dressed neatly and simply In a gray linen blouso belted at the waist with a leather belt. A gay plaid. striped of orange nnd crimson, hung neatly folded over her shouldor, and she rested her small sunburnt hand on tho silver hilt of a pistol. Dluck elf locks escaped from be ncath n red silk kerchief knotted saucily nftor the fashion of her companions. Dut her eyes Instead of being bendy and black, with that far-away contemplative look which characterizes tho children of Egypt, wcro bright nnd sunny nnd blue ns the Med iterranean itself In tho front of spring. Come hither, Chlca be not afraid," re pented old Pcpe of tho Elevon Wounds, 'this is a great man the greatest of all our race." "Tell tho noblo Don Jose who you ore, my pretty Chlca!" Hut tho child stamped her sandalled foot. It was Btlll whlto at tho instep, and the ser geant could sco by tho bluo veins that sho had not long gono barofoot. The marks of child either stolon for ransom or run away from homo owing to somo wild strain In the blood wero too obvious to be mis taken, Her liberty of movement nmong the gypsies mndo the latter supposition the moro probable. 'I am not pretty, Chlca, nnd I nm not lit tle," sho cried angrily. "I would havo you remember, Pcpe, that I made this plan, which the folk of Egypt arc to executo to night, Hut slnco this Is tho great brigand Don Joso of Ronda, who was executod at Salamancn, I will tell him nil about It.' Sho looked nbout at tho dark faces with which they wero surrounded "Thero nro new folk thcro," sho said; men I do not know. Hid them go away Elso I will not speak of myself, and I have much to sny to Don Joso." Pepo of the Eleven Wounds looked about him ami shook his head. His authority was not sufficient for this thing. Hut that of the sergeant was. Ho lifted his Montera cap and said: "I would converse a while with this maid on tho affairs of Egypt. Dut sho will not speak with so many ears about, It Is a woman's whim nnd such the wisest of us must sometimes humor." The gypsies smiled at tho gay wave of tho hand with which he uttoreed this truism nnd quickly betook themselves out ot oar Bhot In groups ot ten nnd a dozen. Cards wcro produced and In a tew minutes half n scoro of games wcro In progress at different points of tho qunrryllke caldron which formed tho outlaws' rendezvous, At once the humor of tho child changed "They obeyed you," sho laid. "I llko you for that. I mean to have many men obey mo wheu 1 grow up. Then I will kill many thouiands and thousands. Now can do nothing only I have it in my head here." Tho elf topped her forehead Immediately unndcrneath the red sash which was tied about' It, Tho sergeant, though eager to hor her story aiid marveling at such sen timents from n child, successfully con coaled his curiosity and said gently, "Tell mo how you came to think of tonight "What of tonight?" asked tho girl quickly ami suspiciously. 'The deed which is to be dono tonight!" replied the sergeant simply, as though ho wero acquainted with tho whole, Sho leaped forward and caught him by the arm. "You will stay and go with ub?" You will lead us?" sho hissed, her blue eyes ntlnmo and with trembling accents, "then, indoed, will I bo suro of my rovenge. Then tho Italian woman hor devil's brat shall not escapo. Then I shall bo suro sure!" She repeated her last words with con centrnted fury, apparently impossible to one of her age. Tho sergeant smoked quietly and observed her. Sho seemed ab solutcly transfigured. "Tell mo that you will," sho cried, low and tierce, bo that her voice should not reach the men arouud; "these will think ot nothing but plunder. As It rags and diamonds and gold wero worth venturing ono's llfo for! Dut I desire death death death, do you hear? To soe the Italian woman and hor paramour pleading for their lives, ono walling against the other on their knees. 0, I know them nnd tho brnt they call the little queen! Tonight they shall Ho dead under my hands with this with this!" And the girl floBhed a razor-keen b'ade out of her red waistband. She thrust It hilt forward, Into the sergeant's hand, as It in toKen or realty. "See," sho said, touching the edte lov ingly. "Is It not sharp? Will It not kill surely and swiftly? For monthj I havs sharpened It ah, and tonight will give me my dcelrel" It was tho sergeant's belief that tho girl was mud, nevertheless he watched ber with 1, I iibii.I n I n . .....II... .1.. - . . - I . I 1 uin uduui ijuiub Billlkiuy, mu iuvr VI nuiiu sho evidently felt. "why do I hate them? I sec the question on your Hps. Uccauso the Italian woman hath taken away my father and slain my mother slain ber as truly and with far sharper agony than eho shall know when I set this knife to her throat. I am the ! daughter of Munoz, and I swore revenge on the man and on the woman both when I closed my mother's oyes. My mother's heart was broken. Ah, you see she was weak not like me! It would take a hun dred Ilka the Neapolitan to break my heart, and as for tho man though ho were thrlco ray father, he should beg his life In vnln " Then she laid her hand once more en tha sergeant's arm. "You will lead us, will you not, Josj Marin?" sho said, pleadingly. "I can tru't you. Only you must leave these three In the palaco to me. If you will, you thatl havo also my share of tho plunder. Hut what do I say I know you arc too noblo to think only of that as these wolves do!" She cast a haughty glance around uron the gypsies at their card play. "I that am of Old Castile nnd noble by four descents havo demeaned myself to mix Ith Ottnnos," sho said, "but It has on'y been that I might work out my revenge. I told Pcpe thcro of my plan. I showed him tho way. Ho wno afraid, Ho told ten me.i "YOU WILL LEAD US, WILL YOU iiuw. mtij wero afraid. Fifty nnd they wore afraid. Now thero nro a hundred and mere, and were it not thnt they know thnt nil lies open and ungunrded, evon I could not lead them thither. Dut they will follow you because you are Joso Maria of Honda!" The sergeant took tho girl's hand in his, "Chlca," he said, " your wrongs nro In deed bitter. I would glvo much to help you set tho balanco right. Perhaps I may do no yet. Hut I cannot bo tho commander of theso men. They are not of my folk or country. Thoy havo not even asked mo tn cad them. They nro Jealous of mo! lou seo It as well as I!" "Ah," cried the girl, laying her hand again on his cuff. "That Is because thoy do not wish you to share their plunder. Dut toll them that you caro nothing for that and thoy will welcome you readily enough." The sergeant roso to his feet nnd looked compnasionately down nt tho vivid llttlo figure boforo him. In tho dopths of his heart, tho heart of n Spanish gypsy, thero was an Infinite sympathy for ono who takes up tho blood feud, who, In fnce of all diffi culties, swears tho vendetta. Hut thn slim arms, tho scarco, willowy body, tho llttlo white sandaled feet of tho llttlo glrlthcao overcame him with n pitifully amused sense of tho disproportion of means to end. 'Havo you no brother, senorltn?" ho said, using by instinct the title of respect which the little girl loved tho most. Sho saw his point in a moment. "A brother yes, Don Jose, Hut my brother Is a cur, a dog that eats offal. Pah! I spit upon him. Ho hath taken favors from the woman. He hath handled her money. He would clean tho shoes thoy lenvo ot their chamber door. A brother yes tho back of my hand to such brothers, Hut after tonight he shall hnve no offal to eat no bones thrown under tho tnblo to pick. For in one slaying I will kill tho Italian woman Cristlna, tho man Munoz who broke my mother's heart nnd the foisted changeling bratllng whom they mis- cnll tho daughter of Fordlnand and the lit tle queen of Spain." Sho subsided on a stono, dropped her head Into her hands and took no further notlco ot thu sergeant, who stood awhile with his hand resting on her shoulder In deep medi tation. Thero wns, ho thought, no moro to be said or done. Ho know nil thero wns to know. The men had not asked hlra to Join thorn, so ho would venture no further ques tions as to the tlmo nnd tho manner of at tack. Thoy were still Jealous of him with that easily aroused Jealousy of south nnd north, which In Spain divides even tho clan nish gypsy. Nevertheless ho went tho round of tho men. The men ns courtoousiy undo mm gooddny, preserving, however, a certain re spectful distance and adding nothing to the Information ho hnd nlroady obtained, Dut Chlca, seated on her stone, with her scarlet-bound head on her hand, neither looked up nor gave him any greeting ns his feet went slowly down tho rocky glen and crunched over the begrimed patches of lust year's snow, now moist and heavy with tho heat of noonday. CII.U'TKH XXIX. A Little Uui-oii ut Home. Meanwhile La Olralda, with ono compre hensive look back at the desolate farm house, drove her little flock before hci toward tho town gates of San Ildefonso Like a picture tho town roofs lay beneath ln tho sunshine, spire and loof garden, pigeon houso mul terrnco wak. Presently La Olralda found herself skirting the high-paled ironwork which confines tho palace. She pursued her way toward tho town, taking care, however, to look sharply about her so that she might miss nothing. Tho palace grounds seemed utterly de sorted. The fountains slept waterless. Not even a gardener was to be seen scratching weeds on a path or In tho dimmest dls Iahha . n I n . tA.ii.. nnn it 1. A itiinr I'a&iiug illinium iiv.uoi uuu v mv deep-shaded avenues. An unholy quiet seemed to have settled upon fho place, tho tnarvtd of Castile, the most elevated of earthly palaces, broken only by tho sombar tolling of the chapel bell, which would 'cease for five, minutes without apparent , reason and then, equally without cause, bo- , gin all over again its lugubrious chime. I As tho gypsy passed along a small shrill voice called upon her to ctop nnd from n sidewalk, concealed by roses and oleander bushes, lato flowering because of tho great eiovation, n richly iiressou ltttia girl catiiu running. Sho ran nt tho top of her speed toward the gilt railings, which towered high abovo her head. "Stop," she cried, imperiously; "I bid you Btop! I nm the queen and you must obey mo. I havo not seen anyone for five t Al tn3 lho llttlo girl danced with de days except stupid old Susnnn, who will bo light. after lae ln n moment. Stop, I tell you! n j0oke so easy I could do It myself, I 1 want to seo your goats milked. I love nm 8uro of It. I tell you, Susnnn, 1 will milk nnd they will not glvo mo enough, t0 it. stand still, cabrn! Do you not pretending that there Is nono within tho know that I am Isabella II, queen palace. As if a queen of Spain could not ) 0f nil the Spains?" havo nil tho milk sho wanted! Ridiculous!" Hut the she-goat, having no very strong Hy this tlmo tho llttlo girl had motintod thu pa-apct nnd was clinging with nil her might to the iron railings, whllo n fat, motherly person hnd waddled out of the underbrush ln search of her and with many exclamations of pretended nngcr nnd indlg- NOT, J SE MARIA?" SHE SAID, PLEADINGLY. "I CAN TRUST YOU." nation was endeavoring to cutlco her away, "My Lady Isabel, what would your noblo and royal mother say?" sha gasped, "to forgot all the counsels and commands of theso put in nuthorlty over you and run to tho railings to chatter with a gypsy wife! Go away, goathordoss, or I will call tho attendants and have you put In prison!" La Olralda had Btopped her flock, obedi ent to tho wishes ot tho llttlo maid, but now with a low courtesy to both she gath ered them together with her peculiar whlBt Ilng cry and prepared to continue her wny down Into tho village. Hut this thu little girl would In no wlso permit. Sho lot go tho Iron rail and with both hands clenched fell upon hor attend ant with concentrated fury. 'Had, wicked Susana," sho cried, "I will havo you whipped nnd sent nbout your business. Nay, I myself will beat you. I will kill you, you hear? I havo had noth ing or no ono to play with for a week not n gardoner not a dog not even n soldier on guard to saluto mo or let mo examine his sword-bayonet. And now, when this dear, this sweet old Bcnorn comes by with her lovely, lovely goats, you must perforce try to pull mo off as If I wero a vlllngp child that had played truant from the monk's school nnd must bo birched for Its fnult!" All tho while sho was speaking tho young princess directed a shower of harmless blows at tho skirts of her attendant, which tho Donn Susana laughingly warded off, begging all tho while for pity and Instanc ing tho direct commands of tho llttlo girl's mother, apparently n very exalted pcrson oge, Indeed, ns a reason for her Interfer ence. nut Isabel of Spain was not bo to ap peased, and presently sho had recourse to tears In tho midst of her fury. "You hate me I know you do that la what It means," she cried, "you would not havo me happy oven for a moment, nut one day I shnll bo queen and do rb I llko. And I shall throw you Into a dungeon with nothing but mice nnd rate and serpents and eontlnedcs yes. nnd snails tliat lenvo a whlto Bllmy trail over you whon thoy crawl! And I shall havo your hands tied, bo mat you shall not be ablo to brush them off evon when they tickle your neck. Yes I will, Susana! I swear it, nnd I am growing big so big! And soon I shall bo old enough to havo you put In prison with the mlco and snails bad Susana! Oh, wicked Su Bana!" Niw. whether theso childish tnrcais nc- tnnllv hnd somo effect or whether tho old lady was ob softhearted as her comfortable appearance denoted, but certain it Is that sho took a key from ber pocuei ami puaBeu It through the tall gilt railing to L,a Olralda. . . Go down 100 yards or so," sho said, and there you will find a gate. Open it witn that key and bring over your animals to the little pavilion among the trees by tho foun tain." Slowly and with the meekest dignity La Olrnlda did as sho was" blddun. She found tho little gate, which Indeed proved so nar row that she could not get her donkoy to pubs through with his great burdens of fag- cots. Hut as those wcro not ni an ncay, La Olrnlda herself detnehed them and lay ing them carefully within the railings sho unhnltered the patient benst nnd tying him only with a cord nbout his neck left hlra a generous freedom of browsing upon tho royal grass plots and undergrowth. In a few moments after they had reached tho pavilion the princess camo shouting back. She was certainly n most Jovial little porson, full Spanish at all points, with great dark eyes and cheeks apple-red with good health nnd tho sharp airs of the Ouarar rama. Dona Susana had walked a llttlo In front of La Olralda and her flock, to show the superiority of her position, and also, it may be, to display tho amplitude of her sv eral chins by holding thero in tho air Ic u I As most of these had fled at tho first In mauner as becoming as dignified. 1 vsslon of tho cholera the windows were Milk them! Milk them quickly! Let mo . .... I I , V. .. .l.,n.. ...... ,1m, 1 f-1 a tl cf t O Itlfl nrr tuu fit iuvm buuiiicui v..Bi..r . pnlls together. The walls of tho pavilion m which La Olralda found herself wcro decorated with every kind of household utensils, but not such as had ever heen used practically. At least, so it appeared to La olralda, who, much Impressed by tho mag- nlflccneo of the Installation, would promptly have driven her goats out again. Hut this tho llttlo Isabel would by no means permit. "Hero here!" sho commanded, "this is mine my very own. My mother has n dairy I hnve n kitchen. Milk tho goats here, I command you nowhere but here'." And, thrusting the bucket Into tho old woman's hand, sho watched carefully ami eagerly ns Ln Olralda pressed tho milk i downward In hissing streams. monarchical sentiments or perhaps being Inclined to Carllst opinions, ns soon ns she felt tho grip of unaccustomed fingers promptly kicked over ln tho dust tho queen ot all tho Spatns. Tho llttlo girl had not time to gather herself up or even to emit the lusty howl of disappointment nnd nngor which hovered upon her llpn before her attendant rushed at hor with pitiful cries. "Oh, tho wicked goat! Tho dovll-pos-sossed emblem of satan! Let It bo slalnl Did not your poor Susnnn warn you to havo nothing to do with such evil things? thus to overturn ln tho dust tho bojt, tho sweetest, tho noblest of princesses!" Dut tho best nnw sweetest of prlnccssos having violent objections to being gathorcd up Into tho capacious embrace of her nurse, especially beforo company, vigorously objected ln much tho same manner as tho goat had dono and nt last compelled Dona Susann to deposit her once moro on tho paved floor of tho mlnaturo kitchen. Hav ing arrived ln which place, her anger ap peared to have completely vanished, for a tankard of rich warm goat's milk was handed to her by La Olralda and ln this flowing bowl sho soon forgot nil hor woes, "You must como down to tho palnco nnd bo paid," said tho llttlo girl; "wo aro most of us very hungry there, nnd thoso who nro not hungry nro thirsty. Tho wagons from Madrid havo been stopped on tho way nnd nil the guards havo gone to bring thorn back!" At this Dona Susana looked quickly across to tho old goathordess and slgnalod that tho llttel princess wns not to be in formed of anything sho might happen to know, "You hnvo been in tho town, I trust," said Dona Susana. La Olralda doclcrod that sho had como directly from her farm on the mountain side, as, lndcod, they themselves had seen her do. Satisfied of her voracity, Dona Susana led thu way toward the palaco of La Grnnja. When they nrrlved at the palaco front tho doors stood wide open. At Dona Susana's call an ancient major-domo nppearod, his well developed waistcoat mating 111 with the pair ot shrunk and spindle shanks which nppenrcd beneath. It wns not long beforo La Glralda had milked the remainder of tho flock and sent tho remaining whlto pitchers Into the pal aco, Llttlo Isabella danced with delight ns ono r.fter nnother csenped with Infinite tall wagging nnd bleatlugs of p!eisure. And In tho dearth of tho othor nmusenicnt sho desired nnd oven commanded the old woman to remain and pasture her herd within tho precincts of tho palace. Hut La Glralda had much yet to do, Sho must find out tho stnto nnd disposition ot the town of San lldefenso nnd then rojoln hor companions In tho llttlo corrlo or cauldron llko "cirque," In which sho nnd tho ser geant had left Hollo and the other mem bers of tho expedition. So after tho small nnd imperious royal maid had been carrlod screaming nnd bat tling upstairs by Dona Susana mid tho globular major-domo, Ln Glraldo, richly reworded In golden coin of tho realm and with nil the requisite Information as to tho palaco, betook herself back to tho goto by which sho had loft the oss. This sho loaded again nnd driving It beforo her rq traced hor steps past tho corner ot tho palace and so to the porter's lodge by tho great gate. Hore sho was presently ushered out by a mumbling old woman, who informed her that her husband and son hnd both gono to Madrid with tho troops, hut would un doubtedly retura ln an hour or two, a stato ment which, with her superior information, the old gypsy took leave to doubt. Tho town of San Ildefonso lay ben oath the chateau and to her right as La Olralda Issued from the gates, Tho houses wero of an aspect at onco grave and cheerful They bad mostly been built to accommodate the hordes of courtiers and their syltes, who In the summer months followed tho royal personages over tho mountains from Madrid closely ibut up and upon several ot the dosed doors appeared the fatal black nn 1 whlto notices ut the municipality, whkb Indicated that thero either was or had been a case of the plague within the Infected walls, A city watchman with n pipe In his mouth looked drowsily und frowslly out of the town hall. Ho wns retreating again to his settle when it suddenly struck hint that this intruder had paid no duty upon her milk nnd flrowood. So, laying nsldo his pipe nnd seizing his halbert nnd cocked hnt, he salllled grumb Ingly forth to Intercept the bold contra vencr of municipal dues, Hut the nctlvo limbs of tho old gypsy led tho party out of tho vlllngo gnto beforo tho man In nu thorlty could overtake Ln Olralda. So long had she occupied In her various ndventurcs that the evening shadows wero already lengthening when she returned In tho corrlo where the party hnd spent, In restful Indo lence, the burden nnd heat of tho day. Tho sergennt, had not yet arrived, nnd Ln Olralda delnyed her story till ho should give her leave to speak. In the meantime sho busied herself with Conchn's help in preparing tho evening meal, ns quick upon her legs ns If sho hnd dono nothing but lounge In the shade nil day. it wns almost sundown when tho sergennt came In, dropping unannounced over the precipice ns If fiom the clouds. "Wo must bo ln Ln Oraiiju In two hours If wo nro to Bnvo n soul within Us walls," he said, "but we have nn hour for dinner first. Therefore let us dine. God knows when wo shall tnste food ognln!" And with this dictum John Mortimer heartily agreed. CIIAI'TKIt .XX. I'ultu-i' lliirulurn, Tho startling announcement of tho ser gennt nt once set tho whole pnrty In mo tion. Their suspicions of the morning were enst to tho winds ns tho sorgennt and Lo Olrnlda ln turn related their ndventurcs. Concha, having formerly vouched so strongly for the old gypsy woman, nedded triumphantly across to Hollo, who on his pnrt listened Intently. As Sergennt Car dono proceeded forward, breathing deeply nnd regulnrly. Tho expression on his face was that of n fierce nnd keen resolution. The sergeant told nil tho tale as It had happened, tcservlng only tho Identification of himself with tho famous Joso Mnrln of Ronda, which tho gypslen hail mndo on the strength of tho red mark nbout his neck, now onco more concealed under his mili tary stock. Then In her turn La Olrnlda told of her visit to the pavilion, of tho little queen, pnsslonntc, Joyous, kindly natured, abso lutely Spanish, till the hearts ot her hear ers melted to tho title. "Our orders are to capture her nnd her mother, tho regent," snld Hollo, thought fully. "It would therefore servo our pur pose but ill if wo permitted theso two to bo sncrlficcd to tho bloodthirsty fury of n mob of plunderers!" "Then tho sooner we find ourselves within tho gates tho moro chaneo wo shall have of saving them both!" said tho sergeant. "Serve out the puchcro, Lit Glralda!' Concha had taken no part in tho discus sion, nut sho had listened with nil hor ears nnd now ln the p'tuso that followed eho declared her unalterable Intention of making one of tho party. In his heart and though ho made several objections, Hollo wns glad enough to give way. For with all tho unknown dangera of the night beforo them nnd tho certainty of bloodshed, when tho gypsies should at tack, ho relished btlll less tho thought of leaving Concha nlone lu that pit on tho chill side of Gundnrnma, "I promised you, colonel, tho maid will bo worth her billet," said tho sergeant, "or elso sho is no truo Andaluso. To such a ono ln old days I hnyo often trusted " Thus fnr Cnrdono Jind proceeded, whon suddenly ho broke off his rcmlnisccnco nnd with n pntcrnnl gesturo patted Concha's arm as sho was bending over to transfer a second helping ot tho puchero to his dish. Tho party was now ln excellent march lnc order, well provisioned, woll foJ, rested and provided with the best and most recent Information. Even Johu Mortimer's slow English blood developed somo latent Puritanic flro nnd ho sold, "llnng mo u I do not fight for tho llttlo girl who wns willing to pay for tho wholo of tho goat milk!" Tho nlnht wns so dork that It was re solved that tho party should leavo their horses behind them In tho stables of thu deserted farm. They could then proccou tho rest of tho way on foot moro softly ami with moro safety lo themselves. So It camo to nans thnt onco moro horse shoe Iron clattered nnd thcro was a flash ing of lights nnd n noise of voices about the lonely nnd stricken farmhouse. Now as soon ns Sergeant Cardono re turned he placed himself as cnmplotoly ns formerly under the orders of Rollo. Ho wns no moro Joso Mnrln, the famous gypsy, but Sergennt Cnrdono of tho nrmy of II. M. Cnrlos IJillnto, nnd Bcuor koiio was his colonel. Like n good scout, ho wtis ready to advlso, but to tho full as ready to hold his tonguo and oboy. Dut Rollo, though now to his prs'tlon, was not nbove benefiting continually by his wisdom, and as a matter of fact It was tho sergeant who, In conjunction with La Olrnlda, led tho llttlo expedition down the perilous goat track, by which tho old gypsy had followod hor flock ln tho morning. As usual, Concha kept her placo bolide Polio, with Mortimer and Etlcnno a llttlo behind, whllo El Sarrla, taciturn nnd alert, brought up the rear. They now drew near to the pilaco wuicn, as one descends tho mountains, li ap proached first. Tho town of San Ildorenio lay further to tho right, on indlitlnuUh- able mass of heaped roors ana turrets, without a light or tho vcstlgo or a stro i apparent ln tho gloom. The briefest ook nround convinced noun that it would bo Impossible for so Bmnll a party to hold tho long rango of Iron pali sades which surroundud tho palace. Thy must hold La Grnnja Itaolf, thnt wns clear There rcinnlncd, therefore, only the prob lem of finding entranco for thomsclvis. netween tho porter s Iodgo and tho grea: gates nenr tho colleglnto thoy discovered n Indder left somowat carelessly against tho wall whero whitewashing had been go ing on during tho day. This they nt onco npproprlnted, nnd Hollo nnd tho Bcrgcnnt, being tho two most nglle If tho company, prcpnrcd to mount. If tho tlmo hnd been less critlcn! nnd a disinterested observer hnd boen avallablo It would at this moment have been In' or estlng to observe tho demeanor of Concha. Feeling that In a manner she wa present on surrcrnnco, sno count not, ot cours , make any objection to tho p'nn of osca'ado, THE I axil MATH nor could she offer to nc'onipnny Rollo nnl tho sergeant, hut with clasped hands .itul tightly compressed llp she stood In ninth repenting under her breath qubk 1. 1 tend ing paryers for the snftey of one iov bih) of the adventurers, Tho ladder was reared ngnl'nt the eilt Iron railing nud Rollo mounted, limiv II ntely dropping lightly down on the fur ther side. Tho sergeant followed nud presently both wero on tho ground. At a word from Hollo, El Snrrla pushed tho ladder over nnd the two received It nnd In Id It nlong tho pnrapet, In n plnee whero It would remain completely hidden till wntited. Then tho two moved off together In tho direction of the porter's lodge, nt the door of which the sergennt knocked lightly nud then, obtaining no answer, with more ve hemence. A window wns lifted nnd n frightened voice asked who enmo there nt that time of night. The sergeant answered with some shnrp ness that thoy wished for tho key of tho grent gate. Upon this the same old woman who had ushered out La Olrnlda nppenrcd trembling nt tho lattice and was but little relieved when tho sergennt. putting on his most serious air, Informed her that her llfo wns in the utmost dnr.ger nnd Hint Mio must Instnnlly como down stnlrs, open tho gate atul nccompntiy them to tho palace. "I knew It," quavered the old woman, "I knew It slnco ever my husband went away with tho soldiers nnd left mo hero nlone. I shall bo murdered nmong you und my blood shall ho on his hnmls." "Come down Immediately and let us In, my good woman," said tho sergeant sooth ingly. "Hut how nm I to know that you nro not tho very rogues nud thieves of whom 5 on tell?" persisted tho old lady, with somo show of reason. "Well," said tho sergeant, forbenrlngly, "ns to thnt you must trust us, mothor. It Is tho best you run do. Hut fear noth ing: wo will treat you gently as a cut her kitten nnd you will como up to tho palaco with us to show us In whilt part of It dwells the queen nud her daughter." "Nny, not If it be to do hnrm to my lady nnd tho sweet llttlo mnld, who this very dny brought a pall of milk to poor old Rebecca, tho portress, whoso husband hnd forsnken her for a porkshop trull. I would dlo rather." In a few moments tho woman could be heard sillily nnd grumblingly descending the stnlrs, the door wns opened nnd He beccn nppenrcd with the key In her hand. "How many nre there of your pnrty''" she nsked, her poor hnnd shaking so thnt she could scarcely fit the key In the lock, and her volco snnk to n quavering whisper. "There nro five men of us nnd two women," snld the sergennt, quickly. "Now wo nre nil within, pray glvo mo the key 'and show us the road to tho queen's apart ments." "Two women," grumbled tho good crea ture, whoso mind nppenrcd to bo somewhat unhinged; "that will never suit her royul highness cspeclnlly If they nro young nnd well looking. Sho loves not such nny moro than I lovn the hussy of tho pork shop. And. indeed, my man hnd not tho roving cyo In bin head ns her Scnor Munoz hath ah, the saints havo mercy on nil poor, de serted women! Hut what nm I snylng? If the Lndy Crlstlnn heard mo speak 111 ot him, sho would set my poor old neck In tho gnrrote. Then crack all would bo over." Hy this time Concha nud Ln Olrnlda had taken tho trembling portress by the nrms and wero bringing her nlong ln the van, whispering comfort In her ears nil tho wny. Tho sergeant nnd Hollo camo next with Mortimer and Etlenno behind, n naked blado In tho hand of each, for Rollo had whispered the word to draw swords. This, however, El Sarrla Interpreted to mean bin faithful Manchegnn knife, to which ho trusted moro than to nny sword of Toledo thnt ever wan forged. They wont swiftly around tho nnglo of tho pnlnco, their feet mnklng no sound on thn elenn, delicious award of tho lawns, which makes tho place such a marvel In tho midst of tawny, dusty, burnt-up Spain. In n brief spaco tho party nrrlved unnoted nnil unchecked under tho wnll of tho northern part. Lights still burned In two or three win dows on tho second floor, though nil wns dark on tho faco which tho pnlnco turned toward tho south nnd the town ot Snn Ildcfen&o. "Theso nro tho windows of the rnonm occupied by my lndy, the queen regent," whispered tho portress, Rcbeccn, pointing tipwnrd, "but promlso mo to commit no murder nor do nny hurt to tho little mnld." "Uo qulut, woman," muttered Hollo, moro roughly thnn was his wont; "wo nro como to Bavo both of them from worse than death. Sergennt Cordono. bring tho ladder." Tho sergeant dlsnppcnrcd, nnd it was not mnny seconds boforo ho wns back ngnlu ndjustlng Its hooks to tho sldo ot nn iron balcony In front of ono of tho lighted rooms. Almost before he had finished Rollo would havo mounted Impetuously, ns wns his custom, but the sergennt held him back by the arm. "I crave your forglvoncBS," ho whispered, "but If you will pardon mo saying ho, I havo much moro oxperlenco In such mnt ters thnn you. Permit mo In this single cso to precede you! Wo know not whnt wo may moot with abovo!" Novcrtholess, though tho sergonnt mounted first, Hollo followed so cloBely that his hands upon tho rounds'of tho ladder were moro thnn onco In danger of being trodden upon by tho sergeant's half-boots. Presently they Blood together on tho Iron bnlcuny nnd looked within, A tall, dnrlc man leuned ugnlnst tho mantelpiece In dolently stroking his glossy black whiskers. A lady, nrrnyed In a dressing gown of pink Bilk, reaching to hor feet, was seated on n chair and submitting restlessly to tho hands of her mnld, who wns nrrauglng hor hnlr for thu night In tho intervnls of a violent but soinewhnt one-sided qunrrol which wns proceeding between the pair Every few moments thn lndy would stnrt from her scat and with her eyes flashing firo she would ndvnnco townrd tho Indolent dandy by tho mantulplcco oh It with pur pose of violent ussnult. All tho while tho gontlcmnn said no word, but wati'hcd tho development of tho scene with tho utmost composure. What the end would hnvo been It Is dllllcult to prophesy, for tho sorgennt, realizing that tlmo was passing quickly, produced nn Instrument with a broad flat blado bent nt an ncuto angle to tho hnndlo nnd Inserting It shnrply Into tho crnck of tho French window oponod It with n click which must havo been distinctly audible within even In the height of tho lady's nr gumcnt. (To Ho Continued.) BEST MEDICINE When in doubt as to tho boat modlolno to stronijthon your weak stomach or to restore your nppotllo, you wlllmiika no mlstnko in Holeotlnt?. Hostetter's Stomach Bitters. It hns it record of fifty years of cures bnalc of it, and will not disappoint you. It tone up tho system, steadlo. lho nnd purified tho blood, and for Heartburn. Belching, Headache, Sleeplessness, Indigestion or Dyspepsia, it is unequalled. Trylt. Tho tfimiilno must havo Our l'rlviito Dlo Stamp norvo;ovor tho neok of tho bottle