Iff
THE OMAHA DAILY JJEJE: SUNDAY, OCTOBETl H, ujut.
The
Dy
Synopsis of Preceding Chapter"
Tlamon Onrcla. known as Kl Sarrla, hav
Ing been Induced to believe that his wife,
Dolores, Is unfaithful, slabs a village fop,
ltafai-1 Klores. whom he finds presumably
kissing Dolores through the window. His
estates nre tonflJcated and he becomes a
hunted man. At the ame time u young
Hcotch nd venturer, Hollo Hlalr, comes to
Spain, and during in Inn rju-irrel Is a "Jed
by John Mortimer, an Kr.gllrhman, fne
two start to visit Don Haltasar, aunot or
the monastery of Montblanch. nialr arid
Mortimer are entertained lavishly by the
abbot, and meet Kllenne St. rlirrc. a
French gallant who Is studying tor holy
orders, 'ihefr thrte, with LI Sarrla. wn
has four.d protection at the monastery, are
comtnlshloncd by the abbot to capture, the
queen recent and her little daughter In the
Interests of the church. Knronle fpr the
camp of Cabrera, tho Carllst general, they
pass the home of i:i Barrla, who learns that
Dolores was not false to him and that his
downfall was plotted by Luis Fernandez.
Dolores Is Imprisoned In Luis' homo and the
son to whom sho has Just given birth Is
about to be burled alive by Luis' brother,
Tomns. when Kl Barrla falls upon him.
Kl Harrla rescues his child and takes It to
the Convent of the Holy Innocents, where
Concha Is also staying. Then, aided by
Hollo Hlalr and hlr companions, he cap
tures Fernandti' home and rescues hit wife.
Hlalr and his comrades, cantured by Gen
eral Cabrera, cannot prove their sympathy
with the Carllat cause because Hlalr was
forced to leave his credentials at the eon
vent as security for Dniort-s. They ate
sentenced to be shot at daybreak 'on-na
arrives from tho convent with credentials,
nave their lives and later joins Blalrs
party In search of the queen regent. Thy
adventurers Wnrri that the iiuceti regent s
court at Man lldefensn has scattered be
cayie of the black plague arid Caruono and
I.n Olralda are lent forward to rconnntT
They learn that a band of gypsies are plan
ning to raid the castle, rind Hollo hastens
to the rescue tit th ront party. Hollo arid
party barrlcjdc the palace, res si th
Kypslcs, who succeed, however. In cap
turlnr thi- I'rlt.cess Isabel Hollo rescues
Isabel and starts with her for the hermit
ugi which Is threatened by gypsy brigands,
and bodies of plagu'; victims arc posted as
sentinels, Hollo, aided by Concha, restores
the princess to the iiuecn, and Is betrothed
to Concha,
(Copyright, 1901. B. B. McClure Co.)
CirAITI'.lt M,. (Con till iM.-d.)
And tho girl stood before him almost
era his voice bad ceased to echo alone the
corridors. Silent she waited his pleasure.
For this time It was not Hollo, upon whose
love for her tho new sun had risen, who
bad called her, but Colonel Hollo Hlalr, the
chief of the expedition of which sho was an
Insignificant part
"You are armed?" he queried, as she fol
lowed him within the door, and her quick
eyes took In the scene.
The girl nodded a little resentfully.
Surely It was a superfluous question. An
Andaluslan maiden, whose lover's llfo Is In
danger every hour, always gees armed.
"Then," said Hollo, firmly, "you will ac
company this gentleman to tho apartments
of tho queen regent. You will permit htm
ten minutes' private conversation with her
majesty lu your presence. You will then
accompany him back. During his absence
ho Is not to lay his hand upon auy weapon,
have any personal contact with the queen
or open any drawer, cabinet or case of
arras. Also, be Is to return with you as
soon as you Inform blrn that the time al
lotted Is at an end. Here Is my watcbl"
"And If the tenor should rcfuso to comply
with any of these demands?" suggested
Concha.
"He will not refuse," answered Hollo,
"but If the thing should happen, why, you
havo full discretion. You understand?"
Concha nodded, and her Hps, ordinarily
so sweet and yielding, firmed themselves
with determination. She understood. So
did Munoz.
"You do not need to say more," she said,
clearly, "I am an Andaluslan!"
Hollo turned to Muuoz.
"You have heard," he said, "treachory
will do you no good and may. Indeed, sud
denly deprive her reigning majesty of tho
Inestimable conoolatlon of your companion
ship. Ho good enough to accompany thin
young lady, sir. In ten minutes I shall
expect your roturn with n favorable answer.
Permit them to pass, Don Hamon!"
Hut tho consort of Queen Hcgent Maria
Cbrlstlua fingered his chin uncertainly
without moving and Hollo's brow darkened
ominously, whllo tho sergeant began to
look hopeful, Neither wore In the mood
to put up calmly with any refusal or hesi
tation. "I am quite willing nay, oven anxious to
oblige you," said Munoz. "I would gladly
undertake the commission, but I"
Ho stopped as If searching for words,
till, 'however, rubbing his chin.
"HUt what?" thundered Hollo. Tho blood
of tho fighting Hlalrs was rising.
"Well, to put the matter plainly, I have
Buvof appeared beforo her majesty In this
Condition beforo. You would not have rno
jo as I am?"
"In what condition?" cried the Scot In
great astonishment.
"Unshaven and with my hair undressed.
That Idiot thera (pointing to tho trembling
valet) split tho water Just when you came
In."
"Nay." "laughed Tlollo, much relieved that
there wast to hi) no sbeddlpg of blood, "In
deed you must forgive him "for that. Kl
Barrla there Is entirely to blame. And on
this occasion I trust that her most Catholic
majesty will pardon the Informality of your
appearance. You can point out to her us
the ambassador of others who were some
what ovcreaniest In persuading you. 1
am siiro that my two friends hern will
short with in i) the very serious responsibil
ity of your unshaven chin."
"That 1 shall not fall to represent to hur
majesty," said tho duke, bowing Iraperturb
ably. And without any further objections ho
went out, followed by Concha. And that
young woman, with all that weight of re
sponsibility, swelling In pride under the
crossed folds of her rebozo, did not vouch
safe; even so ration an a glance at Hollo
but i assrd her commanding otllcer with
eyes like thono of a rear-rank man on pa
rade, fixed Immovably on the broad back
of Senor Muuoz. As soon as llioy were
alone, however, she moved up" alongside,
flngorlng her pistol butt significantly. Tor
this little Concha was quite resolved to use
her discretion to the uttermost, should any
treachery be Intended aye, or even tho ap
pearance of It.
During their ubauuee the remaining quur
let In tho chamber of Don Fernando Munoz
jbold their ground without a went of mutual
converse. Hollo stared out of tho window
nd listened to the Hlancilnp; of doors and
tbo far-away murmur of voices In the di
rection of the royal apartments.
, In. a straining silence, acute, nlmobt to
breaking point, .thoy waited. , Y,et some
thine of the epic's argument came to thorn
even at that distance a shrill woman's
voice vehemently debating, then a
bass, mutter of maicullno nrgument, a quick
stamp, distinctly feminine, upon tho floor,
then tho ulummlng of a door und im the
bark of that the sound of returning foot
steps. "The queen refuses to receive you,, I am
sorry to Inform you, grntlcmeu," snld the
duke. "That 1 did my best, this woman
will hear mo witness, nut having hud no
opportunity of private conference with her
1
8
Firebrand.
S. R. CROCKETT.
majesty I was unable (as, Indeed, I antici
pated), to effect anything to the purpose,"
Hollo turned to Concha without wasting
words on bis former ambassador.
"Hcturn to the queen's chamber," he said,
"and Inform her majesty that we will wait
her pleasure here for another ten mlnurs.
And, If by the end of that time e are not
honored by a visit from her majesty, we
shall most reluctantly and with all respect
be compelled to shoot Senor Fernando
Munoz, whoso person we hold as a hostage
for her majesty's complaisance In the affair
we have undertaken. We can wasto no
more lime."
Concha's lips became more rigid than
ever. They looked as It they never would,
should or could be kltscd. Juno herself,
passing sentence upon the partner of great
Jove's latest transgression, could not havo
appeared more Inflexibly stern.
Hut hc only saluted, turned on her heel
like a drill sergeant, and marched out by
the side door.
In thteo trying circumstances tbo duke
of Hlanzares showed an unexpected and
wholly admirable calm. He leaned against
the mantelpiece, glanced once at the or
mulu timepiece with the address of a Paris
maker below the winding boles and fell
again to fingering his unshaven chin. He
then turned quickly toward the trembling
valet, who regarded him with eyes which
teemed to apologize for such unprecedented
circumstances.
"There would havo been time to shave
me, even yet," he said, "only that you were
fool enough to spill the shaving water."
Then, as If relinquishing hope, he sighed
again and fell listlessly to regarding him
telf Id tbo mirror.
The sergeant muttered to himself once
or twice, as It making mental note of an
Important tact which be desired to remem
ber. "All dandles are not cowards!" was
what he web saying.
CIIAl'TUft XLI.
Hollo t'srs n Little IVraunnton.
Five, six, seven, eight of the ten slow
minutes passed away and beyond a glance
at the clock and a more absorbing Interest
In the furze on his chin Senor Munoz had
not moved. The seconds hand upon the
clock on the mantel shelf was crawling
round lta miniature dial for the ninth time
with vast apparent deliberation when a
noise van heard from tho direction of the
quern's apartments.
Tbero was a rapid gabble of tongues, a
scurry of footsteps, the hissing rustle of
ttlff sllk:n skirts along narrow passages
and a voice which exclaimed more and more
shrilly: "The murderers! Tho cowards!
Surely they will never daro! Have thev
forgotten that I am queen."
And with these words Maria Christina of
Naples burst like a whirlwind Into the
room. Her long black hair streamed down
her back. Her little daughter followed, a
comb still In the band with which she had
been struggling to take the place of Dona
Susana, wbo, as beforo related, had gono
to visit her relations.
After these two Concha followed, In ap
pearance calm and placid as the windless
Mediterranean on a day of winter.
Upon bis mistress's entrance the duke
threw himself upon one kneo. The rest of
tbo company bowed with grace or awkward
uvib, according to their several abilities,
but tho queen regent did not heed them.
She flew Instantly to her husband and
raised him In her arum.
"Fernando!" she cried, "what Is this I
hoar? Did they threaten to kill you If I do
not grant them an Interview? Well, hero
I am Ixit them slay me Instead. What
havo you to say to me, gentlemen and
cowards? Whut 1 have to say to you is
that I hope you may not live to repent hav
ing used nuch compulsion with a woman
and a queen!"
Hollo bowed again very low, and was
about to speak when tho queen Interrupted.
"And as for this hussy," she cried, turn
ing upon Concha, "if I bad my way she
should bo Indicted for witchcraft and burnt
alive at the stake, as In the good times of
tho holy office! Yet you, Fernando, for
whom I dally risk my life, you defended
her yes, defended her to ray very face!"
"Heloved and must honored," said tho
duke, soothingly, "I did but Bilggest that
It would be hotter to convert the girl to
make n good Christian of her"
"Yes yes," cried the queen, stamping her
foot, "but did you not add that In that case
you would like to ho her father confessor?"
"Certainly I did not, most gracious one,"
answered her husband, soothingly. "You
mistook my meaning. All that I ald was
no more than that many might be anxious
to obtain tho office of father confessor, be
In?, ai It were, career to take tho credit for
the restoration of so notable a penitent."
Hut Hollo had email patience with the
bickerings of royal lovers at such n time,
"I must crave your niajcsty'e strict and
Instant attention," he said, suddenly drop
plug all ceremony. "I will only detain you
for a moment, If, as I anticipate, I recelvo
your consent to what I have tho honor of
proposing to you."
At once thu Jealous woman froze Into a
queen and fronted tho young man with a
haughty stare.
"Your majesty," he began, "I do not
dwell upon their services of tho pant night.
They aro known to you. Had It not beon
for my frlcndB It Is probable that no ono cf
your party would at this moment havo been
left alive. .Vow, tbo day is passing and
you nre no safer than you were last night
It Is necessary, therefore, that you put
yournclf unreservedly under the escort and
protection of myself ond frlendi. Wo
must leave La (Iranja at once."
"Never!" cried Maria Christina, fiercely.
"Am I, tho queen regent of Spain, to be
tbuj badgered and commanded? I havo
novcr suffered It slnco I left my fathcr'a
home at Naples! A boy and a foreigner
shall not be the first. My royal guards
wilt assuredly bo hero In an hour at tho
latest. Tho roads will bo cleared and as
for you you ahull all bo safe In prison
ccllu, where, for your Insolence you ought
to bo lying this moment!"
"Then," snld Hollo, gravely, "I deeply
regret thnt I nm obliged to into tho only
means that are open to me to fulfil my
orders and to Induco your highness to place
herself in safety,"
"And, pray," cried Maria Christina, In
dlgnnntly, "from whom can you have orders
to place, a queen of Spain In restraint?"
In a moment Rollo realized that It was
Impossible for him to rnveal his position as
an oillcer of tho Carllst armies, but a for
tunate remembrance of some words dropped
ome wi
nra In
by tho .Abbot of Montbla
stantly gave
him his cue.
"I act," ho said, calmly, "under the Im
mediate direction of the holy father him
self at whose feet, In the Vatican at Home,
you shall one day kneel to ask pardon for
your Bins."
This unexpected reply seemed to agitate
tho queen regont, who, though forced to
create herself a party out of tho men of
liberal opinions In her realm, was at heart
like att the Bourbons, a convinced and even
bigoted religionary. Hut Munoz, who had
hitherto been silent, stooped and whispered
something In her car.
"How am I to be eonvlnccd of that''' she
cried, turning on him fiercely. "1 will riot been fed and watered. Cloaks had been un
believe It, even from you!" , strapped nnd laid on piles, of straw for the
"1 regret." sold Hollo, "that your high- I ladles to rest upon that Is. for her
eoi must be compelled to bellevo It. I'ray
do mo tho honor of following my argument
The boly lather Judges It necessary for
the peace of tho realm, nnd you own soul's
profit, that you should bo placed In a situ
ation whero you may bo able to act moro
In accordance with what ho knows to be
your secret desires for the welfare of the
church, of which he Is God's vice regent
on earth."
Hollo wss glad to reflect that In uttering
these words he was only repeating the
onerous phrases of Don Haltazar Varcla,
when the abbot delivered him bis commls
slonslon In his own chamber at Mont
blanch. Hut the lady chiefly concerned continued
obdurate. She would not budge an Inch.
She professed and absolute certainty that
her guard would appear In a few hours,
and with them her father's confessor, who
would Inform her how to reply to any genu
ine message from his holiness, Gregory
the Sixteenth. Further than that she could
not be moved.
"In that case." said the young man, "I
will not conceal It from your hlgness that
considerable discretion has been granted
to me. Your company and that of your
daughter we must have upon our Journey.
It Is our Intention to place you and her In
a place of safety "
"To steal us to kidnap us, you mean!"
cried tho queen, with the utmost Indigna
tion. "Your majesty," continued Hollo. "I am
not disputing about words. Our actions of
last nlgbt will best explain our Intentions
of this morning, nut, with respect to this
gentleman," he turned to Senor Munoz as
he spoke, "I have no directions either to
permit or compel him to accompany us.
Yet, since we must act with the great speed
and secrecy, It Is clearly tmpskslble to leave
hlrn behind. I am compelled, therefore, to
put an alternative before you, which hav
ing had an opportunity to rornark the
scnor's courage, I am pained to declare.
If your majesty will consent to accompany
us at once and without parley Don Fer
nando may do so ulso. Dut If not. since
we havo not force sufllclont to deal with
additional prisoners on such a Journey, It
will be my unhappy duty to order the
gentleman's Instant execution.
A shriek from tho queen punctuated the
close of this speech one of the longest that
Rollo had ever made. Hut the queen,
hardly yet believing In the reality of their
threats, still held out. As for Munoz. he
said no word until Rollo abruptly ordered
him to kneel and prcparo for death.
"In that case," said the ex-guardsman,
"permit me to put on a decent coat. A
man ought not to die In a dressing gown.
It Is not soldierly!"
Rollo bade the valet bring his master
what ho wanted and presently the duke of
Rlanzares, In his best uniform, found him
self in a position to dlo with credt and
solf-rcsDect.
Hut so unexpected was tho nerve and
rcsoluton of the queen that it was only
when the duke hnd been bidden kneel down
between the halves of a French window
which opened out upon a balcony that
Christina, flinging dignity finally to the
winds, fell upon his neck and cried to her
captors. "Take me whero you wsh. Do
with mo what you will. Only preserve to
me ray beloved Fernando."
In lets than an hour the whole party was
on Its way. Tho queen regent was mounted onCe oft his mind ah, then!
on a whlto mulu which had been brought In I poor Hollo! And, Indeed, poor human
from tbo bill pastures above Kl Mar. He- '. kind in general. How often tho wind falls
hind came IMcbald Pedro's donkey, w ith a to a breeze, heat-tempering, grateful, which
basket chair strapped upon Its back for the
little princess, who was In high glee, hold
ing Concha's hand and singing for gladness
to bo dono with La Granja. Tbe sergeant
and Kl Hurrla walked ono on each side of
Senor Munoz, who, by suggestion of Rollo,
had assumed u cout less decorative than
that In which ho had proposed to make hU
exit from life.
In addition to tho queen's mulo and the
denkey, the sergeant led a horao which was
presently to be mounted by Munoz, so soon,
that Is, as the rest of the party should re
gain the steeds they had left behind nt the
deterted farmhouse on the hill, nut till
that time It was Judged moat safe that tbe
queen's consort should walk between Hamon
Qarcia and the sergeant. Rollo, with a
wandering eye toward Concha and the
queen, walked ond talked with Rtlenna and
John Mortimer, whom of late the Joint com
pulsions of love ami war had compelled him
somewhat to neglect.
Hut these good fellows bore no malice,
though certainly Ktlennc grew a little red
when Rollo, with tho frankness that dis
tinguished his every word and nctlon,
launched Into enthusiastic praise of the
nobtllty, courage, fidelity and every other
vlrtua characteristic of la Senorlta Concha.
"In addition to which shn Is very pretty,"
added Ktlonno significantly.
nollo stopped with tho seml-lndlgnant air
of a horse pulled up short In full career.
Hut In a rnomont he had recovered himself.
"Yes," bo eald, doggedly, "sho Is very
pretty."
"Not thnt you arc a man to care for
beauty you never wore," persisted Ktl
ennc, with a sldo look at Mortimer. "You
havo always eald so yourself, you know."
"No, I never did care," Rollo agreed, a
little hastily. "Hut yonder is tho farm
house I wonder If we shall find our horsra
as we left them?"
Hero Ktlenne laughed sardonically for no
reaHon nt nil,
"I nm In hopes that they will bo fed and
refreshed," continued Rollo, Imperviously;
"we must let them havo a feed of corn, too,
before they start."
La Glralda, who had been lending tho
quern's white mule, nt that moment gavo
up her post to Concha and fell back In
order to whisper something to tbe sargeant.
"Ah," snld ho nloud, as soon as bo had
listened to her, "that la well thought on.
It falls out well, La Glralda ond I havo n
little business of our own to attend to,
which may occupy us n few minutes, With
your leave, colonel, wn will go on ahead
and arrange matters for the queen's re
ception. From what Ln Glralad tells me,
It may be ns well to avoid entering tho
house."
So tho queen regent, with Concha In at
tendance and the little Isabel riding de
murely alongside on her diminutive donkey,
delighting In the unexpected excursion,
found that a largo bam and granary, tool,
airy and with a roof of stone arched like
tho vaults of a fortress, had been prepared
for them. The horses of the party had
majesty and Queen Maria Chrlstlna-Coneha
being one of tbo comity nnd little Isabel
dancing everywhere after her as her In
separable slave. So constant was the com
panlonshlp of theso two that It was with
the utmost difficulty and after several fail
ures that Hollo mannged to exchange a
word with his sweetheart.
"You havo been very brave," he whis
pered. "I should have failed but for you!"
Concha blushed hot with a swift pleasure,
but on this occasion her usual readiness of
speech seemed to have dcierted her, and
she stood silent, like a tongue-tied maid,
greedy for the first time In her life of her
own praise.
Before cither could speak agnln the ser
geant was back to report that La Glralda
and he bad dinner ready for the party.
"You must not expect much." ho said;
"there Is little available for the pot, which
may. with safety, be cooked."
Hut, Indeed, In such weather there was
need of nothing better than the arroz con
polio the chicken with rice, together with
the abundant gazpacho, for the first of
which ho had found the materials In the
store chamber and barnyard of the deserted
farm bouse.
TUo sergeant's hurrldly prepared lunch
"I WILL SHOOT THESE THRKtO l'RISONKRS TOMORROW AT SUNRISE."
was a prodigious success.
Tho great folk partook ns heartily as
nny, and (perhaps owing to their extreme
youth) tbe polios tasted much more tender
than could have been expected, considering
tho fact that the sergeant had found them
industriously pocking and scratching In tho
dust of the farmyard upon his arrival.
Hollo ate but little, for he wns Intensely
excited. He had succeeded beyond expecta
tion so far and now ho was beginning to
see bis way past all entanglements to tbe
successful accomplishment of bis mission.
His plau was to proceed by unfrequented
paths, such as were, however, perfectly
familiar to bis adjutant. Sergeant Cardono,
along the northern slopes of the Guadar
rama till he should bo able to look out
across the fertile plain of tbe Duero to
ward the mural front of the Sierra dc
Moncnyo.
Thence, by forced marches across the
valley, undertaken at night, ho might hope
In two stages at most to put his charges
under the care of General Kilo, the immedi
ate representative of Don Carlos, who had
established his headquarters there. Small
wonder that Hollo grow excited. Tho
worst was over the myriad adventures, the
perilous pass's, the thousand enemies.
Now the plains lay before him and Concha
loved blm.
If only this weight of resnonslblllty wcro
comes tn fits and starts, not severe enough
to chill, yet long enough to cool tbe body,
wearied by the summer heats, with a senso
of sratcful relief.
And It Is precisely ln tbe teeth of such
a gentle breathing, cheek-fanning earth
wind that tho thunderstorm comes riding
up overhead, Its flanks black and ragged
with lain and fierce spurts of hail, and In
the midst the white desolating lightnings
.zigzagging to the ground.
CIIAPTKK XI, II.
A Him re Nnt Spread In Vain,
The town of Aranda lay to the left,
perched high above them, on the slopes of
the Sierra de Moncayo. Rollo looked past
tbe crumbling gray turrets of the little
fortallce and over tho Juulper-and-thymo
covered foothills to the red penks of tbe
Sierra. From the point at which thov
atood Moncayo fronted them like a
surprised at the mouth of his lair.
lion
that
raises his head haughtily to view the rash
trespassers on his domain.
The lower slopes of the mountains were
tawny yellow like tho lion's fell, but from
tho point at which tho scant mano of ro5k
plants ceased Moncayo shono red ns blood
In the level rays of the setting sun.
"There there," thought Rollo, "I havo
It almost ln hand now. Beyond thnt far
extending flank lie Vera nnd the head
quarters of General Ello!"
They wcro riding easily, doboucblng
slowly and In slnglo file out of tho defiles
with which the country wns cut up, The
sergennta and Rollo were lending, when
as they Issued out upon the opener coun
try, all suddenly they heard .themselves
called upon peremptorily to halt, at tbe
peril of tbelr lives,
"Whom have wo here? Ah. our cer
tificated KugllHhmaul And In his com
pany whom?"
Tho speaker was a dork-haired man of
active figure and low stature, whose eyes
twinkled ln his head, Ho was dressed In
the full uniform of a Carllst general. About
him rode a brilliant stuff, ami from behind
every rock and out of every doop gully-cleft
peered the muzzle of a rldo with JUBt one
black oye peering from under tbe white
Basque bolna or tho red one of Navarre.
And for the third time Rollo Hlalr, out
upon his adventures, bad come fnuo to face
with General Don Ramon Cobrora of
Tortosa.
Yet It was with glad rellof In bis heart
that Rollo Instantly rode up to Cabrera ond,
having saluted, thus began his report: "I
have the honor, goneral, to report that I
have been fortunate enough to Induce her
majesty, the queen regent of Spain, and her
imut,uii'i, uiu yuiiiiK wueru jsuuei, in place
thcmsclvee under my protection. I nm pro
ceeding with them to the headquarters of
General Kilo, according to my instructions,
and If It be nt all convenient I should be
glad of an additional escort that I may bo
able to bring tbem safely within the lines of'
, Vera " '
The brow of (Jeneral Cabrera had been
darkening during this epeeeh and at tho ' mediate success. He cursed the hour that
close ho burst out with an oath. he had entered tho bloodthirsty land of
"I know no such person as the queen Spain. Ho cursed his visit to tho abbey of
regent of Spnln. I have heard of a certain ' Montblanch nnd tho day on which ho ae-llght-i'-Iove
calling herself Maria Chris-1 ccpted n commission from men without
Una, widow of the late King Fernnndo the honor or humanity. He was Indeed almost
Seventh. And If thio be Indeed the lady I In case to do himself a hurt, nnd both
and her brat, we of the tho true opinion 1 Concha nnd the sergeant watched him with
owe. you, Don Rollo, n debt of gratitude solicitude during the remainder of tho
which shall not be easily repaid, for she ' afternoon ns ho wandered disconsolately
and hers have troubled the peace of this 1 about tho little camp, twirling his mus
country much and long. Of which now, by ' tnc,1 ftml blanking Kllllecrankle at his
San Nicholas, thero shall be an end." (heels with so fierce an ulr thnt even
As he snoke h mn hi. nv. !,- m . I Cabrern's oillcors, no laggards on the field.
to whore Mimn end i,nhin.t hi. ,i....
"And the tnll gentleman with tho pol
- - 4i ic itiioiiig
ished 'vhlskcrs? Who may ho be?" hu cried,
a yet moro angry fire glittering In his eyes.
"That, General Cabrera," said Hollo
quietly, "Is his excellency the duko of Hlan
zares," "At last, estnnco keeper!" cried Cabrera,
riding forward ns If to strike Munoz on thy
face. "I, Hamon Cabrern of Tortosn, have
waited a long time for this pleasure. "
Munoz did not answer lu words, but as
before preserved his Imperturbable de
meanor. His half contemptuous dignity of
bearing, which had Irritated even Hollo,
seemed to have tho power of exciting Ca
brcra to the point of fury.
"Colonel, he cried, "I relieve you of
your charge. You have done well. I nm
the equal in rank of General Kilo, nnd there
Is no need that you should convoy this
party to his camp. I will assume the full
charge yes, and responsibility, ny the
holy St. Vincent, I promised them twenty
for one when they slew my mother In the
square of the narblcan. But I knew not
from bow evil a vine-stock I should gather
my second vintage. A poor commandant's
wifo from a petty Valcntlnn fort was the
best I could do for them at the time. Hut
now the mother of Ramon Cabrera shall
be atoned for In such n faahlan as shall
make tho world sit dumb!"
While Cabrera was speaking Ramon grew
slowly chill and then Ice-cold with horror.
"Sir," ho said, his voice suddenly boarso
and broken, "surely you do not realize what
yen are saying. Theso ladles are under my
protection. They havo committed them
selves to my care under the most sacred
and absolute pledges that their lives would
be respected. The same Is tho case with
regard to Senor Munoz. It Is absolutely
neccsaary that I should place them under
tho care of General Kilo as tho personal
representative of the king!"
"I have already told you, sir," cried
Cabrera, furiously, "that I nm of equal
rank with any Kilo or other general In the
nrrales of Don Carlos. Havo not I done
moro than any other? Was It not I who
carried my command to the gates of Mad
rid? Aye, nnd hnd I been left to myself I
should havo succeeded In cutting off that
fox Mendlzabal. Now, however, I nm abso
lutely Independent, owing authority to no
man, savo to the king nlone. It Is mlno to
glvo or to withhold, to punish or to pardon.
Therefore I, General Ramon Cabrera, hav
ing sworn publicly to avenge my mother,
when, where and how I can, solemnly de
clnro that ns n further retaliation I will
shoot these three prisoners tomorrow nt
sunrise, even as Nogueras, the representa
tive of this woman who calls herself queen
regent of Spain, shot down my innocent
mother for the solo erlrao of giving birth
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Thus In a moment was Hollo toppled from
that highest pinnacle of happiness, for
such to a young man Is tbo hfipo of Im
i kept prudently nut of his way.
The royal party hnd been disposed In a
small house, a mere summer residence of
some of the bourgeois folk of Arnndn nnd
there, by an unexpected act of grace and
at the special supplication of the sergeant,
La Glralda had been permitted to wait upon
them,
To the secret satisfaction of Rollo the
sergeant did not resume, his duties In the
camp of Cabrera. The troop to which ho
belonged had been left behind to watch the
movements of tho enemy, for Cabrcrra had
barely escaped from n strong force under
L'spnrtcro near the walls of Madrid Itself
by showing tho cleauest of heels possible.
Cnrdono, therefore, still attached himself
unreoroved to tho tiarty of Rollo. which
camped n little apnrt. A guard of picked
men was, however, placed over the quarters
of tho royal family. This Cabrera saw to
himself and then sullenly withdrew Into
his tent for the night to drink aguardiente
by himself, in gloomy converse with n heart
Into whoso dark secrets nt no time could
any man enter. It Is Indeed the most char
itable supposition that at this period of
his lite Ramon Cabrera's love for n mother
most cruelly murdered had rendered him
temporarily Insane.
Deprived of La Glralda and Judging that
Rollo was In no mood to be spoken with
Concha Cabczos took refuge In the society
of Kl Sarrin. Thut stalwart man of few
words, though In the days of her light
honrtedness quite careless of her wiles. Hnd.
Indeed, unconscious of them, was in his
way strongly attached to her. He loved the
girl tor the sako of her devotion tn Dolors
as well as because of the secret preference
which all grave and silent men have for the
winsome and gay.
"This butcher of Tortosa," she said In a
low voice to Hamon Garcia, "will surelv
never do the thing ho threatens. Not even
a devil out of bell could slay In cold blood
not thu queen regent only, but also the
Innocent little maid who never did any man
a wrong!"
Kl Sarrla looked keenly about him for
possible likeness. Concha and he sat nt
tome distance abovo the camp and Kl Sarrla
was Idly employed In breaking off pieces of
shnly rock nnd trying to hit a certain pin
nacle of whlto quartz which made a promi
nent target n few yards beneath them.
"I think he will," said Ramon Garcia,
slowly, "Cabrera Is a sullen dog nt all times
and the very devil In his cups. Hceldes,
who am I to blame him Is there not the
matter of his mother? Had It not been Do
lores well, I would havo shot half a dozen
royal families!"
"The thing will break our Rollo's heart
If It cannot be prevented," sighed Concha,
"for he bath taken It In his head that the
queen and her husband trusted themselves
to his word of honor."
Hamon Garcia shook his head sadly.
"Ah, 'tis his sacred thing, that honor of
his his Image of the Virgin which he car
ries about with him," he Bald, "and Indeed,
Kl Sarrla has llttlo cause to complain, for
hud It not been for that same honor of Don
Rollo's, Dolores Garcia might nt this mo
ment have been In the hands of Luis Fer
nandez!" "Aye, or dead" tald Concha, "she would
never have lived In the clutches of the ovll
hcarted! I know her better, nut, Don Ra
mon, what can we, who owo him so much,
do for our Don Hollo?"
"Why what is tbcro to do?" said Hamon,
with a lift of his eyebrows, "hero ln the
camp of Cabrera wo are watched, followed,
suspected. Do you see that fellow yonder
with tho smartly net obiua? He Is a
miller' son from near Vltorln In Alava.
Well, ho bath been Hot to wntch that none
of u leaes tho camp unattended. I will
wager that If you nnd wero to wander out
fifty yards farther, yonder lud would bo
after us ln n trlco!"
"Ah!" suld Concha In n brown study.
"Yes hu Is not ut nil n bad-looking boy
nnd thinks excessively well of himself ltko
some others I could mention. Now, Kl Sar
rla, can you tell me In which direction lies
Vera, tho headquarters of General Kilo?"
"That can I!" said Kl Sarrla, forgetting
his caution. And ho.was about to turn him
nbout and point it out with his hand when
Concha stopped him.
"The miller's son Is crnnlng his neck to
look," sho whispered, "do not point. Turn
nbout slowly, and the third stone you throw
let It be In tbo direction of Vera!"
EI Snrrla did aa ho was bid, and after
the third ho continued to project stones
Vcra-ward, explaining as ho did so: "Up
yonder reddish clef thu road goes, n hound
path, a mero goat's slide, but it is tho dl
rectcst road. There Is open ground to thu
very foot of the ascent. Mnny is the tlrau
I havo ridden there. God forgive me, on
another man's beast!"
Conrba'B eyes, hurvcylng tho landscape,
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lighted continually upon the handsome
young Vltorian lu the red bolna, lifted again
simply and sought the ground, At thla
Kl Sarrla sighed nnd deeldcd mentally that
with the exception of his Dolores no woman
was to be trusted. It nut at heart a rake,
she was by nature it flirt. And so ho wss
about to leave Conclm to her own devices
and seek Rollo, when Concha suddenly
spoke.
"Dun Ramon," she said, "shall wo walk
n few hundred yards up the mountains
nwny from the camp nnd see If we nre really
being watched?"
Kl Sarrla smiled grimly to himself and
rose. Tho stratagem was really, he thought,
too transparent, nnd his Impression was
strengthened wben Concha presently added:
"I will not nsk you to remnln If you would
rather go back. Then wc will sco whom
they aro most suspicious of, you or I. A
girl may often steal n lioree when a man
dares not look over the wall."
In the nbstract this wm Incontestable,
but Kl Sarrla only smiled the more grimly.
After nil, Dolores was the only woman
upon whose fidelity one would be Justified
In wagering the Inst whiff of a good clga
rillo. And ns If reminded of a duty Kl Sar
rln rolled n beauty as he dragged one huge
foot after nnother slowly up the hill In the
rear of Concha, who, her love-locks spray
Ing In tho breeze, her basqulna held co
qticttlshty In one hand, and the prettiest
toss of the head for the benefit of any
whom It might concern, went leaping up-
I want like n vntinir rne.
j All the while Hollo was sitting below
; quite unconscious of this display. HU bead
was sunk In his hand. Deep melancholy
brooded In his heart. He rocked to and fro
. as If Ir pain. Looking down from the
mountain side Hamon Garcia pitted blm.
"Ah, poor. Innocent young man," ho
thought: "doubtless ho believes that the
heart of this girl Is all hi own. Hut all
men are fools a butterfly Is always a but
terfly and nn Andalusc an Andaluie to tbe
day of her death."
Then turning his thoughts backward, ha
remembered the many who had taken their
turn with mandolin and guitar at the rejas
of Concha's window when be and Dolores
lived outside the village of Sarrla, and he
(ah. thrice fool!) had taken It Into his
thick head to be jealous.
Well, Hfter all. this w-as none of his busi
ness, he thanked the xalnts. He was not
responsible for the vagaries of pretty young
women. Hut with the corner of an eye
more accustomed to the sun glinting on
rifle barrels than to the flashing eyes of
beauty. Kl Sarrin could make out that tha
Vltorian with the red bolna was following
them, bis gun over his shoulder, trying, not
with conspicuous success, to assume tha
sauntering nlr of a man wbo, having noth
ing better to do, goes tor a stroll in tho
summer evening.
"TIs the first time that ever I saw a
soldier off duty take his musket for a
walk!" growled Kl Sarrin "and why on tho
Sierra de Moncnyo does the fellow trick
himself out as for a festal day?"
Concha looked back over her shoulder,
presumably nt Kl Sarrla, though why the
maiden's glance was so sprightly nnd her
Hps so provoklngly pouted is a question
hard enough to be propounded for the doc-
torial thesis nt Salamanca. For Ramon
Garcia was stolid as an ox of his native
Arngon, nnd extraneous glances and pretty
gestures were as much wasted on him aa
If he chewed the cud. Still he was not
even In these matters so dull and unob
servant as he looked, that is, when he bad
any reason for being observant.
"Here comes that young srs of Alava,"
be murmured. "Well, he is at least getting
his money's worth. By the saints favor
able to my native parish, the holy Nar
cissus and Justus, but the burro Is tighten
ing his girths!"
And Kl Sarrla laughed out nuddenly and
sardonically. For he could bco the lad
pulling bis leathern belt a few holes tighter
In order that be might present his most
symmetrical figure to the eyes of this daz
zling Andaluslan witch who had dropped
bo suddenly Into the Carllst camp from tho
place whenco nil wltchCB come.
(To Bo Continued.)
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2
