Show the vale of amadon by FRED mclaughlin author of the blade of copyright by bobba arrill co Sr service vice CHAPTER XI continued 17 of course said pint absently of course ills his dark eyes considered polito and I 1 imagined that I 1 could read the plan forming in his crafty brain with the lieutenant as his prisoner he held a powerful powers u I 1 card in his game of woman that h be e doubtless intended to play for the j beauty had bad cast a spell upon him and the love sho she bore her brother might be used this lieutenant prisoner of ours garde must be taken to a safe place aye my colonel and I 1 fear almost to give elve him ln in charge of a squad of indian soldiers for the men of venezuela patrol the streets of valencia and the life of lieutenant lamartina Lamart lna might therefore be endangered if I 1 may prevail upon you to escort him to the calabozo calibozo cala bozo and to deliver him into the keeping of captain lopez t assuredly pint thought a moment you understand der dor stand garde that you will be held personally responsible for the prisoner have no fear my colonel there was apprehension in dulces dukes yes eyes and she whispered anxiously as I 1 bent over her hand do you leave me thus loren 1 I must save polito I 1 said softly 1 I will return within the hour I 1 smiled reassuringly A little craft my own a little guile and we have won she gave me a divine smile kissed her brother tenderly and then we went out leaving the senorita and pint together take hold of my stirrup polito said bald and beside it a prisoner should we traveled two streets east eastward viard and then turned north if you are unfamiliar with the city of valencia major garde I 1 might tell you that the calabozo calibozo cala bozo lies southeast therefore we go north polito for I 1 do not like calabozos cala bozos and you must be very soon upon the road to puerto cabello senor he cried you cannot do this thing I 1 cannot permit you it la Is not that you permit polito you are my prisoner your life Is in danger polito and lecause because of you your sister who loves you Is in deadly danger perhaps I 1 am stupid 11 he said dont you see my friend colonel pint Is at present commandant of valencia his word Is law if the fascinating cina ting colonel whose amours are notorious over venezuela falls in ills his a attempt to win the favor of the senorita as indeed he must he will use your life as aa id cudgel to compel submission on her part she loves you polito and therefore would save your life at any cost must we purchase freedom at your expense senor I 1 laughed no harm will come to me cheer up I 1 will put you on the road to puerto cabello then I 1 shall return with all speed to colonel pint who may have other errands for me halting anon before a tiny fonda I 1 lifted the fat somnolent storekeeper out of a late siesta by aid of a lusty yell from him I 1 purchased a simple two piece suit of blue a wide sombrero and a pair of alpar gatas for my prisoners feet I 1 helped him transform himself from a lieutenant in his maje service to a lowly peon we will look you up polito some day for peace will come to this unhappy country now please remember that major garde has killed colonel fuentes so you may go back in safety to your service if th the e star of my luck does not forsake me I 1 shall deal definitely with colonel pint before another hour has passed now adelos 1 he took my hand tears in his eyes then he ha turned and bent his steps toward the port of cabello I 1 gave my horse his head and we raced through the streets of valencia to the danger of all and sundry for my y mental picture of pint and the senorita was not a pleasant one I 1 h had ad determined at last to settle my affair with the clever colonel the senora ybarra let me in and as I 1 heard a murmur of voices from the chamber I 1 stopped at the portal and hidden by the rude port leres listened the voice of dt colonel pini was pleading passionate do not say no my lady he cried 1 11 I was waa mad with wine that day in maracay llara Mar cay acay and tor for that I 1 offer humble apologies every hour since that moment I 1 have been filled with contrition will you not listen to my words of pleading senorita I 1 heard her frightened murmur and pint went on again 1 I am a poor slave senorita to my love for thee I 1 am a moth burned in the flame oi of thy beauty may hay I 1 ask no she said not nol ali ah dlos always and for ever no nol I 1 when one Is mad with love senorita one might do regrettable things the caty of valencia belongs to me loar doar lady ns as commandant I 1 hold the power of life and death over those within its limits for only a small email portion of your love that power of life and death will be put into your keeping what do you mean senor she gaspa gasp will you tell me senor what la Is in your mind ere I 1 go mad assuredly your comely brother lieutenant polito whom you doubtless love with a sisters erts sacrificing love waits even now for the hour of his execution for spain has taught us how to deal with prisoners it may be my desire as commandant of valencia to save him ali ah mother caryll she cried 13 Is your design so evil eil a thins thing can a man mail professing his love harbor so vile she stopped her face laming flaming slim hands bands pressed against lier bosom for I 1 had stepped into the room loren she gasped all ah dear G d loren ill 1 CHAPTER XII the lure of Larri lamartina artina on his knees I 1 said laughing on his accursed knees and not I 1 think in pray prayer erl 1 pint leaped to his feet black anger written large on his face forgetting the presence of the senorita he rasped a potent oath oh my colonel I 1 would apologize tor for thee I 1 give yourself no trouble major I 1 will make my own apologies if I 1 should order you to report yourself under arrest to the officer of the calabozo calibozo cala bozo P 1 I would be compelled to refuse colonel for I 1 do not know the way to tile the calabozo calibozo cala bozo 11 which was a stupid and tactless thing to say for I 1 should have kept him in ignorance of Poll tos escape dulce gasped and I 1 continued besides general bolivar in your presence gave me his permission to offer challenge to you after the battle of AI 4 the impetus of his falling body drove my point into hla his chest carabobo Car abobo should be won we have won that contest therefore I 1 am asking now for the pleasure of our postponed meeting you have a sword said pint smiling aye my colonel and the opportunity to use it shall afford me a fine delight the wily colonel knew of course that my wounded arm would take from me at least one half of my efficiency as a swordsman and acting as usual upon impulse I 1 had bad given no thought to my injury or to anything in fact except my wild desire to kill hill him it if you do not know the way to the prison he ha inquired this young lieutenant brother of the senorita Is entirely out of your reach senor benor which leaves the senorita free to ac act as the dictates of her heart shall indicate now she ran lan into my arms loren my own you ou should not have done it tie he will make you pay ali ah dear heart it Is a noble thing for you ou to do yet et your life your tour arm dear heart you cannot handle a sword with a wounded arm I 1 smiled upon her confidently my arm Is well the senorita then shall witness a duel said rini who during our aside had written a note lie he thrust his head out of a window and emitted a shrill whistle whereupon a sergeant and a squad of twelve soldiers marched into the room the colonel proffered this note to the that sergeant is 13 an aa order for tile the execution of major garde who stands before you sou if after our duel the major Is still alive he la Is to be taken under guard to the calabozo calibozo cala bozo where as early tomorrow morning as light may permit he will be shot dulce clung to me sobbing softly this note explains to the commanding officer of the prison that major garde has permitted aye aided a spanish prisoner polito lamar una ina to escape a prisoner that 1 I commandant of valencia gave gae into Us his keeping pint turned to me nave have I 1 spoken truth senor exactly my colonel I 1 could not have expressed it better mi self you will station your along it I 1 ong the walls vails of this room boorn binl directed tile the sub and you will offer no interference to our duel yes colonel said the sergeant the room was quickly cleared and we confronted each other in the cen ter of it dulce stood by the ornate mantel one hand upon it to support herself tile alie other pressed against her heart her face pale lips parted find and a haunting fear in ili the deep blue eyes I 1 turned to face her and raised nay my blade in salute you will see me dear one I 1 in french win another contest with the sword please god cod loren she whispered we contend major garde said pint with a II 11 light lit laugh for a pretty prize indeed 1 aye my colonel the prize Is worth our best efforts I 1 knew that losing I 1 should leave cave her helpless the morrow with its tiring squad gave me no uneasiness it was with this hour that I 1 had to deal then guard senor aye my colonel his 1118 overconfidence because of the weakened state of my right arm might I 1 imagined be a handicap to him so I 1 permitted him to beat down my guard in the first wild thrusting attack that lie he made parrying parr ing only enough to protect my body from his drives lie was a good but not a master swordsman and but for my injury he would not have been in any sense a match for me I 1 must u use e therefore defensive tactics until he lie should tire tor for greater strength and greater gi eater endurance was mine lie ile laughed aloud for I 1 think he felt the weakness of my wrist the former strength of which had been my pride I 1 could only offer my blade in parry yet I 1 kept his point away from roe me for I 1 was quicker on my feet than he and I 1 had a more complete control of my body I 1 caught the Seno senoritas ritas eye ee and smiled reassuringly yet she must have seen my helplessness for there was no answering smile on her face only that expression of haunting terror and a new and reckless determination possessed me die I 1 would win lecause b because I 1 must win I 1 would kill this man if I 1 had to do it even after his steel hid had found my heart my benumbed arm grew weaker so that I 1 could barely feel the blows that I 1 tried to parry had I 1 not twisted my body in swift ridiculous gestures his point would have hae found me a dozen times he cried out in vexation do you fence senor or do you sou thus thu s take your our afternoon exercise stand up and light fight are you ou unfamiliar with the sword lie ile attacked furiously and I 1 must needs retreat before his wild frenzy keeping g clear of the walls and offering ineffectual parry until my iny arm had lost its vigor and my wrist its power to turn his blows the weapon wr c ached from my grasp fell clattering to the floor and pint drove at my chest realizing that I 1 was unarmed he drew bick back waiting halting pick it up agni de I 1 do not stab a defenseless man yet I 1 think but for the presence of the senorita he would have done so I 1 knew that as far as fencing might be concerned my right arm would never save me so 16 I 1 gripped the hilt of the sword with my left hand my left arm and wrist would be I 1 was sure inept but they would lack no tithe of strength and strength might be after all in a contest with as a duelist as the colonel sufficient fi As his dashing charges became more deliberate and the force of them relaxed my confidence increased for the professional smile had left his lips his dancing eyes grew somber and a pallor of fear touched the olive of his face then I 1 advanced in attack slash ing and thrusting with no skill but with a deal of power for the blows that he parried shook him from heel to crown had I 1 one firm arm only my colo colonel nel you should have vanquished me with ease but now ile he gasped a fervent oath and I 1 continued you would leave an order for my execution eh my sophist and providence has ordered yours you would sell to the senorita the life of her brother A clever scheme and worthy of you carraba carraca Carr Car raca acal I 1 he gasped ile he made one last incautious lunge at me and missed th the e impetus of his falling body drove my point into his chest lie he went to his knees his fingers fastened around the naked blade that order of execution sergeant he cried you will see to it you will take him to the calabozo calibozo cala bozo and tomorrow morning as early as light as as early 11 lie crashed face down upon the floor door and the sword broke under the impact of his fall now I 1 felt the Seno senoritas ritas arms around my neck felt the tender touch of her lips and I 1 heard her voice call ing my name over and over again TO BE BB CONTINUED |