Show i Idll tun ht fI tJillgINGEg t 11 OQ ro flY I j flOJ f flY LDD 1JJ1lfI 1t Copyright 1U05 by Dally Story Pub Co stood at the window of the bell ualolt of the great cathedral and app j the adobe Erf down Into tho city to t Ijj Ing that marked the spot where rs I Ijtieone J he loved His thoughts e n he not altogether pleasant as suds e that M the magnificent panorama pa fpread out before him He re err beret the Incidents of the pre r thrft night at his meeting with Anita I thr he Alameda How vividly I ho re elk d the conversation that set his tIdt I afire with the possibility of los red her Could she have meant It pat L she told him that he was not E nl Did she love Enrique the I IU udant of the Rurales If not la bd she taunted him last night letk Die urged her to marry him Had eta not told him that It Is only tho re It lit who are deserving of the fair sl then he and charged her with rio j In love with a soldier had sheIk she-Ik confessed that Capstan Enrique ler had played bear under her lot for many nights to you love him Jose had asked I ijcnly answer was a shrug of tho 1 shoulders of his adored one jiiot Latin blood surged through iba Jieins of Jose Dark thoughts ro hIs mind Then camo a calm mr He remembered that he was r I bttted with the clergy To be sure ne lilj not wear tho vestments and it n the prayers of tho good padres ire lite served but he regarded him vhi In belonging to their class Was lit the bell ringer in the great tor ral l Had not his father and pet inters father been bell ringers hen bhlm lIe would not bring dls ry eipon his sacred calling by com to k g a rash deed Ho would give ds llta to tho bravo commandant st iilelovo the capltan That was tor I aestion that Jose wished he era i answer to his own satisfaction d tonld hardly believe that Anita St a pH d trifle with any ones affections la tas doubtless honest In her been be-en that her love was for Capstan En Ip 1e and not for poor Jose the bell see I J Itee had left her the night previous I i hdoubt In his mind as to her love him It was now early morning lithe chimes of the bells were still di going In the distance when Joso t led out of the window of the belt do gees loft and breathed deep dF 8hts of the fresh morning air that and r in from the mountains Did hoI utl ho-I to be brave that ho might come go to the standard of Anitas thoughts s C pltan Enrique No such thought h d Jin Joses mind Ho did not belong be the recognized class of the brave a t tans left to the soldiers Hoed Ig Ho-ed down Into tho street below and bi cbed the women as they left their he JIes and hurried silently along and I d toed the worship room of the great to dee to attend early mass Ho lies W that Anita would bo among it tt ern Many many mornings had he Tl rod at this same window and n Itched his loved ono as she left her I me and wended her way to they the-y wdral to offer up her dally prayer baps It was not altogether right d Proper but many love signs had I used between them as she passed rag the street below On this morn 5 there was such a soreness In his real s l ls las l a J n f a rid 111 I ou1 r l r q I bL i bOIl beI a4 1cfr t a ncll ul il r II t 0114 s i dl Ip III t 1 sto ty Looked down Into the city kart trt that IDlPse he thought only to get a k seif her and then he would go bof tkWg0 ° ooeer thelcity sounding tho ttthe oVer M tlie city The first rays to Hint rising sun were just beginning IhtUnt over the mountains and reflect tot easelves upon the scattered clouds hung lr abovo tllplr toPs when Joso Anita then wJose wta leave her home end walk I teed tLtdS the place of worship He wel smiling nod of recognition that she gave to him her upturned face being to Jose the very light I of his existence Could he give her up She passed Into the portals of tho cathedral Over at the military barracks bar-racks the reveille was being sounded Perhaps Capltan Enrique would ba waiting to receive from Anita a word of love as she entered her home upon her return from her devotions Dressed In his brlght colored uniform was It any wonder that Anita lost her heart to tho brave commandant mused Jose Suddenly there was a creaking and crackling sound overhead The sigh that met Joses eyes when ho looked up chilled his heart The heavy crosspiece cross-piece which had held upright tho great bell for these many long years had given way to the ravages of time and wood worms and had broken square In Its center The bell with Its enor hails weight was sagged and swaying sway-ing and threatening to drop at any moment In its downward plunge It would land In the very front of tho chancel Its fall would mean the death of probably several worshipers particularly at that hour Joses first thought was to give the alarm To do I I I il li l li l I el l I I f i 7 u rot You are my brave Jose this he must reach the ground before the bell could fall There was hut ono way dose and that was by the ladder directly that followed tho narrow opening bell With rectly underneath the great out a moments 1 hesitation Jose sprang I for the ladder and went down It with tho agility of one long experienced In such descents Tho safety of tho worshipers depended upon his quick thought of the dan ness Ho had no that threatened his own life Ho ger reached the stairway that led Into the when there was large worshiping room a terrific crash above him The great bell has fallen he cried Fly for your lives His words of warning caused tho the worshipers to rush pellmell from later with a and a moment place the crash that shook tho old structure weight tore bell with Its enormous through the narrow opening bringing down stono and timbers with it and filling the room with dust Friendly hands removed the debris the stunned and torn body of from Anita dryeyed and perfectly Jose was at his side giving directions composed Taps were being rections for his care military barracks hours Bounded at the conscious recovered later when Jose dared looked about him In a ness HP and his soft hand stole Into way A accents low and a voice spoke In sweet I You are my brave Jose |