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Show ' & J. OV. ' . . ;' ! -(A. ? "' l.i'v:. .'-'vc' Copyright by MM CTM SYNOPSIS,;; V"""::, -. Capt Francois J Vlgrtf.erT-Ine Vlgrtf.erT-Ine with Maximilian,: array in Mexico, tetls the ptory. A rbytel- Ing ifrouPvUfvOlBcera la dlHcUaa-tng: dlHcUaa-tng: La Anita, who. rumor eaya, baa lured French offlccra to death or rfbeertlo'jirSuromoaed' by" Maxf- mlllafc to,mafce xplratloo. ,D V!g fcfidertakea to' deliver; th y message "-to La Anita. At La- Aiilta's borne De Vlgny meeta Colonel Lopez. Mexican officer and the glrl'a cousin. Pablo Ma- drella, whorbeara & wohderful "re- C emblanco to Oe Vlgny. except that he wears, a beard.: Angered that Anita 'should be called before be-fore the emperor, Jladrella forcea . a duel on D Vlgny, In which the Mexican !e wounded. Assisting Madrella to his carriage, De Vlgny plcka-ap n paper that (alls from his pocket, It pxoves .to .be. a pass, granting 'Madrella pass-" age 'hrough the -Mexican' lines. ' Laid before Maximilian, It ta. of course, Madrella'a dath warrant, . since It proves htm . spy. Quea- : tloned by Maximilian, La Anita, denies lurfng French -ofScers to ' danger, and a given her freedom.: De Vlgny .eecures, leave of. absence, ab-sence, planning," while " Madrella" la wounded and under guard, to grow a beard, and Impersonate him, wIththe'Llde& of securing ' Information, of -. Juarez' move- -tnenta. Dressed as Madrella, he . enters La Anita's home by stealth and overbemrs a Conversation be-', tween Madrella and Lopez -which proves the latter a traitor " to " Maximilian. , . Lopez . has .secured, , Madrella's 'release and the latter" la leaving at once for Juarez' -camp. He reaches Cuernavaca about the same time as the real Madrella. Ma-drella. An unsuccessful attempt la made by Madrella to kill De Vlgny. Believing hJin . to -be .Mbt ; drella De Vtgny (a -welcomed by ' Juarez. -Dea Wgny'' safes Cuernavaca Cuer-navaca by convincing Juarez, who had planned to seize-. the city, that the French garrison-if too strong. Jurez suspicions are roused, and De Vlgny Is Eaved only by bis possession of Ma-drella Ma-drella a pass, . DewMgny's-gener-.. asltilrear)les.?'CaB)uatIomrry-'' his wtheart, Dolores, and the Frenchman 'realizes fie hs made two devoted friends. t V CHAPtERJ iVHlConUnued V) I topped a tin j ridge which offered me ,a view. xt. the narrow . road -tluit-polnted a, .ribbon-like., flneeiu tQward the valley. -' Along this roiid,'-like' a great Inzy snake, . lay a long cloud of dust - ' It could mean : only - one thing, abodyof marching fneni..;4ndc" marching men on this, road could mean naught else but reinforcements .for .Cuernavaca I ,;-'. 1 gave, the fine east hta .head and tie ' Bwepi actoss" Ihei sagebrush-ebv-redfbencb: i As e' faced along, -my heart, sang, t for I knew that, before ;. Benito Juarez could" '."check' up his capabfe Pablo's pessimism" and move Ws.army to, the Inyestment of Guern-t-. vaca, this .force, would have, reached the 'dly And -I wondered, tot), who had carried to' . Maximilian tidings of " the, revolutionary. .-leader's. Intention, for; of the" Imperial army, only "Neville ' and Kknew and ''Neville was dea'd. . At all events tbe emperor knew,: and that relieved me of my most urgent mission. My mind could build other ; and pleasanter pictures now.; Another, milerand the vast city lay belore me. 'Ah,' the thrill lt'gaveJmel Ages had passed since I had seen' the city, another world had come Into being be-ing a new and beautiful world. I was not Francois de Vlgny, tbe Blade of Ploardy, a, being- who bad, at best, merely, skimmed. , the .surface of things; a man devoid of purpose. No v. I bad changed; even my soul' had .changed. . Now my eyes, saw only, the lovely face of the-lady who had suddenly fired my life to great .endeavor, my' ears beard only the . golden music of her voice, aihd Into my life a high re-' solve, had; come.- With-her. I would be frank, straightforward. With her "permission' I would tell her that I loved" her; I would throw, open the' . book of. my life, that she might ,rend If she so desired. " - These things 1 determined to do as .we entered the' gate of the city. As we passed her .home I brought, the borse to a stately trot, and then' to a 'ikTTnyTicartrtlie-whilerDeut . toar8ufTocatlDgattooi gn(nKtcmV ritisl Vi.dc-ink Jostle Hiiattf. of , 'the. fto'nseah(r'tre wett-'kept gaffleA stood behind (he- huge'Iroo Tgate-the i.TuIe-cVad'.fj'gure Mt?&Zfitoii-who Mt?&Zfitoii-who -looked tall and rwnsn'L -" i .t She ;wfiV6.(jf''fief ,b'axlf anrt'Iulied"' my mouut- to a snail's pace;1 reachlnc 'loili0!Cnd 'llii'as.i.weji' as QDj2r..jn.. . sjtv.l.. posljjre might. Now, watching th slim, waving "hand "and , ' hpp.lng- ugiilnfet hope, 1; Imagined "that It 1 Itetkonod. ' eo I turned ;rhe';Jiwse's hc' and dropred to the curb. -She extended - a - hand-, between - the barsi and l held It sor long. that. he. " drew it gently hack again... . ."Il Is good to see you. out," snld site, "after -'youri Illness. . . My -'Illness .was nothing, senorlta; leas' ihiuv a 'trllle." v. This, beyond, a ..doubt was, tl-e truth, "Hwns very kind tit you In Qjk about rne." "But 8uuilloi," said she, a sweet anxiety In the umber eyes, "can never be considered a trifle." Iler glance i took In the bruises on "piy faceHoie strangely;; It 'baa marked yon P'" r'., I lauglied, my back against the wuli ofmy. ownubprcparedness. "Small-. "Small-. pox, did not do 'fhat, senorlta. vMy 'face has been a target for. every fist In the state of Morelos." "Are you Jesting, captain, or do ryouf speak In Tparables? iJ5Vtar not In the 8tate.of Morelos," l'i "rerhnps ; It ls! the : barrieriof the gate," said I. I considered the house. "I am forbidden entrance to that beautiful .. home, aenorlta; does your prohibition extend also to the grounds, to. the gardens?" .r -;..r " Now she' drew the iron' bolt and I pushed the massive gate open. We walked along the narrow graveled path. "You were good to me that day before the - emperor, captain, and I would thank you." . :. ..-She found a fancifully carved stone bench beside an arbor of red and white roses. "Yon wlll'ljll me now, Captain de Vlgny, about the fists of Morelos." t . :": J ; -."There Is! so much ;to tell; besides. ; senorlta, I . would tell : you ; of other things -.things : of vaster- portent" My voice trembled, 'j "?If you would lead' up to your story -of the lists -u: .. I am listening." j VAs: I; rode this -aflernoon from Cuernavaca" began, ri ... She had raised a hand, as though to stop me, or to Interrupt, but changed: her mind. j-The news of my . haTlng.been In Cuernavaca must have surprised her. "I came to certain momentous decisions' de-cisions' y Aho?", ... .rjj 'Indeed,"., I continued ; "I decided '"flfst that 1 would ' tell the Senorlta Arrellanos that I love her." . ":'vbji .' your. way from Cuernavaca" she mused. Slim fingers twisted la her lap. "Yesi.and..that .. I JoYeher... ;;r She. : lau'sbed:69ftjyi'"i26wS.7'm French ofllcers think $ you, ',t senorr- bave toldme df their love?" jj. Aj dep passion came tntb her vblceri-VjD.o lypu .not ..realize,, my .helplessness,,' Id iXMffi great; city,' which ; writhes ; onder . the'.heel of Lhe.;.em'perof.;.''cAo;'y9U''not' -see' that; "-because-'of the e'vll '-'power-of his majesty, my father and mj mother-have- been -taken - from - me;-that, me;-that, when .a TFr,ench ofllcer.teUs mer that heiovesjme; I jmast-?? "1 am" sorry j senorlta"; 'I did" not traderstand: Ia my hearr yoTi jwllt -ralgii ' f or t ever, .-for iLhai-o-pur1 yotf among the angels, but no word of love from me " Tears came r Into , her . eyes ; she . raised "a hand; blindly,., and I took It. and . kissed very slowly arid thoroughlyeach, thorough-lyeach, finger; then I loosed It "You will trust meIs It not so? The. word of B'De Vlgny, senorlta. Is a thin? not easily broken." . . . She nodded"; ' and' nodding; smiled again.'-' "If 1 my -' bitterness, " senor. 6eems nn unnatural thing In' a "woman I must Justify It 'because of my-great losa. . Tills" country Is ours. It cannot belong to Europe; and If I wage my fight with .a woman's weapons am I more ' worthy - of blame than a -.man who fights with the weapons that God has given him? ; "You offer service to your France, senor, because1 you deem U your duty; do I owe "any less service or any less duty to my own country? Must 1, being . a woman, sit idly by while a foreign nation uses up the wealth of this, my . country; bringing good patriots to mockeries of trial and certain executions? The wealth of my father, Amador Arrelanos. was measured .In . millions. .,L Will all thaj now belongs to me gain In value un der the reign of the emperor? Can you blame me If I strive to hold my own?" .... " 1 shook my bead, dazed at her , out burst ; and amazed, too, because I had begun to see the motives behind some of the acts of Colonel Lopez. The wily colonel had been responsible for the trial and execution of La , Anita's father, and be had made no secret of his suit for her .band.. A. little tight was.; beginning to show In the(dark ness.-. Yet I could not tell, her until I was certain., v! , ,, .- She dashed, the. tears from her. eyes. "Because' ol, what your emperor, has dt.ne to my fat.her.be will some da stand ..before a squad of. Mexican sol dlers (Its Insane striving for power eun lead him only to the grave. Benito Juarez will soon be master of Mexico;' Mex-ico;' and when that day comes, senor. Maximilian's doom Is sealed! - I can see It as clearly as though the fhlnn hud - already - happened. ' Ah senor. the-men of France have Bliown1 me doubtful chivalry! if, . because of their ' stupid Infatuation I choose to use them " r : "Is It stupid, senorlta? My own Infatuiitlon hits filled my life with a new and spiritual glory '' "I have not tried to use you. captain cap-tain ;und your thoughts of-me1 are things that- 1 cherish In my heart J would not try to use you.; For France and your emperor you ?Tood up before thelplaial of my .cousin, 'knowing -cer-rnln dent h. await ed,.ynUi-.Thereis no price t hot '.can-he put' upon a miin who. hecjiuse of o sense of duty, can reach such sublime heights of courage." cour-age." "It's all In the day's work," I said, i. though her ,;pruiso was sweet, "To maintain - the Do Vlgny standard will take all thocourage I possess, for rsbme of. my ancestors have written their names large on the scroll of history." his-tory." ..I.;,. "That make -me" wonder how It happens hap-pens that you look so much like Pablo. Pab-lo. Does not so striking a resemblance resem-blance Indicate certain relationship?" "Either 'that,", said I, "or uncertain relationship. My great-grandfather, after whom 1 was named, and whose Image by some grotesque physiological physiolog-ical turn has been handed down to me, was, ,of course a royalist, as De VIgny8 have ever been. . When the revolution - broke 'he - fled France and came to Mexico, where, In a very few years, he put together quite a fortune, dealing In precious stones." "You think, then, senor, that your great-grandfather ?" ; I laughed defensively,; "I cannot find It In my heart to apologize for so brave and fascinating a gentleman. Even now; In old PIcardy, Interesting tales are told" "Interesting-tales, senor," said she with a . smile, ''are told about man only when women "Exactly, senorlta ; It may have been because he bandied Jewels." "Valiant service, senor," she said softly, ;-"Isv a. great- Jewel. I think I rather ;Uke'y6ur; great-grandfather." But It was my very earnest desire to get back to Lopez, whose dual position posi-tion as virtual chief of staff under Maximilian and persona grata In the house of Arrellanos boded 111 for one or the other. VHow long, senorlta have you known Miguel Lopez?" Now her startled eyes sought my face. "Since. 1 was a child, senor; he worked many years for "my father, managing several of his ventures." "Does; It not seem strange to you. Renoi-lta", that" Miguel Lopez, r-stunding high In the estimation of his majesty, could not save your father?'' "lie tried, senor and Tailed lie was heartbroken. i' Explaining,-the perfidy of ; Colonel Lopez "'could only have added to her unhapplness. With ber father re . "My Cousin Attacked You, Senor?" moved, Lopez doubtless Imagined that the petty persecutions secretly fos tered by himself might, throw hei Into his rms. To me the plan wus "vefy"8lmpieV yet-i'knew""thaC to" explain ex-plain It to La Anita, would because of her Incredulity he a thing of vast difficulty.' . ; ; .. .:.:. . , '" "You are - silent, senor; and you promised to tell me about those bruises on your face ani the fists of Morelos. : Do you remember?" Now I looked deep Into the clear amber eycB and I found a frank friendliness. I longed to take her In my . arms, to hold the dear form In close, passionate embrace, to crush the dainty mouth with kisses, to breathe the fragrance " of ber hair again. . . . ' " ' v' ', "Yon trust me. Is It not so, senorlta?" se-norlta?" . . ' ; "In . very truth, senor; for, though you serve his nmjesty, I find In you a very gallant gentleman." ' "And If I tell you things, which, re- '. pented, ' might endanger me ?" "No ' harm " shall come- to you through Die. senor." .She thought a moment, ! then urged gently: "As you rode : this .- afternoon from Cuernavaca Cuerna-vaca . ; . ." j . ., , '''"1 must go farther' hack than that,'; said 1, "for I have ridden three horses over seventy miles today. I started ' when the day. -was young, and 1 began my Journey .under most propitious circumstances, for' General Benito "Juarez Vaw- me' off and wished me Godspeed on ' my trip." ; ' She laughed lightly. "One cannot 'Kelp' buf like you. Monsieur de Vlgny fur rlrolhiess Is a gift of "the gods I" "Ypt we-"stood-1 under 'a brilliant ' moon -my lady,. and he took' 'my 'hunrl and offered up a fervent wish thai the s!;ir of my luck might shine upor- i me a I ways I" lier sweet eyes searched my face earnestly, "Por DIos," she whispered, "bo did, for -1 can read your face, senor, and no guile Is. there." "There will never be for you senorlta." :. : She spoke breathlessly: "But be could not have known "Naturally. General Juarez and your- most able and Justly famous uncle, General Escobedo, listened to me while I advised them that an attack at-tack upon Cuernavaca at this time would put the revolutionary cause In grave danger. Acting upon my advice, ad-vice, Juarez decided to postpone tbe attack." . She thought a long moment 1 bad to give her credit for more than average aver-age Intelligence. "Then captain, you did not have Smallpox?" "No, senorlta' said I, a vast regret In my very soul; "I wish I had died of It." .... "And i called," she murmured, a hint of tears In her eyes ; "called at your quarters to know how you were; called because you had shown yourself your-self to bo a man of high courage, and of understanding; called to show you that I : was sorry for the trick my cousin had played upon you.". She drew In a deep sigh. "Life Is difficult; diffi-cult; Is It not so? Cannot you see how such a thing would hurt me? We are proud, we " "I am sorry; I wish I could think of something to say. Do you Imagine I find life simple, my lady? My, life and my service belong to tbe emperor; em-peror; for myself I have only dreams dreams In which I have placed upon a pedestal : for my worship a sweet slim goddess with a balo of hair the color of desert smoke, with an exquisite ex-quisite face of 'matchless purity, and limpid amber eyes In the Immeasurable Immeasur-able depths of which I lose " , Now she stopped my vehement flow of words with the touch of a tender finger, but her voice was bantering: "You might have saved your expressions expres-sions of regret at having nothing to say, senor, for-you have said a deal In very truth." Ah senorlta I" "If I forgive you,' then you will go .on with your-story? If you went to the camp -of General -Juarez you must have gone to see the two young men ...."-. "Aye;. I saw them. Among those who used my fuce for plain and fancy punching were Rene Leroux and Louie Besancon. - ':- ' She smiled a little. "And the others! senor?". 1 .; "Don Fells Perez, the gargoyle, ot Trelnta,; who . has a fist as big as Popocatepetl, , and a disposition Just : as fiery." :, - . : "No more?" - "Yes; Pablo Madrella y Gutierrez- "My cousin attacked you, senor?" "In my 6leep, senorlta. , In the gloom of 'enrly morning, as I Jay In my," bed at the llotel Montezuma, which, as you "know. Is located In Cuernavaca, he and .the fat .and apoplectic Manuel' stole. In like murderers: mur-derers: In the night, and' Pablo drove a long knife Into my sleeping form." ("0hl Yei you live, senor, and and It cannot be." "Yet It was. The fact that my sleeping form was an artful roll of bed covering mude bis act none the less one of murder, With a handy three-legged stool as my only weapon, I hid behind the door and saw It all." They were armed?" A great fear and a great hurt lay In her eyes. "Aye; each with a long knife that gleamed evilly in the gloom and I with a stool, but It suiilced, for. Manuel Man-uel wears a turban-like bandage on his head, while your cousin la" "Dead senor?" . No; not yet, though his life !s forfeit" for-feit" If be" Is In the city the soldleri of the empire will lead him to hi rendezvous with death." - She Btralghtened her slim ehoul-ders. ehoul-ders. What do they know against my cousin?" ... , j : . "Nothing yet but when I show them this " I drew from my pocket the pass of Benito Juarez. CHAPTER IX The Price of Treachery One swift glance was ' all she needed, tier face took on the pallor of death. "In the namo of God, senor," she gasped, "where did you get that?" "I found It on the steps of your porte-cochere after Lopez and I had assisted my wounded adversary to the carriage. It has saved my life more than once, It will serve now to remove a menace to the empire, a man who has forfeited all claims to friendship and all hope of clemency." "Yet he Is my cousin, senor, though I do not countenance his actions. Does the cousin of your your goddess god-dess deserve no mercy at your hands?" "Ah, senorlta Is that fair of you?" "No; yet you hold bis life in your hands, and I, who see In you only gallantry and courage and and forgiveness, for-giveness, am asking for bis life. Ah senor, you will never be great ln. anything until you are great in forgiveness for-giveness I" "Between Madrella and myself, senorlta, ' there la a blood-feud that only death might allay. If he Is free then my life Is In constant danger." She smiled at .me through a mist of tears. "I am not pleading for the life of my cousin because be Is my cousin, or because It Is his life; I am thinking of the effect of this upon your soul, and upon my estimate of you. I wonder If the fine DeVIgnys of your noble line who have written their names large on the scroll of history his-tory would require this thing of you?" She stopped and, searching my face, waited. I lost myself In the clear depths of her pleading eyes. My service, my duty to France, to my emperor In all of that I had failed because'of my too great love. I extended to her a hand that held the death warrant of Madrella. She took the folded piece of paper from my fingers and swept, her Hps lightly across the back of my hand. "You may destroy It," I said, and waited. "And when l have done so. senor?" "Then shall I go to my emperor, who has honored me with his love and with his trust, and tell him that I have failed and offer him my resignation. resig-nation. I can do no less." "The price, that you will have to pay, senor, Is greater than his Mfe.Is worth. I 1 give It back to you. If you make If a matter of duty, I must ask nothing of you; If you can be great In forgiveness this world will have many things to offer "you. I have failed." ' - ' , Sighing, she got slowly to her feet. She studied the sinking sun for balf u minuted "It Is finished," she said, turning to me again ;,- ''there Is no more." r, . . , . . Now. seeing what 1 had done, she cried out In fear and dismay and In sudden, .overwhelming happiness, too for tiny pieces of that potent pass of Benito Juarez floated to the ground between us. ; . ..- .... - "Ah, DIos," she suid. "you have de-. stroyed It I" ' : - ' f: ' "Yes, senorlta ; forgiveness :and and love are greater by fur than duty." I. felt her groping - fingers on my hands, on. my . shoulders;. I felt .her arms around my neck", and I caught the faint elusive' fragrance' of -her hair. Sudden tears blinded me so that I could not see her face, but I heard her soft" voice calling my name, and I felt again the tender touch of her fragile . lips. . . . Yet what I had done was nothing less than treason. There was left for me only to report, to .the emperor what I. knew about the sublime sacrifice sacri-fice of Leroux 'and Besancon," the defection of . Lest range, and the quea tlonable activities of Colonel Lopez. . (TO BE CONTINUED.) 1 |
