Show The Vale of Aragon By FRED McLAUGHLIN Author oi of The Blade of 01 C Copyright by bv Merrin C C. C Service WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED At nightfall In the old city of ot New Orleans In tho year ear 1821 Loren Garde recently tin an under General Jackson son Is surprised surprised surprised sur sur- by tho appearance of oC three figures In ancient Spanish costume cds cos tume tunic two men mon and a a. woman whose beauty enchants him He- He tenting the arrogance of oC the elder of oC the two men Garde Gardo fights a a. aduel aduel duel with him with swords and woun wounds s' s him He lie learns his opponent opponent op op- op- op Is Adolfo Adoo de Fuentes colonel colonel colonel colo colo- nel In the Iho Spanish army In Vene Vene- zuela Fearing arrest Garde flees taking refuge In a garden where he ho overhears o a i plot to overthrow Spanish rule In Venezuela Discovered Discovered Dis Dis- covered he fights fight but Is s o ere ered Garde fin finds linds s himself a n prisoner prisoner pris pris- oner on the tho Santa Lucrecia ship bearing bearin arms and ammunition for Cor forthe tho the Venezuelans under Bolivar On board are the conspirators ho had hail overheard o the tho lady of oC hi his love her brother Polito and Do De Fuentes An attempt to seize tho the ship falls fails CHAPTER II Continued II-Continued 3 If your father Is wealth wealthy then why in why in the thc name of all aU the saints Monsieur Monsieur did did i you thus throw throwaway throwaway throwaway away your our life by serving that arch arch- rebel and conspirator Simon Boll Boll- war Now a n bit of Francisco's patriotIsm patriot- patriot Ism touched me so that I refrained for the thc moment from telling her that I Im had spurned the offer of the revolutionists The rebel of today toa to to- today day a Your Majesty may be tomorrows tomorrow's tomorrows tomorrow's tomor tomor- rows row's li liberator Do you ou not know that already the they are calling callin this Bolivar the Washington of South America 1 She bowed owe her head and the slim shoulders drooped I know kno Monsieur only that it touches me here She pressed her hands OH over o r her heart I I 1 I do O not un un- What have the they done to Francisco Francisco Fran Fran- cisco Perez z and Santini the soldier soldier sol sol- dier We Ve are approaching the shores ot of Venezuela she said and tomorrow tomorrow to to- morrow as ns the thc sun rises rises tO She Slie Sh raised her hm hands s and let them fall fallIn fallIn In a gesture of helplessness I have tried to save them I Ido Ido Ilo do lo not un understand Adolfo In some things he Is hard hard hard-hard hard I II I did not have to ask her I what they Intended to do with Loren Garde who as far as the they knew had Imd cast his lot with the thc forces of revolution who had hidden hidden hid hid- den deu his Identity behin the masquerade masquerade mas mas- of insanity I knew What have they ther done one with Manuel Man Ian Manuel uel Manuel she queried Ah Alm Ah Manuel he of the dark face and heavy shoulders They have done nothing he hc Is free free free-a a good sailor and n a brave man though somewhat stupid Now low I laughed laughed until I saw a n deep hurt in her eyes and her chin began to tremble then I Iu u 8 1 t c l r Perhaps Said I My Moon Mad ness Has Never Quite Forsaken Me Mc stopped apologetic Perhaps said saidI I my moon madness ness has never ne quite forsaken me me She had called calle 1 Manuel stupid 1 What was It Francisco hn had said to tome tome tome me Ab Ah yes if the captain cap cap- tain roin questions our Innocence and even becomes so suspicious as us to confine us there Is yet Manuel and the mixed crew of oC this ship Surely Sure Sure- ly Ij Francisco had not done things by halves hal If rr courage and brains could win Bolivar Dolhar would woul never ne lose If It t helps help's you to laugh In th the shadow of the gallows Monsieur Garde your moon moon-ma moon madness ness Is n a blessed blesse gift She Sine turned away as ns though to leave me but came ame back again I I 1 1 want ant you ou to know that I 1 have tried so BO hard to save you ou but I am helpless I am not even cen a pawn In this tragedy the they call the game of empire Ma May I crave e a favor Your Majesty Maj taj esty just esty-just just one one before before you OU go go Surely She raised her fair face questionIngly If It there be aught aught- Now while she kept her face upturned up up- turned turne to me I studied the smooth forehead the high arch of oC e eyebrow ebro the thc deep blue of her eyes the quivering ups lips and the tender curve cur of cheek and chin t May I tell you OU that you are beautiful and may I offer apology for having hating followed you ou for having bavin wounded your your for our your for for ill having wounded Do De F Fuentes entes am and for m that 1 night of madness ss and ter ter- terI I In n New Orl Orleans ans 1 I won wonder er If you ou have imagined me mc cruz crazy It Is not that Monsieur I do donot donot donot not understand I think we wc cannot cannot can can- not ren rend America That you ou should laugh at nt the gallows seems strange to me And that you ou should have ha followed us from New ew Orleans Is IsIs IsIs Isis Is is that the act of a sane man roan No Your Majesty It Is not Could I 1 tell her of my ma mad worship worship worship wor wor- ship of that overwhelming love of mine would that have gained anything anything any any- thing UsIng for Cor either cither of us To ha have told her would merely have ad added e eto to her unhappiness for I had hind only a short night of life left to nI m moI mo n. I am am going to A Adolfo she said at nt last and tell him that the Senor Americano Is not responsible that the Venezuelans Perez and Santini heI held him captive A Adolfo will do much for me inc But not IlOt that Your Majesty ty for Adolfo does oes not love lore me ate lie has every reason not to love lore me for I have vc wounded huh him I shall try at least I knew she would woul fall fail knew she would not return so I tried every ery conversational subterfuge to detain her with no success for she extended ex ex- extended ten tended ed a hand to me smiling Adios Even en as 1 I held the slim fingers the thc sound of a pistol shot came from the time deck above us followed by bj the roar of a n commanding voice Captain Alvarez she cried the voice of Captain Alvarez What is It monsieur Another shot another yell elJ a n shrill medley now and swift padding padding pad pad- ding footsteps Our guards disappeared disappeared dis dis- appeared In the gloom of the channel chan nel net running for the upper deck The TheaIr Theair Theair air was filled with the menace of an approaching storm as ns well as that of mutiny What Is It she screamed holdIn holding to me nix What has happened hap hap- happened Senor tell me rne I I laughed shortly Time Tile stupid Manuel Is playing the game ame accor according according accord accord- ing to his orders Unless something Is done swiftly and well ell this ship will be very soon In the hands of those who fight for It Is Isa Isa isa a floating arsenal and Is therefore therefore there there- fore forc a n welcome prize for the revo revo- We must act quickly But you ou Senor are In the service ser Not at nt all aU I have never served Francisco nor Bolivar Doll only t t- t Senorita SenorIta- Dulce Dulcet said she completing m my sentence Dulce Dulcet I How flow prophetic had been that name for It was at nt once a caress and a description Will WIllOU you OU remain here then In safety while I INo INo I- I No Senor no 1 I will go with you There Is Polito and andI and and- I knew she visualized A Adolfo but she did not call his name So hand in we wc sped along the freight cluttered channel I led Jell her to time the companion ladder and half halt lifted her up through the quarter-deck quarter hatch from which position posItIon po po- po- po of vantage we were able nille to overlook the upper deck It seemed at first deserted but the report of ofa ofa a n pistol came from the starboard rail rall abaft the mainmast a n shrill scream followed It t and a tall fi figure figure fig fig- ure ure lun lunging ing toward n a slim bo boy whose body hotly was braced against the bulwark struck the thc rail raU bent over It it and flopped back again to the deck where he lay grotesquely flattened A puff purr of smoke wavered wavered wa wa- vere vered above the two figures Mother Iother of G G-d G d the Senorita breathed Polito 1 M My brother has killed a man 1 Now other figures raced from Crom the fore deck and the forecastle one of them a heavy henvy unwieldy figure with one bound arm lifted I a lefthand left lefthand lefthand hand and fired into the time face of n a sailor whose groping fingers clutchIng clutch clutch- Ing lag wildly found the throat of his adversary and the two went down downIn In a scrambling heap Adolfo cried the woman at my side Adolfo 1 Oh the terror of of this hour I IAn And An the Joy I breathed my soul with the hope of freedom freedom freedom free free- my dom again My Iy brother she gasped I 1 must go to my brother 1 Well as Jong long as she didn't want to go to Adolfo The elements now had begun to add their fury to the storm of 01 human human hu hUe hu- hu man hatred that already possessed the ship I 1 had seen these tropical storms before nn and I knew that the greatest danger anger to the Santa Lucrecia Lucrecia Lu Lu- crecia lay not In the contending huFman human hu man forces on her deck but In time the power power of the thc approaching tempest I made my way in the rising tumult tumult tu tu- tu of the storm to the wheelhouse wheelhouse wheel wheel- house which as I hurt hart suspected was empty empt My pun puny efforts to bring the thc craft around were poor enough yet et I knew that riding before before be he fore forc the thc rushing wind the plunging ship shill w was as due for certain disaster Gasping I clung tenaciously to the straining wheel The Santa Santo San ta to pitching prodigiously dived into the thc bod body of n mountain of green blue sea and the mizzen mast came down with a note of rent timbers that lifted above nho the din of ot the storm It fell aft crushIng crush- crush l big Ing the wheelhouse but hut I 1 had dived out of 01 the path of Its fall faU and anel buffeted buffeted feted by the waters had come conic up short against the low wall wan of the after Clinging desperately to a n stanchIon stanch Ion lon I wondered if 11 there was an an- oth other r soul alive e on board the ship which was now only a plaything In Inthe Inthe inthe the storm Finally came carne the sound of another rending tending crash and I Imagined Im Im- Imagined that the foremast had gone Jone for the laboring vessel after heel heel- ing lag perilously whipped back to an even cven keel leel again While I crouched In the protection protection protect tion of the deck after the spirit of youth took tool hold of me ine spoke to tome me and me-and and the spirit of love also She had come to see me ha had glorified glorified glorified glori glori- fied my miry prison hn had let Jet me feast m my e eyes es upon the beauty of tier her face Spurred by a n sud sudden en resolve to find her to save sa her or to sink to the depths with her Iler In m my arms I 1 left m my place of refuge e and male made my way b by eccentric stages forward for for- ward I stumbled over a battened batten ell companion and rode the crest ofa of ofa a tumbling wave half the length of the deck My l outspread arms came in contact with a n rail stanchion and I held to it as the wave ware passed on In the up pIled masses of foam I that beat over me I felt Celt the clin clinging clinging cling cling- i ing Ins touch louch of a dress m my fingers I found a slim arm and I heard a n shrill scream that rose above e the tho I roar of the tempest The Senorita I Dulce 1 In the semi darkness she recognized me A light of happi happl happiness I ness took tool the thc place of time the th terror that had fill filled ell her e eyes es Senor she cried the frail voice oIce unconquered In the tumult I have been searching searching- I placed one arm around her holding her close Are you ou afraid No she said stalling smiling bravely and smiling fainted Well It was better letter So holding her I waited walte for the storm t to destroy de de- destroy stroy us I I drew an abiding consolation consolation con con- from the time thought that if the sea claimed us I should I have leher l e her all nU my own to the last Instant of my life Even as I waited thus the great ship stopped suddenly as though It had met an invisible in wall The stern lifted tinell sl skyward ward the mainmast sheared clean at nt the partners fell forward tearing a q great reat gap gill In the rail Now the stern went down again with a n sickening lurch nn and the bowsprit pointed toward the boiling clouds While the Santa Lucrecia balancing balancing bal bal- upon a submerged e re reef f that had cau caught her amidships t tottered like a f sparrow on a twig the rain ceased as ns su suddenly enl as It had come and the wIn wind abated d somewhat thou though h It still blew bler like Jie half a a l gale With the aid of the stanchion n an and the time rail I got to my feet and sta staggering under the burden Of f Senorita Senorita Senorita Se Se- norita Dulce went forward slowly along the plunging deck toward four men who were working worl at nt the davits of a starboard boat A tall figure of time the four resembled Francisco Francisco Fran Fran- cisco so I bent p my steps toward the larboard rail where another group roup showed In the fading twi twi- Ii light ht anxious smile was n a ghastly thing for one side of his face was smeared with blood blond He took tool his sister In his arms and turned to place her In the bout boat As Ashe Ashe Ashe he did ld so Adolfo swung upon me with Ith a clubbed pistol 1 I t tried to dodge lodge the blow and failed Time The barrel of the weapon grazed my head and sent me mime spinning and the tilting deck slipped from u under n my may y feet Stumbling I reached reached futilely for things s to stay star my mv descent rolled went through a avIde vIde wide space space in the rail that the falling foremast foremast fore Core mast had made and fell for what seemed to my mr half dazed senses senses' immeasurable Im im- Immeasurable measurable distances The plunge into the rn raging SE sea a revived re me instantly I have ha always always al nl- a ways s 's been at home In the lie water Sf SQ the danger of drowning was re rc mote Wind an and the w waves ves carried me swiftly landward as ns the short tropical twilight faded Into a a starless starless starless star star- less gloom glom A floating spar touched me and holding to It for support I waited In the murk murl a n towering mass of darkness passed me passed m me silently sl si- si silently like UIe a lifeless derelict riding before a n storm It passed on and I Iwas Iwas Iwas was left alone In the turbulent sea I heard at last the sounds of contact contact con con- tact of the time lashing sea upon the theland land It was not the booming note not of DC breakers on a reef nor yet jet the time rasping hiss of waves wares that rode rod along alonS a n sloping beach It was Is more like the rush of a mighty wind through the forest whereat I 1 wondered wondered won dered dere even more until a n giant wave wa receding left me stran stranded ed In a tree I held on onI I while lle other er waves wave rushed rushe past and over me held until the time storm had sp spent nt Its fury until time the water ha had su subsided sI ed CHAPTER HI III T lIE III morning sun dried my JL clothes and l tilled filled lle me with com com- comfortable forta le warmth Except for Inconsiderable inconsiderable Incon incon- soreness from the time buffeting buffeting bur feting of the storm and a tender 1 spot on m my head hend that kept Adolfo In my 01 mind I was none the time worse for |