Show rum rani r T a an A A III 1 h hp val amon AL ja xau e w or fuydal I aa raon lay by FRED mclaughlin author Autho of the blade ol of cardy Pl copyright by gobba merrul co service CHAPTER XI continued 17 of burse course 11 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 tits prisoner he held a powerful card in his rame game of waman that lie he doubtless intended to play for the Seno senoritas ritas beauty had cast a spell upon him and the love she bore her brother might be used this lieutenant prisoner of ours garde must bo be taken to a safe place aye my colonel and I 1 fear almost to io give him film 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 jou you to escort him to the calabozo calibozo cala bozo and to deliver him into the keeping of captain lopez assuredly pint thought a moment you understand der dor stand garde that louwill you will be held personally responsible for the prisoner have no fear my colonel there was apprehension in delcos eyes and she whispered anxiously as aa I 1 bent over her hand do you leave me thus loren 1 I must save polito I 1 said softly y 1 I will return within the hour I 1 smiled ameled 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 anve Q went out leaving the senorita and pint together take hold of my illy stirrup polito I 1 said and walk beside the horse as a prisoner should we traveled two streets eastward 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 ido I 1 do not like calabozos cala bozos and you must be very oon doon upon the road to puerto cabello senor he cried you cannot do this thing I 1 I 1 cannot permit you it Is not that you permit polito you are my prisoner your you r life Is in danger polito and bee because a use of bod you your sister who loves abu ls Is in deadly danger perhaps I 1 am stupid 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 attempt to win the favor of the senorita as indeed he must he will use your life as a 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 retura with fill all speed to colonel pint thomay who may have other errands for roe me halting anon before a tiny fonda J I 1 lifted the fat somnolent storekeeper out of a late siesta by aid of a 1 usty 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 wo we will look you up polito some danfor day tor peace will come to this unhappy h appy country now please remember that major garde has killed colonel fuentes so you may go back in safety to your service if the star of my luck does not forsake me I 1 shall deal definitely with colonel pint before f ore another hour has passed now idlas 1 he too took ic tears in his eyes then he be turned and bent his steps toward the port of cabello I 1 gave my horse his head and we raced aced through the streets of valencia to tb the danger of all and sundry for foi my mental picture of pint and the senorita was not a pleasant one I 1 had determined at last to settle my a affair with the clever colonel the senora ybarra let me ma in and ne as I 1 heard a murmur of voices from the chamber I 1 stopped at the portal and nd by the rude port leres listened the voice of colonel pint was pleading passionate mo do not say no my lady he cried 1 I was mad with wine that day in maracay karacay Mar acay and for that I 1 offe r humble apologies H every very hour since that moment I 1 have been filled with contrition will you not noe listen to my words 0 of f pleading S enorata 1 1 I heard her brighte frightened ned murmur and pint went on again 1 I am a poor slave senorita to my love for thee in the flame of I 1 am a moth burned thy beauty MRY I 1 ask 7 1140 io she said not no I 1 ali ah dlos dios always and for evenol eve ever nol no I 1 when one la Is mad ad with love senorita one might do regret regrettable table things the city of valencia belongs to td xue me dear lady as ag commandant I 1 hold the power of nf life and death 0 over ver those within its limits for only a small portion of your love that power of life and death wit will I 1 be put into your keeping what do you mean senor she gasped will you tell me senor what Is in your mind ere I 1 go mad Aau your tot lr comely brother yeu eu tenant PoIl poleto tO whom you d doubtless doubt lesa lovo love with a sisters sacrificing love walta waits even now for tho the hour of tits hla execution for spain has taught us how to deal with prisoners it may be my desire as commandant of valencia to save him film ah mother mary 11 she elie cried la Is your laign design so evil a thing can a man professing his love harbor so vile sho she stopped her faco face naming flaming slim hands pressed against tier her bosom for I 1 hail had stepped into the room loren she gasped all dear clear G d loren I 1 CHAPTER XII the lure of lamartina on tits hla knees I 1 said laughing on tits ills accursed knees and not I 1 think in prayer Pray erl 1 pint leaped to his feet black anger written large on tits his face forgetting the presence of the alia senorita he rasped a potent oath oh my colonel I 1 would apologize for thee I 1 give clive yourself no trouble major I 1 will make my own apologies it if I 1 should order you to report yourself under arrest to the officer of the file calibozo calabozo cala bozo l 1 I would be compelled to refuse colonel for I 1 do not know the way to the calabozo calibozo cala bozo which was a stupid and tactless thing to say for I 1 should have kept him in ignorance of Poll tos escape dulce rasped and I 1 continued i besides general bolivar in your presence gave me hla his permission to offer challenge to you after the battle of it 4 the impetus of hla his falling body drove my point into his chest carabobo Car abobo should be won we have won that contest therefore 11 I 1 am asking now for the pleasure of our post boned meeting you have a sword said pint smiling aye my colonel and the opportunity to use it shall affo afford d me a fine delight the wily colonel knew kne of course that my wounded arm would take from me at least one half of my effle efficiency lency as aa a swordsman and acting as usual upon impulse I 1 had given noi no thought to my injury or to anything in fact except my wild desire to kill him if you do not know the way to the prison he inquired this young lieutenant brother of the senorita Is entirely out of your reach senor seno r which leaves the senorita free to act as aa the dictates dictates of her heart shall indicate now she ran into my arms loren my own you should not have dono done it ile he will make you pay ali ah dear heart it Is a noble thing for you to do yeti yet your life your arm dear heart you cannot handle a sword with a wounded ajmal arm I 1 smiled upon her confidently my arm Is well the senorita then shall wit nessa duel said mal who during our aside dad ad written a note lie he thrust his head out of a window and emitted a shrill whistle whereupon a sergeant serg edrit and a squad of twelve soldiers marched into the room the colonel proffered this thip note to the that sergeant Is an order fo for the execl execution tion pt major garde who stands before you if after our duel the major Is still alive he Is to be betoken betaken 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 Y tills this note explains to the commanding in officer of the prison that major G garde has permitted aye aided a spanish prisoner polito lamartina to escape a prisoner that 1 I co commandant in of valencia gave into his keeping pint turned to me have ibave I 1 spoken truth senor exactly my colonel I 1 could not have expressed it better myself you will station your ag al along the walls of this his room pint directed the sub aub and you will orter offer no interference to our duel yes colonel said the alio sergeant the room was quickly cleared an and we confronted confront ett each crich other in the center of it dulce stood by the ornate mantel one liand hand upon it to support herself the other pressed against tier her heart her face pale lips parted and a haunting fear in the deep blue ryes eyes I 1 turned to face her and raised my illy blade in salute you will seo see me dear one salt said I 1 in french win another contest with the sword please ilease god loren she whispered we contend major garde darde said bald pint with a light laugh for a pretty prize indeed aye my lily colonel the prize Is worth our best eft efforts orts I 1 knew that losan losing 9 I 1 should leave her helpless the rhe morrow with its tiring squad gave me no uneasiness it was with this hour that I 1 had to dealt deal then guard senor aye my colonel ills overconfidence because of the weakened state of my right arm might I 1 imagined he be a handicap to him so I 1 permitted him to beat d down own my guard in the first wit wild thrusting attack that he made parrying only enough to protect my body from fits drives lie ile was a good but not a master swordsman and but for my injury lie ho would not have been in any sense a match for me I 1 must use t there ere fore defensive tactics until lie he should should tire for greater strength and greater endurance endur anco was mine lie laughed aloud for I 1 think lie ho felt the weakness of my wrist the fornic former r strength of which had find been my pride I 1 could only offer my lily blade in parry yet set I 1 kept ills his point away from me for I 1 was quicker on my feet than he and I 1 had a more morel complete control of my body I 1 caught the senoritas Seno ritas eye bild smiled reassuringly yet slie she must have seen my illy helplessness for there was no answering smile on her face only that expression of haunting terror and a new and reckless determination possessed me I 1 would win because I 1 must win I 1 would kill this man if I 1 liag had to do it even after tits his steel had found my heart my bly benumbed arm grew weaker so that I 1 could barely feel the blows that I 1 tried girled to parry had I 1 not twisted my body in swift ridiculous gestures hla fits point would have foundoe found me a dozen times he cried out in vexation do you fence senor sanor or do you thus take your 1 afternoon exercise stand up and tI fight gIlt are you unfamiliar with the sword tie ile attacked furiously and I 1 must musi needs retreat before tits his wild frenzy keeping clear of the walls and offer ing ineffectual parry until my arm had lost its vigor and my wrist its power to turn his blows the weapon wrenched from my grasp fell clattering to the floor and flint drove at my illy chest realizing 1 1 eal IzIng that I 1 was vas unarmed lie he drew back waiting pick it t up in r I 1 do not stab a defenseless man yet ret I 1 think but jor for the presence of the senorita he would have done so I 1 know knew that as far as fencing might be concerned my right arm would never neer stive save me so I 1 gripped the hilt of the sword sward with my left hand my aly left arm and wrist would be I 1 was sure inept but they tricy would lack no tithe of strength and strength might be after all in a contest with as a duelist as the colonel suf achis dashing bashin charges became more deliberate an and d the force of them ye relaxed say my confidence increased for the professional smile had bad left his lips his bis dancing eyes grew somber and a pallor of fear touched the olive of bf his face 4 then I 1 advanced in attack slashing and thrusting with no skill but with a deal bof power for the blows that tie fie parried shook him from heel jo to crown had I 1 one arm only wy my colo colonel neli you should have vanquished me nitia wl thease ease but now P he gasped a fervent oath and I 1 continued you would leave pin an order for my execution eli 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 carrascal Carr acal he gasped lie ile made i one last lait in incautious cautious lunge at me and missed the impetus of his f falling ailing body drove my p point into his chest he went benti to his knees his fingers fastened around the n naked a kad blade bilat that order of execution sergeant he cried you will see to it you will take him to the calibozo calabozo cala bozo and tain tomorrow 0 r I 1 morningan morning mornin gas as early as light as as early r r 1 he crashed face down upon the floor and the sword broke under the I 1 impact mp ct of his fall 1 now I felt the Seno senoritas ritas arms around my neck felt the tender touch of her lips and nd I 1 heard beard her voice calling my name over and over again TO DB CONTINUED |