Show lie h vale le of araon aragon Nr agon by fred frea mclaughlin ft author of the blade of copyright br morrill co NV artle Sr Tle CHAPTER XIII ia I 1 A night of madness in the ancient cala calibozo calabozo bozo of valencia I 1 stood upon the edge of a roughhewn rough hewn bunk and holding to the iron bars of the window watched a red sun go down behind the hills of alone and facing my last night of life I 1 lived in fancy through the swift passage of events that had filled the few short weeks since that night of moonlight madness to new orleans in actions action s in emotions in love and hate and fear I 1 had lived a long life in tint brief space I 1 had met bravo brave and honorable men whose friendship had proved a blessing to me I 1 it had a d made ene enemies who had filled my soul with a passion for killing I 1 had seen patriotism in its highest form had watched it a man win nn an empire aye had assisted even in the winning of it and I 1 had spent my life in the service of a lovely lady and I 1 was carrying away with me to another and surely more beautiful world the blessing of tier her love dulce herself had called my love a madness well if madness might glorify ones life with such emotional bliss then madness was vas indeed a blessing and sanity a futile thing it had been born I 1 remembered nil all nt at once that love for the senorita she had come like an angeli angel out of the mellow moonlight and love had overwhelmed me in an instant my aly worship had brought me here here to a gloomy house of horrors which I 1 would leave at dawn to face the rising sun and a file of armed soldiers yet I 1 was glad of my service to the senorita her brother was safe and free of the menace of colonel pint she was doubtless safe aln I 1 had vanquished yet pints dead hand reached out to crush me how strangely doth fate direct our destiny for between two suns the senorita lamartina Lamart lna should lose three suitors for her hand I 1 laughed aloud at the sheer absurdity of the thing and turning back to the iron door found the guard standing there tapping upon it can you laugh at such a time senor why not 1 I do not know yet a man seldom laughs at death Is not a laugh easier to fashion he considered it who knows he brightened up 1 I have news newa news of interest and profit to the senor americano Amerl cono I 1 would tell you senor of a thing that shall give you freedom he has returned senor he 11 I 1 questioned not pint pa pablo blo he could never mother of gd G d ill 1 locito gasped crossing himself again 1 I hope he may never return ill 1 then T the young spanish lieutenant he whom you aided to escape 11 no pablo I 1 cried no he could not have done donea a thing so foolish 1 A glorious thing senor aye pablo I 1 said humbly daa a glorious thing indeed so the brave polito to save me had made the great sacrifice ah a miserable time for dulce for she loved that handsome brother what does he say pablo aber the darkness hail had settled the guard explained this young lieutenant appeared at the iron gate and demanded admittance he told us that the americano Amerl cano major garde had taken his personal bond until ten so that under cover of the night he might make his way safely to the calabozo calibozo cala bozo for the streets of valencia are filled with venezuelans Venezuela ns celebrating our great victory at cara hobo bobo so it if the senor has not aided in the escape of the lieutenant lamar tina but has merely put him on parole for a few hours ll 11 he will surely not be ba shot tomorrow morning if the prisoner has returned how may they shoot you ilow how indeed pablo you do not seem glad senor no pablo for the boy has thrown his bla life away A brave man said pablo who seemed less lesa sympathetic than happy 1 I have locked him dp up and I 1 am going now to report the occurrence to captain lopez commandant command antof of the prison he will see to your release Is it not so senor 1 I that he be will my little pablo can you not bring the lieutenant here and put him in this cell with me assuredly a little moment senor I 1 waited horror in my heart for his reburn re burn I 1 knew that this would give me back the senorita yet if she lost her brother ali ah the glory and the pity of the thing I 1 they stood in the narrow hallway vague figures in the ineffectual light pablo yin unlocked locked the door thrust into my cell a uniformed figure and ala romed the ha d door a or shut again 1 I will i return churn senor he be said P J wilted until e sound und of his de partied part iid footsteps died aled away in the 91 gloom oom then I 1 too took k the counterfeit ilea tenant in my ar araas ns XI always ways senorita son AOU and roe me in a pr 1 boien sh ah loren I 1 1107 love thee t cannot live pvc without beet beer I 1 removed the futile bandage from tier right arm and she put it with the other around my neck so holding each other close we lived the swift sweet minutes nil oblivious to storms or wars vars or 0 r prisons you thought to trick me ehl she laughed kightly that clever subterfuge could never have been repeated for there la Is a glory to in the air where you abide I 1 can feel it my love lova for you your love was waa ever it a madness loren it is a such a thing that makes a saint yet no greater joy could ever come coma to n me 0 st she sighed it Is so dark dardr dear heart she whispered 1 I want to see your hair I 1 want to see the lovelight love light in your eyes tho the light of worship that makes a woman happy and I 1 want to see you smile again and 1 I dear heart would took look again upon the beauty of your eyes would see into the purple depths of your eyes would watch and envy tiny shining curls that caress ah my moon wealth how sweet a satisfaction la Is your lovel love I 1 Sho laughed happily love has never come to you before no my own and when it if came it filled the world with glory site she was silent allent a moment art and I 1 knew she visualized that night naghi of madness before tile the cabildo you seemed a wild thing in the silver moonlight loren and you were a que queen elt your eyes were full of dreams you seemed only half real and your eyes turned the stiver silver light to purple you you loved me then loren aye that hat In instant stani I 1 think some come gentle providence put me there to wait for you to come you brought something loren out ont of a chivalrous world to lay boore before me the gift of courage my fine americano a thing so rare in this world A poor thing my own we notice courage loren we wo wor worship ship it and tho the man who possesses it requires little else I 1 laughed ruefully 1 I have little else if indeed that and that which you consider courage may be only recklessness yet you met adolfo an indifferent swordsmen swordsman swords men 11 and you yon came to our aid on the santa lucrecia Luc 11 A little thing and you saved me from the tha storm and brought me to my brother IrI 11 and you braved the perils of caracas to see me where a lady offered herself in sacrifice to save a man who though professing love could not penetrate a simple masquerade it la Is forgiven she said softly all of that Is forgiven yet I 1 should have known you at maracay karacay you saved me from colonel pint who held a pistol that was ivas point pointed edat at you heart pint wa waa sever ever a coward with three hundred natives you held in check a thousand trained soldiers ailers of spain was that not nat courage my aly bravos had been trained to fight to save me again you offered challenge to colonel pint knowing that your jour arm pint was never a swordsman now ab was sobbing softly in my arms and you took to a place of safety returning to offer yourself oh my sweet dont cry ws we should be happy for we have this hour and ah dear fl d loren la is it any wonder that I 1 love you it Is a wonder to me and a cause for gratitude tell roo me how YC played this athla trick upon the guards fj this brought another quick trawl tion for sho she laughed gaily and drop ping tier her voice into a burring h buckl ness that was almost masculine said 1 I am polito lamartina of his bla maje service a prisoner la in chargo charge of major garde who placed me on parole until ton ten tonight when I 1 nin aim to report myself to the calabaza calabazo calab cala bazo aeo I 1 am here now that you are said 1 I laughing nt at tier her masquerade what it la Is all too simple loren the guard has gone to seek captain lopez lopes who because of tile alie return of the prisoner who was in your charge will release you of course dulco dulce and then after that dear heart there la Is no more for tile the morning suit aun should fini you near tile the coast und and safety and you I 1 questioned deep humility in my soul that this beautiful lady should offer so great a sacrifice 1 I shall be happy loren because you are safe yet set tomorrows sun would find you here assuredly A small matter indeed I 1 knew the matter was waa not so small and I 1 wits was sure too that sho she knew it will you disappear then with the coming of day ilke a wraith of the night or will they find you here 1 I shall be here loren tomorrow morning when they come to shoot the tall handsome americano Amerl cano they will discover only a woman weeping because her lover la Is far away now I 1 kissed tier her again and held the trembling form close to xue me andi and I 1 offered up a prayer of gratitude for such a love as tho the senorita had bad bestowed upon me there la Is not another my own in till all the world like you none so beautiful none so gracious none witti with a love so willing to sacrifice this hour with you la Is worth whitt what do you mean loren she eha cried clinging tome to me desperately la Is it ii that you will not T 11 1 1 I 1 cannoni cannot yet you offered your life for polito of course if polito had known loren he ba would never have gone a it if he knew now he bo would come back assuredly nay my own for polito la Is your brother and a brother of t the he senorita lamartina Lamart lna could not be aught but a brave and gallant gentleman all ah loren I 1 am so happy my moon I 1 had hoped that this nightmare of murder might miss us I 1 had hoped that I 1 might go with you to the peace of your beautiful land and there we might find our hearts desire there live out our lives together there fulfill this love that god has given us at this I 1 was silent for nothing I 1 could say would help and as we waited in close embrace the clatter of shod feet and the voice of the garrulous came out of the gloom 1 I have put them in the one cell captain it was the wish of major garde courage my sweet I 1 whispered as she fell to trembling awe we must muse face unafraid that which may como come tous to us 11 1113 bless less you lorenl loren I 1 she stood straight and slim as the two men stopped beside my cell A key rasped in tho the lock the heavy door swung open and captain captala lopez entered 1 I would got get the straight of this major garda 11 I 1 A simple task my captain if this lieutenant lamartina Lamart lna was wa placed oo on parole by yourself andee and he has returned voluntarily you have not aided in his escape for there has been no escape therefore the charge the charge against me my captain should remain unchanged for this to Is not lieutenant lamartina 11 TO na BE CONTINUED |