Show F att anh 1 4 am ca AM 61 of pa 0 MA V or i by ts t S SS S S tb copyright bobb merrall br co 1 fred mclaughli lm W N ty SYNOPSIS capt francois franco do d vlony serving with maximilian army in bl mexico exico tells the story A royster ins ing group of officers officer to Is discussing la anita who rumor says ha has lured french officers to dent h or desertion summoner by maximilian to make explanation do dl vigny to deliver the message to la anita at la anitas anita home de vigny meets colonel lopez mexican officer and the girls cousin pablo ma bla drella who bears a wonderful resemblance to oe do vigny except that he wears weara a beard angered berf that anita should be called called before the emperor madrilla Ua Ma drella forces force a duel on de vigny in which the mexican Is in wounded CHAPTER III 3 the pass of benito juarez la anita called the mozo agos afoo bring brine the carriage quickly tor for senor madorella Ma drella and tell pedro to run to doctor mendez I 1 lifted a glass ot of wine to madrel laa iss lips lie ile drank with huge gulps looking me to ID the eyes he twisted Ms his face into what lie fie imagined to he be a smile another titue time captain eh eb shall we see what damage hns has been done senor secor said 1 I so that we vve may lie he shook his head not in the home of aulta anita it Is unfair lopez and I 1 halt bait carried him so weak had he become at the door la anita kissed him tenderly in the lie dim light of the porte co chere lopez gave me a half balf 1 I will go with him captain said he be you need to return for your coat halfway up the rock steps I 1 paused for a folded piece of paper lay at my feet I 1 picked it up it mas as parchment and heavy acting on the presumption that it lind had fallen out of Mad Alad rellus rellas coat I 1 turned hack back and discovered that the carriage had bad gone I 1 gave the parchment a quick glanco under the uncertain flicker of the lie oil lamp that hung in a bracket over the lie door an instants look was all I 1 required to learn that hint my find bod was a thin thing of vast importance it as no ID order signed by benito juarez its as president of the independent lie ile public of 0 mexico nod and ln in chief of the liberal forces demanding passage through the lines of all liberal armies for one pablo madrel to la y and here was the precious pablo ablo within the imperialist linesa lines a spy a traitor to the empire 1 now I 1 had him film whether he died or lived for that paper delivered riel hered to Masi maximilian millan would bring andrella Ma Un drella before a B firing squad within the hour I 1 counted the night a grent great success as I 1 mounted the rest of the steps I 1 found the senorita senora arrel lanos lancis standing before the great tire lire place in the library with my now new coat to in her arms 1 I 1 knew you would have to come back for 11 senor so I 1 waited now she turned to me put it on quick ly there to in blood on your shirt 1 1 I am sorry Be norita tire world somehow seems all askew till this 1 Is 19 9 a country of youth and beauty with no hiippi happiness ness and it Is the privilege of youth to be happy this Is a land of unlimited natural resources and starvation stalks abroad a loud land whose history will he live senor she said assuredly I 1 should have sp spoken ilen thus bad I 1 known he was wag already dead you should tie be proud of such a cousin proud fenorl amber eyes questioned me tie ile handles a sword with exceed ing skill yet I 1 find it in my heart to apolo gize for mm him deep in my Inu inmost tot soul I 1 thanked god gd that I 1 had come through his test un unbroken brohen it was a trifle senorita senor lla said 1 a mere hazard of the gartle game llad dad you tailed failed senor she said in a voice so low that I 1 scarce could bear it would have hurt burl nie me you are very kind beci because luse the test was so unfair she continued now tills this dasti dash on my ardor sobered me 1 1 bud bad harbored a foolish hope senorita that do not misunderstand me capt captain nin we view life from opposite sides of 0 al the world we are enemies but way we not be friendly one ino mies you came to this house with the avowed intention of 0 killing my in ant and yet I 1 chose the pistols senorita and fur for that display of matchless courage senor I 1 offer you all credit that Is due I 1 would to god that my cousin bit had shown equal br bra averyl very 1 tears shone in the hie amber eyes 1 I ant am sorry said 1 thal eviat I 1 have done line lias burt you As an a am of his nin majesty jesty Maxi maximilian millon I 1 owed 11 ll to ruy my service to remote this in menace entice to tits his safety and I 1 do your couran the honor hopoi to admit that lie he was arid and Is a nn ace irice aeu the peo bvm on rise ilie street was laughing at us the mystery surrounding the house on avenida flores bad to be unraveled but I 1 want you to believe senorita that the difference between captain francois vigny the soldier and the man she shook her treat beail may I 1 ask you senorita if what your cousin said concerning besancon and leroux Is true that they serve under the flag of the lite republic she nodded does it hurt you senor aye for it tene leroux of all men who comes also from st simon and whom I 1 know knew as a boy would have been to in my estimation the last in all the world to turn against his pro em geror and tits his flog dug perhaps Perlin ps he recognizes the worthy conse cause ut of mexico haying having done what tie he has se senorita norita I 1 pray that he be does lie ile serves I 1 believe she explained pla plat ined ned under the hanner banner of bonito juarez whose army rests ew een now dow between tlatlaya and guern cuernavaca avaca tou have hare put pul vie me greatly to in your debt said 1 Is there aught that yon can do dr for nie me tomorrow she asked to do I 1 not deserve some old aid from you who s seem eem so close to file lie emperor your ordeal before his majesty senorita will nut hp bp haril hard and yop roil shall hare because Reca iise I 1 was not certain ut of ills his motives I 1 could not tell her that colonel lopez who professed to care for her bad auld abed this move to bring her thus be fore the emperor besides there were certain phases of the lopez that intrigued my fancy and I 1 dirt did not care to show my band until I 1 had learned what manner mander of game the wily colonel was trying to play she went with me to the door where she gave me her band again Is it permitted said 1 I that I 1 re turn she shook her head it a wan smile on the lovely face this house for you senor Is a facture of danger yet lopez I 1 suggested Vo colnnel colonel lonel lopez has bas been known to tb me since I 1 was as a child though lie stands today for the empire he be wait wa my rather s friend could I 1 tell fell tier lier that lopez had brought about the tenth of tier her father would that lime hae afforded her any happiness or helped ine mp in her estimation assuredly there was nuch about this thing that required a keener brain than mine and gnIng home alone in the earl ead morning through the quiet desert deserted pd streets I 1 studied the brooding stars and clon wondered dered if would ever be solved for me CHAPTER IV the emperor maximilian the senorita Sen orlia anita Arrell arn llanos arlos seemed a tragic figure standing all alone before ills his majesty maximilian who hail behind him all the power of frame and louls louis napoleon I 1 felt somehow that there aas as something terribly unfair about it yet I 1 had done much to bring her to this pass with one fine thrust of a sword I 1 find bad taken from tier her the last kins kinsman trian up op on choin hijii hi iii she might rely in rity my ens aas lly fly impressed mind she became cow a persecuted being instead of yester yesier days grini grim murder accomplice ills majesty hini himself self was only thir ty hie fie walli art an etive eye for feminine charms and an ear attuned to the music of feminine voices so so the judicini judicial look therefore that he bent upon tier her had bad in it touch of the leavening of admiration my father sire slie site was saying was a good he buo bud raised ither his hand haind nor his voice against your majesty and ny moth er tier her voice wavered arid broke then went ent on on again my tio mother lher lov ang ing him hill too much could not with alth stand the lite shuck shock ot of his exe execution cuilon letting we me very much alone the emperor raised ills eyes to a narrow window In dow atch afforded a cleur clear view of the crest ot of medicos alex leos cos smoking mountain mounta Sn max lin amilian illan was a wonderful figure of if a man six feet two and oer with n H large head bead of great beauty the deep blue ebes ut tit a dreamer and the tave face ot of a student ile he hud had a heavy brown silken I beard which lie he stroked when dep deep la in tb ought with will genice anen clous I 1 think I 1 never siw a mun man w gilb such re p ose yet those chose lie could flame into righteous linger anger even while we walled waited in the long st silence lence for tits anser the empress called me oer to tier her and spoke so that only I 1 could hear A lovely woman Is it oot not so monsieur le ie comte save for your ina majesty JestY said 1 dighe she Is the loveliest lady in ID Al mexico exico for the empress Our arlotta ur lotta who lived ever after afler with a wind mind sorely cloud ed by the tragic events of those fate ful fui fillies was eter a beautiful woman woin iio she gave a pleased little laugh shoo considered again the lovely lady who blood before in fore hie file emperor whar re gal poise or of her bend francois aye 1 I with more inore fei venc aci nci than iliin I 1 intended to i should tie be a queena fj ki ta V h wt she reigns no doubt in the heart of some courageous nian man eh eb francois aye said I 1 again but with much less ardor for I 1 could not forget the kiss she tind had given Sl andrella adrella Mn drella you sigh mon inon brave are the girls of less lovely the girls of Il Pl cardy eardy your majesty I 1 answered again in n full control of myself are beyond a wide arid and cold and friendless ocean while lo la anita la Is 11 ln la anita concluded the empress Is it not so assuredly your majesty there Is only one la anita now the wondrous cadences of tier her voice came to us again deep thront throat ed full yet with a rich and atil abiding ding sweetness etness you tell us sire that you want only pence peace yet peace at the file point of a bayonet can never be a palatable dish for a tree free people 1 I have aye little taste myself said the emperor for the bayonet yet mexico seems to require the use of IL it the giants strength your majesty Is ever a fleeting thing maximilian smiled senorita courage Is a trait to be admired in every one fine you will tell one me what you mean assuredly that great republic to the north of us sire after which our own oan oa n government was nas patterned has just come to the end of a disastrous ic could I 1 tell her that lopez had brought about the death of her fa ther civil conflict unified again they win will took look to the interests of smaller on an thins in the western world and they cannot fall to see a new fridea eid cin alre ln mexico louis napoleon con elders too tire the stability and tire lie safety of france to disregard tiny any demand of the united states when that request Is wade made ris as I 1 reel feel sure it will be alls majesty napoleon III hlll III hend bedd a careful ear and add the ibe emperor urged leaning forward tor for the thought had doubt less been often bolth win him then napoleon will withdraw his legions and sire will either return to europe or proceed senorita I 1 pray you yon she lifted slim shoulders it will he as your majesty desires it Is not written that france or austria or even belgium Pel glum shall rule mexico benito juarez Is president of mexico me he has ruled as president he will rule again an AD outlaw a rebel I 1 the emperor the deliverer of any people sire Is always an outlaw or a rebel if he falls he pays the penalty it if he be succeeds monuments are built to his luemary luem inenio nry ry and states and rivers and mountains mountain 4 are named after him and a place Is enshrined for him for ever in the hearts of tits hla people A sieb went round hie file gloomy chamber chat tiber deep fervent involuntary tor for we felt that vie ne were ere listening to the words of prophecy A deathlike stillness held us in its spell I 1 remember that the eyes of the rm fm press carlotta held my own and in their kneet and youthful depths doubt nod fear and wonder grew maximilian broke tire the tense cant a short harsh laugh senorita Se Dorita it III befits one who has bas assumed the role of murder accod to take upon ones self the pose of prophetess la anitas amber eyes widened save ahat hat your majesty has done to my father I 1 know of oo no murders but leroux said maximilian and besancon and so far as I 1 know sire they eire are alive and well both leroux an and besancon slie site have read the incredulity in his face tor for she contin tied ned it Is the lie truth your majesty so sure its as I 1 expect some time lime to be adjudged and Miron sac the emperor questioned lieutenant will tell you sire said she slowly that it was he who brought about the duel be tween himself nod and my cousin MIron sac will tell roe me later con berning that flat you will tell we me of 0 duroc brave soldier of france who found death dealt in your home what of duroc senorita whose dead body was wa tab taken en from the canal she studied the emperors fa face cerind and her hc r shoulders drooped she spoke very low but her clear voice carried lieutenant duroc fought with my cousin your majesty and was killed in your home in my home bonie sire lie ile find sought an introduction and had made urgent plea to he permitted to call and see me wits was there aught to be gained by a refusal she sighed some of the men of france your majesty have not been overly brerly courteous nor have they exhibited that chivalry which has ever been the heritage of frenchmen Fien chinen where Is this duelist cousin of thine senorita at his home sire where he lies iles grievously wounded ali ab so then he found his match at last a french blade senorita 7 she nodded A sword thrust sire deep to ID his side she studied ohp floor door I 1 waited hoping against hope fur for Maxi next question because I 1 feared that my escapade might tits dis please him who Is this frenchman captain vlony 11 she said ahal the blade of laid him low yes your majesty now watching her I 1 imagined that a fleeting smile for one briet brief instant touched her face why I 1 wondered would she smile because her beloved cousin lay sorely wounded was there anything in n the mere mentton mention of 0 my name that might bring to her lovely face oce ever so faint a ghost of 0 a smile us as I 1 had bad seeni seen francois 1 the emperor roared her majesty carlotta Carlot tn caught roy my sleeve ah mou IDOO brave you did not tell me 11 1 I had no DO wish your majesty I 1 said to fill your ear with trifles trl lles Franc francois I 1 the emperor roared again sire I 1 cried A moll mol I 1 standing beside the lovely la anita I 1 bowed before him tier ller shoulder touched ray my own ever so lightly somehow it gave me comfort the very nearness ot of that exquisite thing overwhelmed me with a warmth a sweet surge of happiness went til hirough rough me and the gloomy chamber took on suddenly the transcendent ent glory of 0 heaven must I 1 speak to thee twice dolt Maximil Maxi luns face was purple with anger 1 I am sorry your majesty Is it not sufficient that you spend your carousing tit at the cafe Al Ml framon ranion ant and making eyes at ladles indies who pass the alameda Ala ineda your majesty I 1 said I 1 imagined that the slim shoulders of la anita shook a little must you |