Show ne baite ll 11 e of f by freal fL Author of the blade of by bobbo bobba morrill co service CHAPTER XIII 18 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 bung and holding to the iron bars of the window watched a red sun go down behind the hills of barquisimeto 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 pt moonlight madness in new orleans in actions in emotions in love and hate and fear I 1 had lived a long life in that brief space I 1 had met brave and honorable men whose friendship had proved a blessing to me I 1 had made enemies who had filled my soul with a passion for killing I 1 had seen patriotism in its highest form had watched a man win an empire aye had assisted even in the winning of it and I 1 had spent my life in the s service arvice of a lovely lady and I 1 was carrying away with me to another and surely more beautiful world the blessing of her love dulce herself had called my love a madness well if madness might glorify ones life with such emotional bliss then madness was indeed a blessing and sanity a futile thing it had been born I 1 remembered all at once that love for the senorita she had come like an angel out of the mellow moonlight and love had overwhelmed me in an instant sly 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 yeti was glad of my service to the senorita her brother was safe and free of the menace of colonel pint she was doubtless safe pint 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 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 lie ile considered it who knows lie ile brightened up 1 I have news news of interest and profit to the senor I 1 would tell you senor of a thing that shall give you freedom ile he has returned senor ile he I 1 questioned not pint pablo he could never r mother of G d gasped crossing himself again 1 I hope he may never return 1 then the young spanish lieutenant he whom you aided to escape no pablo I 1 cried no he could not have done a tiling thing so foolish 1 A gt glorious orious thin thins senor aye pablo I 1 said humbly a glorious thing indeed so the brave polito to save me had made the great sacrifice ali ah a miserable time for dulce for she loved that handsome brother what does he say pablo after the darkness had settled the guard explained this young lieutenant appeared at the iron gate and demanded admittance lie ile told ua that the americano 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 bobo so if the senor has not aided in the escape of the lieutenant lamartina but has merely put him film on parole for a few hours he will surely not bo be shot tomorrow morning lf jf the prisoner has returned holmay how may they shoot you illow how indeed pablo you do not seem glad senor no pablo for the boy has thrown his alfe away A brave man said pablo who seemed less sympathetic than happy J have ave locked him up and I 1 am going now to report the occurrence to captain lopez commandant of the prison he will see to your release Is it not so goi senor 1 I 1 susice susi et cl that he will my little pablo pabio can you not bring the lieutenant here and put him in this cell with me assuredly a n little moment senor k I 1 waited horror in my heart for his rethro return I 1 knew that this would give wrt 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 unlocked the door thrust into my cell a uniformed figure and slammed the door shut again 1 I will return senor he said I 1 waited until the sound of his departing footsteps died away in the gloom then I 1 took the counterfeit lieutenant in my arms always senorita you find me in a prison loren hh loren I 1 lovetree love thee I 1 cannot live without thee I 1 I 1 removed the futile bandage from her right arm and she put it with the other around my neck so holding each other close we lived the swift sweet minutes oblivious to storms or wars or prisons you thought to trick me eh she laughed lightly that clever subterfuge could never have been repeated for there Is a glory in the nir where you abide I 1 can feel it my love for you your love was ever a madness loren it Is such a thing that makes a saint yet no greater joy could ever come to me she sighed it Is so dark dear heart she whispered 1 I want to see your hair I 1 want to see the lovelight love light in your eyes the light of worship that makes a woman happy andi and I 1 want to see you smile again and 1 I dear heart would 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 sll ali ah my moon wraith how sweet a satisfaction Is your lovel love 1 she laughed happily love has never come to you before no my own and when it came it filled the world with glory she was silent a moment and I 1 knew she visualized that night of madness before the cabildo you seemed a wild thing in the silver moonlight loren and you were a queen your eyes were full of dreams you seemed only half real and your eyes turned the silver light to purple you you loved me then loren aye that instant I 1 think some gentle providence put me there to wait for you to come you brought something loren out of a chivalrous world to lay before me the gift of courage my fine amer I 1 lean acano 0 a th thing ing so rare in this world A poor thing my own we notice courage loren we we worship it and 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 recklessness 11 yet you met adolfo an indifferent swordsmen swordsman swords men 11 and you came to our aid on the santa Lue lucrecia A little thing and you saved roe me from the storm and brought me to my brother humpla Hum II 11 and you braved the perils of caracas 1 I 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 Is forgiven she said softly all of that is forgiven byet yet I 1 should have known you at maracay karacay you saved me from colonel pint who held a pistol that was pointed at you heart tin pint waa ever a coward with thred hundred natives you held in check a thousand trained soldiers of spain was that not courage my bravos had been trained to fight to save me again you offered challenge to colonel panl knowing that your arm pint was never a swordsman now she was sobbing softly in my arms and you took polito to a place of safety returning to offer yourself oh my sweet dont cry we should be happy for we have this hour aud and ah dear G d loren Is it any wonder thail love you it la Is a wonder to me and a cause for gratitude tell me how you played this trick upon the guards this brought another quick transition for she laughed gaily and drop ping pine her voice into a burring huckl ness that was almost masculine said 1 I am polito lamartina of his maje service a prisoner in charge of major garde who placed me on parole until ten tonight when I 1 am to report myself to the calabazo calabaza cala bazo I 1 am here now that you are said 1 I laughing at her masquerade what it Is all too simple loren the guard has gone to seek captain lopez who because of the return of the prisoner who was in your charge will release you of course dulce and then after that dear heart there Is no more for the morning sun should find you near the he coast and safety and you I 1 questioned deep humility in my soul that this thia beautiful lady should offer so great a sacrifice 1 I shall be happy loren because you are safe yet tomorrows sun would find you here assuredly A small matter indeed I 1 knew the matter was not so small and I 1 was sure too that she knew it will you disappear then with the coming of day like 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 Is far away now I 1 kissed her again and held heia the alie trembling form close to me and I 1 offered up a prayer of gratitude for such a love as the senorita had bestowed upon me there is not another my own in all the world like you none so beautiful none so gracious none with a love so willing to sacrifice this hour with you I 1 Is S worth P what do you mean loren she cried clinging to me desperately la 18 it that you will not 1 I cannot yet you offered your life for bouto of course if polito had known loren he would never have go goneis neIf he knew now lie he would come back assuredly my own for polito Is 18 your brother and a brother of the senorita lamartina Lamart lna could not be aught but a brave and gallant gentleman ali ah loren I 1 am so happy my moon ith I 1 I 1 had hoped that this nightmare of murder might miss us I 1 had hoped that 1 I 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 locito came out of the gloom 1 I have put them in the one cell cap tain it was the wish of major garde courage my sweet I 1 whispered as she fell to trembling we musi must face unafraid that which may come to us bless you lorenl sho she stood straight and slim as the two men stopped beside my cell A key rasped in the lock tho the heavy door swung open and captain lopez entered 1 I would get the straight of this major garde A simple task my captain if this lieutenant lamartina Lamart lna was placed on parole by yourself and he has returned voluntarily you have not aided in his escape for there has hag been no escape therefore the charge I 1 tho the charge against me my captain should remain unchanged for this iv I 1 not lieutenant Lamart lamartina lna 1 TO CONTINUED |