The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 25, 1906, Page 5

THE SAN FRANCISCO SUNDAY CALL. DD DS LIRS aaaaa oo ) << his story published today— 3 His Swerd Was Drawn 24 or the Queen”—in the third # neries thrilling 5 slories of Spamish brigandage X K. and Hesketh Pritchard, e or th titlie of “The b4 of Don Q” The & x recoust the lawless nd- & of this bandit, who, R rirayed im $ but as a phil- s of “Don ¢ . not of the opher of me uplete story res and bighly exciting s will appear each It The Sunday Call uatil ¥ series is finished %\ COSOSSO0S0000000048 ¥ lishing Co. e Geath of s del Monte no great import @ for a long pe- e glerra. Cer- were tet ked him over. was & strong-built, clean-1 over ked feature low, rat eight, with replied Don Q Senor, you puzzie jon do you belong? You showed surprise symp- sed excitement esting! I have mever be- ble for the the chiel’s ser of speec nd waved his emaciated yel- y must cherish ell understand it! Then government, rich as a I have heard of a tion—for a popular housands could be raised. Is it are say it is.” Lalor’'s lips took an 1 wve. “But, you see, unluck- I am not a popular suthor, only an urknown one-—yet. Ingham, the Con- L eul, warned me before I started e had some experience of Ingham ed of pa ha how, they were ti that I must take my for relatives, I haven't one in the world who wi glive sixpence for me! And now you know how we st 3 before. have out to be one who I as: senor, the “I will do all I can for yc¢ jor,” he said, after a short pause. “I will name but a little ransom, only $2000. I st this can be raised—for your sake?” Garth shook his head. “You won't get it. I'm not worth anything to anybody except myself. What are you going to do with me?” “Alternatives are usually deplorable, but we will walt for fifteen days until you have an answer from your consul” sald the chief. “But the alternative?” Don Q sighed. “Alas, 50 young to die.” Lalor was conscious of feeling very young, and very human. The strong life in his veins chilled for the moment, but when he spoke his voice was as casual as before. “What good will my death be to you “My dear sepor’’—there was regret in the soft sibilant tones that made the lad shudder involuntarily—“it is business. I have a terrible reputation to maintain. You must be aware of the enormous value of such a reputation to one of my profes- sion.” “I gee your point of view,” Lalor said senor, you are P juaicially; then he laughea agam Don Q regarded him with increasing in- terest. This young man was certainly of a new type. Lalor read the question In his eyes. “Do you know,” he sald, “before I heard the alternative you have so dell- y alluded to, I was congratulating myself o ng fallen into your hands?” smiled his quaint smile. “It's a trifle hard after spending a ecouple of years in collecting rejection forms that first really good thing to come in ay should turn out so crookedly.” 1 traveled to get local color?” in- d Don Q. Well, you see”—Lalor shy—“I'm not old. looked oddly If a fellow hasn’t age — he has to get experience. soT” The chief felt his heart quite warm to this ingenuous Britisher. “I know an author,” he began, “who for years has seldom left his own hearth- stone, yet his transcriptions of humanity are so original, so vitally true, that the world will be gshaken with a new knowl- edge of itself when he publishes them. He has had opportunities of seeing the soul of man naked—" Lalor pushed back his chair involun- tarily. His imagination had divined the truth. “It is yourself!” he cried, while the thought fiashed through him—what sights had not those livid-lidded eyes looked upon? “You are right. I have occupied my odd moments in compiling an autobiog- raphy. It will not be & dull book, and will tend to set me right {n the eyes of those who malign me in the plains.” “They do give you a villainous charac- ter down there,” admitted Lalor. ““Well, for reasons which I have already mentioned to you, I am sometimes forced Don’t you think to adopt regrettable alternatives—'" The chief stopped and looked resentfully at the door, where one of his men stood holding a letter. The daylight had now grown stronger and Don Q went to the terrace outside the cave mouth to read the communica- tion. An odd sound made Lalor look up. The chief stood in the center of the cave, shaken visibly by some flerce emotion. “You have been to Malaga?’ he asked abruptly. ‘“Who' was the chief guest at your hotel?"” “Let me see,” Lalor considered. “A fel- low from South America, calling himseif Da Costa. He seemed to have any amount of money.” “That is the animal wWho has permitted himself to Insult me.. Da Costa!” The chief grinned venomously. “You will know him as the Comte de Dieppe, or as he loves to call himself among the Spaniards, General Don Basilio.” “What?—the Carlist general?” “Yes. He Is the man who writes ask- ing me to become a Tebel, who offers me @ free pardon as the price of my honor! Corpse of a sculllon! He would overthrow & dynasty! He forgets that between Queen Christina and her enemles lles the sword of Don Q!" “You take the side of the Queen Re- gent?” asked Lalor in some surprise. “I remember the court of Spain-as it was. I am proud of the court of Spain as it is! There are not many good wem- en In the world, Senor Lalor, you will learn that for yourself some day; let us defend and admire those whom we know. This is a moment when all true subjects of Queen Christina should loosen their knives in their belts. It is a mother de- fending her fathefless child against the plets of powerful and subtle enemles. ell, I have seventy men at her gervicel” “Were it not for my misfortune as regards my lack of ransom, you might have 71,” exclaimed Lalor, a little car- ried away. “Senor, are you willing to risk your 1ife for the Queen of Spain.” Lalor's only reply was his expres- sive smile. “The Queen is already on her way to Malaga, where she is to make a pres- ress through the streets on the 15th. Don Basilio’'s presence means that some infamous plot against her is be- ing prepared. You have heard of this man?’ “He's pretty notorious.” “You may take my word for It, senor, he is even worse than the world be- s him to be. ““‘vlet is at the man himself that I must strike The chief paused and Jaid a slim yellow forefinger on Lalor’s sleeve. “Are you willing, senor, to do a great service to the Queen and there- by to cause me to remit your ransom?” “ am -yilling without the remitting of the ranSom, senor.” “Corpse of a scullion!” exclaimed Don Q. “I see our way into this man’s presence!” “Qur way?" “TARE: 79775 BIBT QL , NEPIEW, She-Chropiclesof DON N2 S V720,77 775 el < < *Yes, we two—alone!” The chief bent forward and whispered for some time into Lalor's ear, breaking off at intervals to give way to terrible sibilant paroxysms of laughter, As the young man listened, his face lighted up. Here was adventure unde- filed. “Don Basilio’s plot is still in the egg— we must crack the shell a little prema- turely,” added Don Q aloud in his usual soft tomes. “I foresee that Fate ordains you to hold a hand in a fine game. Should 1 be forced to kill you later, you will at least have lived to some small purpose.” The bleak evening had fallen and the lights of.La Blen Venida at Malaga werg twinkling out upon the chilling air when a hoodeqd carriage drove into the courtyard of the hotel. From it Lalor descended and, standing upon the marble step before the lofty main door, carefully assisted an elderly man to get out of the vehicle. This latter was a very fragile and thin personage, attired in_the severe costume of a Bishop of the English church. Un- der his great coat could be seen his apron and puny gaitered legs, but between the white tab at his throat and the curly- brimmed hat a beak of nose and a pair of flerce lfvid-lidded eyes peered forth to arrest the attention of any onlooker. “Come, dear uncle,” sald Lalor, “we have arrived at the end of our long jour- ney."” At this moment the innkeeper appeared to meet them. “Y am desolated, senores, but my house is full,” he began. ““Te, te, te,” cried the Bishop irritably. “I am here, and here to stay. Do you know who I am? I am Rev. Dionysius Bellingha, Lord Bishop of Britain.” The landlord hesitated. English visitors paid well, and were not from the point of view of Don Basilio dangerous, still— “I have but one reom, excellency.” “So? Put two beds into it. Be quick!” ‘The landlord turned to Lalor. “Benor,” he said in a low voice, with a glance over his shoulder at the master- ful Bishop, “can you not persuade the noble lord to try another hotel? There are many In the eity.” > ? DIRILINCIELAIRID), Lalor locked gloomily inte the man's eyes. ‘“No power on earth could persuads him!” he replied with tragic conviction. “Come, eome, lead the way! lead the way!” piped the Bishop peremptorily, in spite of his now halting Spanish. The guest rooms of La Bien Venida are built round an inner patio, paved in mar- ! ble, roofed in glass, and decorated with many lofty palms. Into this the Pishop advanced with his mincing step, followed by the reluctant hotel keeper. The sharp, sibilant tones were sufficiently ralsed to attract the attention of & tall and stout ‘man who had been smoking a cigarette in one of the adjoining rooms. He came striding out. “What 1s this noise about?" he asked angrily of the hotel keeper. “Who is this? Did I not order you to keep the place clear of your pestilential clients?” Tn an instant the Bishop had stepped up In front of him. “Pardon, senor, my coat is black, but it can be pulled off! Also I can borrow a sword!™ The hotel keeper stood aghast that any one should thus address the great Gen- eral Don Basilio. That truculent person- agcf seemed a good deal surprised him- self, “I do not fight with gnats!” he an- swered rudely. “Get rid of him,” he added, turning away. But the Bishop's actlve figure was again before him. “Yet I will not be brushed away, cried with sibilant Imperiousnes: especlally by an animal like you! Lalor, who was enjoying himself huge- ly, felt it was time to Interfere. “I think, my dear uncle,” he said, lay- ing his hand on the Bishop's shoulder, " he “more “that presently you will deplors having permitted your prominent virtue of Chris- tian patience to desert you.” “True, true, dear nephew.,” sald the pressing his thin finger upon our pardon, good senor,” he “My excuse must be that al- went on. .though I have strong hopes of ultimate- Iy succeeding, I have not yet entirely mortified the flesh. My flery temper has ever been a thorn In my side.” ing that Don Basillo was about to vent his rage in words, he added—“Forget all I have sald—I earnestly trust I have not frightened you!" The churchman's livid eyelids flickered up at Don Basilio’s pufty face, and before that gentleman could re- cover his speech he was trotting up the stalrs, followed by his nephew and the hotel keeper. Don Basilio stood still, uncertain how to act, Just then the Bishop's piping tones floated down from above: . “Te, te, te! I will remain! I am HL And if you refuse me entertainment, I shall be obliged to appeal to the author- itles. Send at once for—" Don Basillo went back to his cigarette. So 1t happened that the Lord Bishop of Britain, or the man who masqueraded under that name, planted his camp well within the lines of the enemy; In other words, obtained lodging at the headquar- ters of Don Basilio. The latter worthy for a time did not know what to do. Should he insist on the departure of the peppery English clerie, or would it be wiser to let sleeping dogs le? After half an hour's cogitation he decided that awkward as was the pres- ence of the two strangers in the hotel it might be still more awkward te bring himself and his people into prominent no- tice at the moment. So Don Basilio cursed the Bishep in two languages, rated the hot keeper and finally dispatched a little note of apology to the Bishop of Britain, which caused the man who received it to shake it from his fingers with contempt. “So you see, senor, after all no harm has come of taking my own part,” he said to Laler. *“I knew my man Had I allowed him to rough-ride over me he ‘would, at that moment, have had us turn- ed out: of the hotel. “Now, can you suggest a suitable iliness for a Bishop? I am about te go te bed for two days.” “Go to bed?” ‘Yes, it is an essential part of my plan. And, indeed, happily so. Don Basilio is no doubt meditating whether he should leave the hotel. If I cross his path too often he may do go. That would be a mis- fortune and ruin our hopes. But if I =ive out that I am very ill, he will simply indulge in plous prayers for my death, and thank the saints that my powers of interference have been providentially spoiled. I once had an English captive,™ he continued thoughtfully, “whe devel- oped chickenpox. Is that a disease adapt- ed to the highest ranks of the princes of the English church?™ “Gout would be more dignified,” sug- gested Lalor. “Then gout it shall be. And tell them that I have no faith in the medical prafes- sion of this country, and that if & doetor présumes to enter my room I will cut off his ears.” “That would hardly be in keeping with your character,” remonstrated the man; “but if you will allow me I will say that we have telegraphed to the great gout speclast in London, Sir Charles Jen- kinson, so that until he comes you will trust your own knowledge rather than to local talent.”” Don Q looked up from the buckled shoe he was removing. “Excellent,” he com- mented. “I foresee, Senor Lalor, that you will one day become a very great writer indeed.” Lalor carried out his part of she pro- gramme, and everything fell out as Den Q had foreseen. I T O S e “The Queen enters Malaga this after- noon,” observed Lalor, sitting down on the edge of the pallet he eccupled in the Bishop’s room. “The -royal progress through the streets takes place, as ar- ranged, early tomorrow. “Ah, then, we must act,” replied Don Q. raising himself from his pillow. “This delay Is very wearisome, senor. It has been in my mind to go down to desayuno and pistol Don Basilio where he sat.” Lalor grinned appreciatively. “I'm afrald you* would have been dis- appointed, for Don Basillo always remains in his own room for desayumo, though he sometimes joins us at comida in the even- Don Q was out of bed in a twinkling and wrapped In his dressing gown. He was already bandaging one foot with a towel before he spoke. “It is midday.” he said. “a walter nas Continued on Page 6