Romantic Cuban Justice. heard that Tacón loved justice, and he deter mined to go to him at once. After some delay he obtained an audience and presented his case. "Is Miralda your sister? " asked the gov ernor, as Pedro finished his story. "She is my betrothed," replied Pedro. Tacón then bade him come nearer, and holding up a crucifix, commanded him with a look that penetrated to his very soul, to swear to the truth of what he had said. Pedro knelt, kissed the cross, and swore. Tacón then told him to wait in the adjoin ing room, with the assurance that the matter would soon be attended to. Two hours later Tacón had the Count and Miralda before him. "Count Almonte," said the governor, "you adopted the uniform of the guards for your own private purposes upon this young girl, did you not?" "Excelencia, Г cannot deny it." "Declare, upon your honor, Count Al monte, whether she is unharmed whom you have thus kept prisoner." "Excelencia, she is as pure as when she entered beneath my roof," was the reply. Tacón turned to an attendant and sent him to the church near by for a priest, who in a few moments entered. "Holy father," said Tacón, " you will bind the hands of this Count Almonte and Miralda Estalez together in the bonds of wedlock." "Excelencia! " exclaimed the Count in amazement; while the girl and her lover exchanged glances of consternation.
337
"Not a word, Señor; it is your part to obey!" "My nobility, Excelencia!" "Is forfeited! " said Tacón. Count Almonte knew the governor too well to offer further protest, and he doggedly yielded in silence. Poor Pedro, not daring to speak, was half-crazed to see the prize he had so long coveted thus about to be torn from him. Miralda stood as if bereft of her senses, and before she had fully realized what was taking place, the ceremony was over. Tacon's next move was to summon the captain of the guard, to whom he gave a hastily written order. Miralda and Pedro were directed to remain, and Almonte was commanded to return to his castle. For half an hour the parted lovers sat there mystified, while Tacón went on quietly with other business, as if he had forgotten their existence. Presently the officer of the guard returned. "Is my order executed? " said Tacón. "Yes, Excelencia! Nine bullets passed through the Count's body as he rode round the corner of the street you mentioned." Tacón then turned to the priest and said, "You will see that the legal announcement is made of the marriage just performed here, as well as the legal announcement of the death of Count Almonte, with the addition that his widow becomes sole heiress to his property and his name." Miralda and Pedro, greatly relieved, were then dismissed with the benevolent injunc tion to attend to the further prosecution of the case for themselves.
