As Told at Martin's

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 351, 29 January 1903, Page 8

As Told at Martin's

By Beatrix Bellido Dc luoa.

(OoprftcM. in. by Asthon lywUMte.) \f THE night wai warm, and the drinks refreshing to our dusty mouths. Waiters passed noiselesely to end fro, bearing trays laden with *all glasses, the electric fans overhead ftmzzed with a giddy whirr, and there ,was a dancer on the stage who was (good to look upon. Altogether, Margin's waa a much more pleasant place to be than in the sultry atmosphere outside. "That girl," said Brown, slowly, eyeing the dancer through curling clouds of smoke, as she snapped her castantts, and twisted her lithe figure in the rhythmic measures of a Spanish air, "reminds me of a woman I knew in Cuba." "Is it a story, Brown?" questioned Lester. "Well, rather," our friend replied, •mphatically. "Like to hear it?" We assented eagerly, for Brown's stories were usually worth listening to. "As I said before," he began, "it was in Cuba. I was there for the paper, juit before the Spanish-American war broke out, and I saw the conflict through. Most of the time, after hostilities were declared, I was all over the island, wherever the fighting was, but at first I was quartered at HaTana, and it was there that I knew Actonina.

"She had come from Paris and was dancing at the Tacon theater. The city was mad over her, after the fashion of the Latin race, and, in fact, she made even my phlegmatic AngloSaxon blood run quicker than was its wont. She was hardly beautiful, though I have never seen such eyes before, or since. She had a small wicked face, was slender almost to thinness, and not very tall. But to see her dance! lam sure no one has equaled her. Every motion was daring, poetical, and possessed the very essence of grace. She was absolutely mistress of her art, and of her audiences.. "I don't know what she was, but mostly* Spanish blood, although some said she had a strain of French—tome ■aid Arabian, and some even hinted at the African, but whatever her nationality, her magnetism was marvelous. "The gallants flew wildly at bar feat. She was looked upon with horror by the church, although it was said—but navtr mind that. She tantalised hsr lovers, laughed at them, jilted them, yet chained them to her. Among her most constant admirers ■raa Gen. Bulr, of the Spanish army. He seemed to be more favored than the others, but waa insanely jealous, la fact bereft of all reason. "Political matters were rery mucn ■trained—feeling between Spaniards •nd the Cubans had reached its higheat pitch. Not a day passed without a duel, or a quarrel, or an arrest. Yet in spite of this, Antonina danced every night to a crowded house, and the pleasure loving city, although honeycombed by plota and intrigues, forgot, for the moment, all save the moment's enjoyment.

"The man moat-dreaded by the Spanish officials was one Juan Sanchez, an Insurgent leader. He wu the son of * wealthy planter who had figured prominently in a former outbreak, and had been exiled to Ceuta, Spain's penal colony in Africa. Theaon. growing to manhood and finding himself an outcast, embraced the rebel cause and had made himself troublesome. He had gathered his recruits from neighboring provinces, and Mved in She mountains, evading every effort of the government to capture him. *T do not know how it came about, but Buix evolved the idea of affecting his capture through Antonina. Ths general £os»e<3*ed a diamond of enormous value, a family jewel, and this he promised to the woman if she would hire the outlaw to her house. Antonina had long coveted the stone, and had tried every one of her wiles to obtain it, so it can be understood that she readily promised to attempt the task. "It might he thought that this was • most difficult undertaking, but Buiz bad his spies everywhere, and Antonina her willing slaves. One night, when Sanchez was in the city on a secret mission, he was taken to the theater, by on* of his own friends, to ate Antonina danee; was introduced to h*r after the T>'r/V.rmanre. and.

like all the others, fell under her spell. To a man of his character no half -way method was possible. She dismissed the other of her admirers, and rumor soon spread that Sam-he* rode in every night and openly visited her at her house, "This was what Ruiz was waiting for, and one evening l -the place was surrounded and Sanchez taken prisoner. Ho was, of course, sentenced to be shot.

"Antonina, apparently, thought no more of the matter. She appeared at the theater on the following evening, and had never been more charming. The story of her share in the rebel's capture got about, and she was cheered whenever she was seen by the loyalists. Ruiz waa more infatuated than ever, and waaworsethanhelpless in her hand*. "The day that Sanchez was to be executed Antonina dtemanded of Ruiz that he should gain permission for her to see her former lover alone. It ■waa not known what excuse she gave for this seemingly strange request, but, at any rate, it was granted her. What took place at the interview was never disclosed.. Immediately after it waa over Sanchez was marched into the courtyard, placed with his face to the wall and shot todeath. Hemethia fate with gallant indifference. "Antonina watched him die, from one of the windows, without a.sign of emotion, save a narrowing of the eyelids andi a slight compression of the Kps. She danced that night, but canceled her engagement for the following week, saying she was> going to leave the city for a rest. "A few days later I happened to be in one of the shabbiest parts of town, and there met a woman whose resemblance to the dancer was so striking that I turned and looked after her as she passed me. She went into a miserable looking hovel and, as I loitered near, hopiDg to solve the mystery, she came out again, and walked swiftly by me. This time I was convincedithat it was Antonina. Much puzzled at her appearance in such a place, I followedi her, but 6oon she disappeared down a narrow side street, and being unfamiliar with that part of the town, I lost track of her. "Next day I was called away from the city, and when I returned I found the f ocial world in ;i state of expectation over a grand reception to be given by Gen. Ruiz in honor of some of the American officers. The cbief attraction was the announcement that Antonina had been engaged to dance for the entertainment c;f the guests. I determined to accept my invitat:on, as the woman possessed a great attraction for me. I was present at the reception. "The salas were crowded with a brilliant assembly. Scores of beautiful Homen, and the handsome Spanish officers in their showy uniforms. mingled with the more sober dress of our country, gave a most picturesque effect to the scene. It was nearly midnight when the dancer arrived. She had driven directly from the theater, and was attired in a most magnificent costume, while on her breast glittered the Ruiz ciamond. At she came into the ballroom, she was greeted with. oravo» and was showered with flowers. She paused a moment on the threshold, aud responded with a fa'nt-. haif mocking smile. Then slowly raisin/; her arms, she stepped forward. Instantly the orchestra struck up will the passionate- music of El Sol, and the gaests drew away from the center of the room, leaving her standing in a blaze of color and jewels—alone en the polished floor.

"I will not attempt to describe the dance. We watched her with deep drawn breaths, and dizzy brains, as she whirled herself from the lazy languor of the beginning to the mad abandon at the end. Ruiz, unable t> contain bis emotions, caught np a I»wer that had dropped from her hair, and, unmindful of observers, kissed it. She saw the aci.lor, ant 1 with a sidelong glance tore the scarlet scarf from her waist, and, still dancing, threw it over his neck. Something gleamed in her h<»nd, and some Instir.ct warned me of mischief. I stepped to Ruiz* side. Antonina stretched out her hand, and hi-!d n,e bock, ftnd if ever I saw the devil look out from a woman's eyes, I saw it shining then between her half closed Ids. "'ABios, companeros,' 6he said in clear, ringing tones, *I go to wait for yon in hell.' "With a swift motion she buried the dagger, which had been concealed in her hand, in her heart, and as the last strains of the music died away she fall to the floor, the wicked smile frozen on her mouth. "Three weeks later, Gen. Ruiz and every one of his subordinate, officers died of the most maliginant kind of smallpox. Antonina had searched until she had found a case, as we afterward discovered—had exposed Sanchez' sword belt to the infection, an-1 thus carried the infection to Ruiz, gaining a vengeance which few brains could have evolved. She had loved the man whose life she had sold for a jewel." "Why did she take her lift?* questioned Lester. "That," snswered Brown, "was a phase of her character which I found hard to understand, though I believe that she preferred death to the loss of her charms, and knew that she surely must have had the riread disease herself. To me vhe most wonderful thing about her was that she could love so intensely, and •-.< ver by word or sign betray herself, even when she saw him die, and l -;v°w that- she was responsible for h»s death. That is something I have never seen in any other woman, and ffatp evidence of a will that could have moved empires, had it not spent ail its enerrv on on<* man."