The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-10
, quickly detected had they been in their sober

my hands like drivelling IDIOT but in their
present state Of delirium any passionate
excess was unheeded.
II was soon felt by all that the dinner
table was no place to discuss private inten-
tions, and as, of course, no one could eat, we
separated into natural groups. The Governor
and his wife entered the big sitting room
and seated themselves in close conference on
sofa in q remote corner. The Commissary-
General and his spouse retired to their rooms
to talk TO little Tommy and that bargain
about the thousand pounds; while the Chief
Justice, who at length caught the prevailing
enthusiasm, seized me closely by the arm and
muttered gutturally:-
"Come cut and walk-I want airl Hang it,
mani" he went on as we gained the street, 81
despise wealth, and only regard money for the
comforts it brings; but to give away pound
haphazard and get back f12S5 las. SD. all
| for nothing!--come, step out"
He was tall, and l am short, and his strides
were long. / tell you had to keep at run
by his side during that six mile walk up hill
| and down dale.
He spoke not again until we reached the
hotel; no doubt his thoughts were given up
to the contemplation of our wonderful luck,
and he was mentally reviewing the scene at
the table.
Suddenly we encountered the waiter.
81 wish had seen that messenger-where
the Judge, in Spanish.
mo, senior" was Juan's reply the mauchd-
clio had disappeared, he Juan) had returned
the diner0 to his Excellency, and the latter
had allowed him to keep so much-and the
lugubrious creature displayed to our view five
bright shillings.
Every extraordinary" murmured the Judge
appealingly to me, and his face fell in fear
fully portentous manner. felt cold shiver
run down my back, and strange huskiness
in my throat, but 1 was not obliged to say
anything, so we hurried up stairs.
''The messenger has gone back to Santa
| Cruz without his douceur, said the Governor
in a reassuring tone, advancing to us. ''Poor
| boy he could not, of course, read Robinson's
memo, and perhaps thought that he was not
to be paid until his return; it don't matter
much, but let me tell you what does. have
| just been relating to my wife circumstance
that happened to me in Spain years ago. This
is not the first time, should tell you, that
have dabbled in lotteries, and on one occa-
sion, when my brother and I were staying in
Madrid, we took ticket in a small lottery.
| The ticket was only couples of dollars, and the
| highest prize was one hundred pounds, We
wen it! This is, perhaps, why my ambitious
thoughts made me imagine that we had a
chance of the twenty thousand pounds now.
But we have done very well, and should not
day to be paid, what do you think they offered
US? Coppers, sir, coppersl ''Gold and sill
yer have we none, they told us, stake the
coppers or leave them" They were piled up
in bags in a corner ready counted for US, and
what were we to do? Of course we took
them; but, gracious what a job it was. I
had first to go to the alcalde and obtain
from him guard of soldiers; then we hired
| men and wheelbarrows, and in this way con-
veyed one hundred pound of coppers to our
hotel. Now think of it for a moment, if they
played us the same trick here-nine thousand
pounds in coppers! Gold, as you are aware,
| is at high premium, SO are bills of ex-
change; no chance of our being paid by
either medium. My belief, then, is that they
will pay us in silver, and my idea is this
as the Secretary directs US to attend at the
Office tomorrow to present our ticket and
receive our prize, purpose that you and 1
| addressing me ride down, tonight, to Santa
Cruz by moonlight. 1t is only twenty seven
miles, and we'll take our time and be ready
after breakfast to attend when the lottery
Office opens at ten o'clock. Then when we
ascertain their method of paying US, we can
| make our arrangements. shall ask my
and we can cart the bags of silver up here for
distribution. Now go out and hire two
strong and sure-footed ponies, and direct
them TO be sent here for us after supper"
Naturally, / had to comply, but my heart
misgave me as passed out, to notice that the
ladies were in close consultation, and that the
Secretary's letter was in one of their hands.
All this while the Rock-Scorpion was dis
regarded and forgotten by everybody. He
had felt himself de trop, and had betaken
himself to his chamber but I now passed
him in the verandah, on his way to the sit
ting-room, as hurried out.
l hurried out, indeed, but not upon the
business / had undertaken, but to think
think-think. My head ached with the
thoughts of the wrong was inficting-with
the miserable dread of discovery before ]
could explain matters, and with the immune
rable plans that 1 had formed and rejected to
break the killing, objectionable news that No.
3060 was delusion and q snare.
When 1 returned to the sitting-room
found our party in confusion and very
Babel of voices in hot dispute concerning the
letter -..
81 say that gold. edged paper was never
used in an official form before. Look at that
1t is plain that the vile wretch, whoever he
is, that has played us this dastardly trick
tried to clip off all the gold, but left SO much
to tell the tale !" and the Governors wife,
who was the speaker, held up to view the
tiniest bit of gold edge at a corner of the
abominable production. e
''That, coupled with the disappearance Of
the messenger, is conclusive evidence, in my
opinion" assented the Chief Justice.
''Oh! / have explained his absence,
thought" said the Governor, who still hoped
against hope,
''If thought it was trick played us b,
any garlic-eating Spaniard," growled the IrisE
Commissary- General, looking ominousIN
across at the Rock-Scorpion, and elevatin(