The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-03-30

We returned to the rooms. and Nor
timer locked the door very carefully.
Gentlemen he said, "ln this emer-
gency, threatened by an unseen dan
ger, l do not know Of anything else TO
do but to take another drink" which
we all did and In consequence felt
equal to the emergency.
Gentlemen" said Mortimer, "this
hotel Is too straltened and dangerous q
place in which to carry on a plot for q
crown. Our conference must end for
the night, and we must meet elsewhere
tomorrow night"
Nobody disputed his wisdom. but
there was some disagreement about
the meeting place on the next night. At
last Hughes suggested grove OF cocoa
nut trees ON the Waikiki road. The
trees grew so close together that II was
dark in the grove in the daytime, and
it would be black as bat at night. IL
was just the place, and we selected the
northeast corner of the grove as the
particular spot. Each man on entering
it was to utter peculiar whistle. and
If any one had arrived before him he
was to respond similarly.
II suggest" said Conway, ''that we
drive to the rendezvous In evening
dress. Do not remember to have read
Of any conspirators in evening dress.
Will divert suspicion. Spies win think
we're going out in the country to din
ner or other entertainment"
What he said looked reasonable. So
we decided to wear evening dress and
dismiss our cabmen at a certain corner,
to which they were to return for us at
8 o'clock in the morning. The hour of
meeting was midnight, which seemed
to us the most fitting time for plot
such as ours.
My room was in one of the cottages
in the hotel yard, and when left their
rooms I felt as if a dozen men were
watching me. found myself trying to
deaden the noise of my footsteps in the
hall, and whenever came to a corner
l shrank back afraid that unknown
men were waiting there to seize me for
high treason. But I passed all the
corners safely and stepped into the
yard, where the cool air felt very good
upon my face. A light night. breeze
sighed through the palms. Two or
three electric lights up the street
twinkled family. A native policeman,
his club under his arm slept placidly,
leaning against fence. could see no
spies nor any trace of them, but L felt
sure they were about.
reflected little before attempting
the passage across the yard to the cot
tage. 1t would be best for me to be
bold and careless, to affect innocence.
walked across the yard, whistling,
safely and stepped lightly up the steps
Of the cottage. Before entering took
one last look, but could not see that
was followed, though there was moth
ing to prove that the spies were not hid
somewhere in the shrubbery.
When l was in my room, locked the
door and put my trunk before it. Then
turned out the electric light and
sprang into bed. could not go
to sleep. lay there and, knowing
nothing else to do, listened and
listened. For long time I heard
nothing, but at last a sound came
to my ear like that made by many
feet marching in unison. 1 thought at
first that | deceived myself, but con-
tinued to hear it, and then 1 heard, too,
steady thump, thump, like the reg
ular beating of a drum. A file of
soldiers coming to arrest usi But why
should they beat a drum to announce
their comingq Perhaps they felt so
sure of their quarry that caution was
not necessary. grew cold all over.
might leap from my bed, throw on my
clothes and escape into the mountains
somewhere. But Oahu was a small
island, and they would be sure to find
me at last If did not starve to death
first. No! 1t would be best for me to
stay where was and swear was in
nocent. When l had come to this de-
termination. l noticed that the sound
of marching feet and the beating Of
the drum had ceased. Listening in
tently, could not hear either again,
and after awhile went to sleep.
awoke very late the next day. My
head felt very heavy, and there was a
bad taste in my mouth. While
dressed and shaved / composed my
mind and concluded had suffered
some needless alarms the night before.
1t was not high treason to undertake to
marry princess, and IL anybody
wanted to hang me I would have the
United States send feet of ironclads