Hutchinson gazette., 1901-07-18


dertake to explain the case as well rs
1 am able. ! will tell you the whole
story as II lies nearest to my heart,
and you will be able to take from 1t
what most concerns you, To begin,
then, General: Some time ago l was
fortunate enough to rescue beautiful
girl from being dashed to the ground
and killed by runaway team of horses
in New York. That girl was Lola Gar
IA, the daughter Of Don Juan Garza,
proud old Spanlard who has lived in
Venezuela and latterly in New York,
where he married wealthy lady, now
dead Don Juan is one OF the proud
est OF Castilians, and though | am by
no means poor was not wealthy
enough or Of noble birth, to satisfy
his ambitions for his daughter Lola
Cara, who has then seventeen years
of age, and Is now eighteen, inherited
more of her mothers American nature
than her fathers Spanish one. She
cared nothing for royalty and old
world courts, and being wealthy In
her own right, was Independent, grew
10 love her, and she returned my love,
hut Don Juan forbade all communca-
tion between us. Still, We met clandes-
timely rs often as possible.
well, Don Juan, about six months
ago, began to receive strange men at
his house, and 1t was evident that
some kind of conspiracy was on foot.
Still, he guarded his secret closely, and
we learned only the name Of one Of
these Ferdinand Gomez. There was
another, whose name we could not at
first learn, who always wore gor-
geous uniform, concealed, when on the
street, under a long Spanish cloak
"0n the evening of the fourth OF this
month, these men and several others
were at Garzas house, and Lola was
called to meet them. Don Juan put her
hand in that Of the uniformed strang-
er, aud said:
Philip Of Aragon, this Is my
daughter, Lola made my bargain,
and who shall say you will not be the
gamer by III?
There. was great deal more said,
and the poor girl, though much fright
enod, gathered enough from the con-
stant talk to know that these men
were engaged in a desperate
plot to seat Philip of Aragon
on tho throne Of some coun-
try now republic, and that her
father had furnished the arms and am
mnnitlon and ready money for the en-
terprise, stipulatlng, in turn that his
daughter Lola, should be made queen.
When after long time, during which
she trembled with fear, she was al
lowed TO leave the ROOM Ferdinand
Gomez, who was near the door, bent
over and whispered in her ear; Heed
him not--the madman. Whether he be
King or not, you shall never be his
bride. / have loved you long, and love
you now, too well to give You up to
him Rather than have him marry you
would kill him. And rather than
give you to another, would kill you.
Remember, peace or war; success or
failure, you are mine
"As you may suppose, General, the
poar girl was doubly frightened at this,
aud made haste to tell me all on the
following day. Before | could act, how
ever, on the morning of the 9Th, Don
Juan Cara, his daughter, Gomez
and Philip Of Aragon were missing. l
was much alarmed, and with my tried
and true friend here, Jack Tempest,
visited the Venezuelan consul. among
Others in New York. AT the consul's
Office we learned that the steamship
Agostura had sailed from New York
that morning with the conspirators
and cargo OF arms for Bolivar. There
fore, II Is certain that Venezuela ia the
country to be turned into q monarchy
with Philip of Aragon on the throne.
Now whore are the conspirators?"
SalvareS laughed, and said:
You need not fear, Your Lola Is
now probably safe in the hands of the
Republic, and will not be harmed II
your story Is true. The Agostura is so
long overdue that do not expect to
SEQ her at Bolivar"
Notwithstanding this opinion OF
General Salvarez, the smoke Of
steamer was seen approaching on the
2gd Activity began at once, and Sal
varoz prepared to receive into captivity
the enemies Of his country.
When tho steamer drew nearer, they
we're surprised to see that she carried
the Custom House flag, thus showing
that she had been examined and
passed at La Guayra,
Then II could not be the Agostura.
But II was the Agostura.
Slowly she swung into the dock; the
hustle OF landing occupied some lit
tic time, and the captain presented his
papers.
Not passenger was on board; no
Gomez, no Cara, no Lola, no Philip
of Aragon.
The invoice was examined. The seal
Of the custom house was genuine.
The work Of unloading began.
Case after case was brought ashore,
and by the command of Salvarez brok-
Ell open.
The contents Of one was a plow, of
another a harrow.
So on, until the dock was strewn
N,tIb oo,tn,,1tuv,I