Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-08-02
CHAPTER XII.


You fully understand my position,
Colonel?' l said. This thing is no use
TO me unless l receive at least $4,000
10 pay back principal. to meet interest,
and 10 replace another small debt TO the
bank. If 1 do that. I shall be left with
net profit of $1,000, not an extravagant
reward. If 1 don't get that sum / shall
be defaulter, revolution or no revolu-
ton"
Il can't make money if it's not there"
ne said, but without his usual brusque-
ness of tone. But to this we agree. YOU
are to have first turn at anything we find,
up TO the sum you name. It's TO be hand
ed over solid to you. The Signorina and
I take the leavings. You don't claim to
share them, too, do your
NO." l said, I'm content to be a
preference shareholder If the moneys
found at the Golden House, it's mine. If
not, the new government, whatever it may
do as to the rest of the debt, will pay
me that sum-
Wit hthat I pushed my money over to
the Colonel
Il expect the new government to be
very considerate to the bondholders all
round" said the Colonel, as he pocketed
it with chuckle Anyhow, your terms
are agreed. Ell, Signorina?"
Agreed !" said she. And I'm to have
the country seat?"
Agreed ~ said I. and the Coloners
TO be President and to have the Golden
House and all that therein is"
Agreed! agreed Agreed chanted the
Signorina; land that's quite enough bust
ness Success to the Revolution J"
had risen to go, when a sudden
thought struck me.
Where's Johnny Carr? l say, Colo
uel, how indiscreet was he last night? Do
you think he remembers telling you about
it?"
Yes" said the Colonel, Il expect he
does by now. He didn't when 1 left him
this morning"
viii he confess to the Presidep+?
III he does, it might make the old man
keep an unpleasantly sharp eye on you.
He knows you don't love him.
We'll, Carr hasn't seen the President
yet. He was to stay at my house over
to-day. He was uncommon seedy this
morning, and l persuaded the doctor to
| give him a composing draught. Fact is, /
wanted him quiet till Ia had time to
| think. You know l don't believe he would
own up-the President would drop on
him so but he might, and it's better they
shouldn't meet"
There's somebody else he oughtn't to
meet" said the Signorina.
Who's that?" | asked.
Donna Antonia," she replied Hes
| getting very fond of her, and depend upon
it, if he's in trouble he'll go and tell her
the first thing. Mr.. Carr is very conf
| Dental to his friends"
We recognized the value of this sug-
gestion. If Donna Antonio knew, the
| President would soon know.
Quite right" said the Colonel. ''It
won't do to have him rushing about let
ting out that we know all about it. He's
| al right up to now"
Yes, but if ne gets FESTIVE tomorrow
morning?" said l. And then you don't
want him at the Golden House on Friday
evening, and l don't want him at the bar
racks
mo. he'd show fight, Carr would, -
said the Colonel. Look here, we're in
| for this thing, and I'm going through
with it. | shall keep Carr at my house
| till it's all over, even if | have to use
force. Master Johnny is better quiet"
Suppose he turns ugly?" 1 suggested
again.
He may turn as ugly as he likes, -
said the Colonel. He don't leave my
! house unless he puts bullet into me
| first. That's settled. Leave it to me. If
he behaves nicely, he'll be all right. If
not"
What shall you do to him?" asked the
Signorina.
"Oh, leave it to the Colonel; he'll man
age all right" 1 suggested.
Now I'm Off" said the latter, back
to my friend Johnny. Goodnight, Sig
norma. Write to the President to-mor-
row. Goodnight, Martin. Make that
speech of yours pretty long. Au revoir
till next Friday"
/ prepared to CO. for the Colonel lin
gered till l came with him. Even then
we so distrusted one another that neither
would leave the other alone with the Sig
! norma.
We parted at the door, he going off up
| the road to get his horse to ride to his
ranch" l turning down toward the
Piazza.
We left the Signorina at the door, look
| ing pale and weary. and for once bereft
of her high spirits. Poor girl, She
found conspiracy rather trying work.
I was little troubled myself l began
to see more clearly that it doesn't do for
z man of Scruples to dabble in politics.
| had great regard for poor Johnny.
and l felt no confidence in the Colonel
treating him with any consideration. In
| fact, | would not have insured Johuny'S
! life for the next week at any conceivable
| premium. Again | thought it unlikely
that, if we succeeded, the President would
! survive his downfall. / had to repeat to
myself all the story of his treachery to
me, flashing myself into a fury against
him, before l could bring myself to think
with resignation of the imminent extinc-
ton of that shining light.
| What a loss he would be to the world
! So many delightful stories, so great a gift
| of manner, so immense a personal charm
all to disappear into the pitt And for
what? To put into his place a rufian
without redeeming qualities. Was it
worth while TO put down Lucifer only TO
enthrone Beelzebub? l could only check
| this doleful strain of reflection by sternly
! recalling myself TO the real question
the state of the fortunes of me, John
Martin. And to me the Revolution was
necessary. l might get the money; at
| least l should gain time. l was Animal
ed by the honorable motive of saving my
| employers from loss and by the over
whelming motive of my own love. If the
continued existence of Johnny and the
President was incompatible with these
! legitimate objects, so much the worse for
! Johnny and the President.
CHAPTER MI
/ The next three days were on the whole
the most uncomfortable have ever spent
| in my life. got little sleep and no rest;
l went about with a revolver handy all
| day, and jumped every time l heard a
sound. / expended much change in buying
every edition of all the papers; listened
with dread to the distant cries of news