The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1906-03-16
CHAPTER I.-(Continued.

l am able. l will tell you the whole
story as 1t lies nearest to my heart,
and you will be able to take from it
what most concerns you. To begin,
then, General: Some time ago l was
fortunate enough to rescue beautiful
CIR! from being dashed to the ground
and killed by Il runaway team of horses
in New York. That girl was Lola Gar
"a. the daughter OF Don Juan Cara,
proud old Spaniard who has lived in
Venezuela and latterly in New York.
dead. Don Juan is one of the proud
est OF Castilians, and though l 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
CT 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. l grew
to love her, and she returned my love-
hu. Don Juan forbade all communica-
ton between us. Still. we met clandes-
timely as often as possible.
We'll. Don Juan, about six months
ago. began to receive strange men at
his house, and it 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 a gor-
seouS uniform. concealed. when on the
street. under a long Spanish cloak.
On the evening of the fourth of this
month. these men and several others
We're at GarZa's house, and Lola was
called to meet them. Don Juan put her
hand in that Of the uniformed strang-
az. and said:
Philip Of Aragon. this is nov
daughter Lola. | made my bargain.
and Who shall say you will not be the
gamer b. ito
There was & great deal more said,
and the poor girl, though much fright
ened, gathered enough from the con-
slant talk to know that these men
were engaged in desperate
plot to seat Philip of Aragon
on the throne of some coun-
try now a republic. and that her
father had furnished the arms and am
munltlon and ready money for the en-
terprlse, STIMULATING. 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
MIN not-the mailman 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 Won
| 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
poor girl was doubly frightened at this,
and 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.
was much alarmed and with nv tried
and true friend here, Jack Tempest
visited the Venezuelan consul, among
others in New York At the consuls
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, it is certain that Venezuela is the
country to be turned into monarchy
with Philip of Aragon on the throne.
Now where are the conspirators?
Salvarez laughed, and said:
You need not fear. Your Lola is
now probably safe in the hands of the
Republic. and will not be harmed if
your story is true. The Agostu~a is so
long overdue that do not expect to
see her at Bolivar"
Notwithstanding this opinion of
Genera SalvareZ the smoke of a
steamer was seen approaching on the
I'D. Activity began at once, and Sal
varez prepared to receive into captivity
the enemies of his country
When the. steamer drew nearer. thew
were surprised to see that she carried
the Custom House flag. thus showing
that she had been examined and
passed at La Guayra
Then it could not be the Agostura.
But it was the Agostura,
Slowly she swung into the dock: the
hustle Of landing occupied some lit
tie time, and the captain presented his
paper1.
Not a 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-
en- open.
The contents of one was a plow. OF
another a harrow.
| So on, until the dock was strewn
with agricultural implements.
| Not gun, not a cartridge, was On
toard.