The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1906-03-09
CHAPTER II.
A Shrewd Move.


| 1t Will be necessary in order that the
reader, who is interested, may under
stand the mystifying event which upset
| all the calculations of General Sal
varez, and filled Arthur Medworth with
| dismay, to turn our attention to the
men who We're conspiring against the
peace and liberty OF Venezuela, and fol-
| low them in one of the shrewdest
moves the brain OF plotter ever de-
vised.
1t had seemed to Salvarez, who re-
called the words in the message of
President Crespo, that the consul at
New York had been too hasty in jump
| ing to a conclusion.
But the sailing of the Agostura laden
with arms for the royalist cause was
fact. The consul at New York, in
! cabling his information to President
Crespo at Caracas, had stated nothing
but the truth. Where, then, the mys-
| terry? Shrewd as Medworth had been,
shrewd as the consul had been, they
were but children compared to the
shrewdness Of Ferdinand Gomez.
The first thing was to discover king
1t may be wondered at that Gomez
did not aim to the crown himself. But
the astute Spaniard was experienced
enough to know that if he, as father of
the scheme, admitted that he wished
side his strongest supporters, for it
would stand bare as the selfish, grasp
| ing plot of an adventurer. He discover
ed the man he wanted, and supported
| by the glory of the house of Aragon.
| they began operations.
They found plenty of sympathizers
in Spain, but mostly among men who
were ready to join the expedition with
visions of old-time Spanish conquests
| before them. But there We're two great
difficulties that confronted Gomez. The
Monroe Doctrine. so positively Ell
| forced and maitained by the United
| States government, made it impossible
for the royalist movement TO emanate
from Spain. The impulse must come in
the way of revolution in Venezuela,
and for this there was no money avail
able. But Gomez was not the man to
sit down and acknowledge himself de-
! feated.
He went to Venezuela He felt the
political pulse. He appointed agents to
all the states and provinces. Then he
went to New York.
The reports of his agents We're favor
able. Men were ready to take up arms
for the royalist cause But the arms
were lacking.
Now Gomez showed himself mas
ter. He carefully studied all sources
from which assistance might safely be
derived.
One after another he cast aside as
undesirable or impossible.
In a splendid house in New York
lived proud old Spaniard, Don Juan
Cara. Don Juan had, in his own way
and time, been something of an adj
venturer. Born in Castillo of very
proud, very aristocratic and very poor
family, he inherited all the love OF
pomp and royalty and nobility without
the means to crafty it. For a time
he served in the army, but at the age
of twenty-five he left Spain and went
to Venezuela. That country had, after
thirty years war, enjoyed ten years
of liberty from Spanish rule. The coun-
try was unsettled and dangerous
and Don Juan had his fill of exciting
adventure, but did little to fill his de-
pleted Golfers. He remained in Vene-
zuela long enough to bring down upon
his head the anger of the government
for intrigue and political treachery
and was forced to leave. From there he
went to New York city, where he me-
and won the beautiful daughter of 6
wealthy merchant. His married life
proved happy enough to keep him out
Of political miscief, but his mind otter
turned longingly to the pomp and glory
Of courts.
The merchant died, leaving his for.
tune so arranged that, at the death o.
Don Juan's wife, it should descend tt
the daughter, then pretty little thinf
Of six.
When Lola was fifteen years of agt
her mother died, and the old Spaniard't
mind turned with greater longing tt
political fields.
Thus 1t was, when Ferdinand Come;
was looking for some one to assist IL
| MS great enterprise, OOu Juan GdrZt
was looking for an enterprise to as
sist.
They met, these two, and conferred
Don Juan was sixty years old, and wa
shrewd. He desired to know the exac
position of the new movement in Vene
zuela. Gomez, therefore, sent for hi
agents, and for Philip Of Aragon. Will,
waiting for them to arrive Gomez fel
violently in love with Lola Cara, who
was herself in love with Arthur Med
worth, against whom the father had Is
sued his decree.
Philip and the agents arrived. 4
meeting was held at Don Juan's house
and it was made apparent to the OLE
man that one hundred thousand PEG
pie in Venezuela stood sworn to sup
port Philip OF Aragon. The pride ant
ambition of Don Juan was touched
He agreed to furnish the arms and am
munition for the enterprise, If Philil
would agree to a contract in writing
whereby he bound himself to MARI,
Lola Cara as soon as the crown o
1