The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-10-20

them"
Exactly" said he. Hence we must
get at them before that aspect Of the
case strikes them. They are literally
starving, and for ten dollars a man they
would make Satan himself President.
Have you got any money, Martini"
"Yes," said 1, "a little"
"How much?"
'Ten thousand" I replied: II was
keeping it for the interest"
''Ah, you won't want it now"
Indeed l shall-for the second loan,
you know"
"Look here, Martin: give me that ten
thousand for the troops. Stand in with
us, and the day l become President I'll
give you back your 100000. Just look
where you stand now. don't want to be
rude, but isn't it a case Of"
"Some emergency" said 1, thoughtful
ly. Yes, it is. But where do you sup
pose you're going to get 100000, to say
nothing of your own shares?"
He drew his chair closer to mine, and,
leaning forward, said:
He's never spent the money. Hes got
It somewhere much the greater part, at
least.
did Carr tell you that?"
HE didn't know for certain; but he
told me enough to make 1t almost certain.
Besides" he added, I'VE have other rea-
sons for suspecting it. Give me the ten
thousand. You shall have your loan back,
and, if you like, you shall be minister of
finance. We practically know the moneys
there, don't we, Signorina?"
She nodded assent.
IF we fail?" said I.
He drew a neat little revolver from his
pocket, placed it for a moment against
his ear, and repocketed it.
Most lucidly explained, Colonel" said
1. Twill you give me half an hour to
think it over?"
"Yes," he said. You'll excuse me II
1 stay in the outer Office? OF course I
trust you, Martin, but in this sort of
thing"
"All right, 1 see," said 1. "And you,
III wait, too" she said.
They both rose and went out, and I
heard them in conversation with Jones.
1 sat still, thinking hard. But scarcely
a moment had passed, when heard the
door behind me open. 1t was the Sig
norma. She came in, stood behind my
chair, and, leaning over, put her arms
round my neck. 1 looked up, and saw her
face full of mischief.
~, hat about the rose, Jack?" she
asked.
Bewildered with delight, and believing
I had won her, said:
"Your soldier till death, Signorina."
Bother death ~ said she, saucily. mo
body's going to die. We shall win, and
then-I"
And then," said I, eagerly, you'll
marry me, sweet"'
She quietly stopped down and kissed my
lips. Then, stroking my hair, she said:
You're a nice boy, Jack"
Christina, you won't marry himT
"Him?"
"McGregor," said I.
Jack" said she, whispering now, II
hate himw
so do l." answered promptly. "And
II It's to win you, I'll upset a dozen presi-
DENTS"
'Then you'll do it for me? like to
think you'll do it for me, and not for the
money"
II don't mind the money coming In"
began.
"Mercenary wretch" she cried. II
didn't kiss you, did II"
NO." l replied. "You said you would
in a minute, when I consented"
VERY neat, Jack" she said. But she
went and opened the door and called to
McGregor, "Mr. Martin sees no objection
to the arrangement, and he will come to
dinner tonight, as you suggest, and talk
over the details. We're all going to make
our fortunes, Mr.. JONES'" she went on,
without waiting for any acceptance of her
implied invitation, land when we've made
ours, we'll think about you and Mrs.
JONES'"
I heard Jones make some noise inco-
herently suggestive of qualification, for
he was as bad as any of us about the Sig
norma, and then I was left to nv refec-
tons. These were less somber than the
reader would, perhaps, anticipate. True.
l was putting my head into a moose : and
il the Presidents hands ever found their
way " Guc Gnu VI IHe rope, L IaQCle0 he
would pull 1t pretty tight. But, again, I
was immensely in love, and equally in
debt. To young man, life without love
isn't worth much; to a man of any age.
in my opinion, life without money isn't
worth much; it becomes worth still less
when he is held to account for money he
ought to have. So l cheerfully entered
upon my biggest gamble, holding the stake
of life well risked. My pleasure In the
affair was only marred by the enforced
partnership Of McGregor. There was no
help for this, but knew he wasn't much
fonder of me than Of him, and / found
myself gently meditating on the friction
likely to arise between the new President
and his minister Of finance, in case our
plans succeeded. Still the Signorina hat
ed him, anl by all signs she loved me. So
| lay back in my chair, and recalled my
charmer's presence by whistling the hymn
of liberty until it was time to go to lunch.
CHAPTER x.
The morning meeting had been devoted
to principles and to the awakening OF
enthusiasm; in the evening the conspira-
tors condescended upon details, and we
Ill