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

was to surprise the Golden House, seise
the person Of the President and all cash
and securities on the premises; no killing
II 1t could be avoided. but on the other
hand no shilly -shally. McGregor wanted
to put the President out of the way at
once, as a precautionary measure, pnt
strongly opposed this proposal, and. nno-
Ing the Sigporina was absolutely inhex-
ible on the same side, he yielded.
l had a strong desire to be present at
this midnight surprise, but another duty
called for my presence. There was .
gala supper at the barracks that even
ing, to commemorate some incident or 9TH
er In the national history, and l was to be
present and to reply to the toast OF Inc
Commerce of Aureataland." MY task
was, at all hazards, to keep this party go
Ing till the Coloneps job was done, when
he would appear at the soldiers quarters
bride in hand. and demand their aiie-
glance. Our knowledge OF the character
Of the troops made = regard the result
as a certainty, if once the President were
q prisoner and the dollars before tneir
eyes. The Colonel and the troops were
to surround the officers messroom,, snd
offer them life and money, or death ana
destruction. Here again we anticipated
their choice with composure. The army
was then to be paraded in the Piazza, the
town overawed or converted, and. behold,
the Revolution was accomplished!
The success of this design entirely de-
pended on it's existence remaining dead
secret from the one man we feared, ana
on that one man being found alone and
unguarded at IL o'clock on Friday night.
If he discovered the plot, we were lost.
If he took it into his head to attend the
supper, our difficulties would be greatly
increased. At this point we turned to the
signorina, and l said, briefly:
"This appears to be where you come IN,
Signorina. Permit me to invite you to
dine with his excellency on Friday exen-
ing at 8 precisely"
"You mean," she said slowly, that
am to keep him at home on Friday?
"Yes," said l. "Is there any dificulty?"
-''I do not think there is great difficult
ty,'' she said, ''but 1 don't like it; 1t
looks so treacherous."
Of course it did. didn't like her do
ing it myself, but how else was the Pres
ident to be secured?
Rather late to think of that, isn't
it?' asked McGregor, with sheer. "A
revolution won't run on high emotional
wheels"
think how he jockeyed you about the
money" said I, assuming the part of the
tempter.
by the way" said McGregor, "it's un-
derstood the Signorina enters into pos
session of the Presidents country villa,
isn't it?"
Now my poor Signorina had a longing
for that choice little retreat, and between
resentment for her lost money and de-
sire for the pretty house, she was sore
have yielded to her better feelings and
spoiled the plot.
'I'll do it, if you'll swear not to-to
hurt him." she said.
1--WE promised already" replied the
Colonel, sullenly; Il won't touch him, un-
less he brings it on himself. If he tries
to kill me- suppose l needn't bare my
breast to the blow?"
mo, no." 1 interposed; 81 have a re-
gard for his excellency, but we must not
let our feelings betray us into weakness.
He must be taken-alive and well, il
possible-but in the last resort, dead or
alive"
"Come, that's more like sense" said
the Colonel, approvingly.
The Signorina sighed, but opposed us
no longer.
Returning to ways and means, we ar
ranged for communication in case of need
during the next three days without the
necessity of meeting. My position as the
center Of financial business in Whiting
ham made this easy; the passage of bank
messengers to and fro would excite little
remark, and the messages could easily be
so expressed as to reveal nothing to an
uninstructed eye. 1t was further agreed
that on the smallest hint of danger reach
ing any one of us, the word should at
once be passed to the others, and we
should rendezvous at the Coloners
ranch" which lay some sevep miles from
the town. Thence, In this lamentable
case, escape would be more possible.
"And now" said the Colonel, "if Mar
tin will hand over the dollars, l think
that's about ALL"
(To be continued.)