Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-05-30
CHAPTER XVIII.

The mirror room was an immense
apartment, only separated from the COW
cred gallery by two anterooms. 1t was
furnished with princely luxury, and it
was here that the general gave those
banquets which are still talked about in
the high Mexican circles.
This room, merely lighted by two lamps
standing on a console was at this moment
plunged into semi-obscurity, when com
pared with the other apartments in the
mansion which were full of lights.
A gentleman dressed in full black, and
with the red ribbon of the Legion of
Honor careIessly knotted in a buttonhole
of his coat, was leaning his elboYs on
the console where the lamps stood, and
seemed so lost in thought that when the
general entered the room the sound of his
steps. half subdued by the petates, did
not reach the visitors ears and he did not
turn to receive him. Don Sebastian af-
ter closing the door behind him, walked
toward his visitor, attempting to recog-
nize him.
Don Valentine ~ he said.
Myself, General" replied the visitor,
with an almost imperceptible smile and a
profound bow.
pray sit down. May l offer you any
refreshments"
Il will not abuse your patience, Cen
eral," said Valentine Il, have merely
come to propose a bargain"
"a bargain?" Don Sebastian exclaim-
ed with surprise, Il do not understand
you
Allow me. in the first place. to ex-
49, II,
other is"
Go on, senor," the general remarked,
with a smile.
I'm two words, this is your position.
In the first place, you wish to overthrow
General R. and have yourself pro-
claimed President"
"Ah, ah," said the general, with a
forced laugh; you must know, senior.
that in our blessed country this ambition
is constantly attributed to all officers.
This accusation, therefore, is not very
serious
ut would not be so, if you limited
yourself to mere wishes, possibly legiti-
mate in the present state of the country,
but, unfortunately, it is not So"
What do you mean?"
head of a conspiracy; that this conspir-
| acy, several times already a failure in
| Sonora, you have renewed in Mexico, I'M
der almost infallible nditions of sue
| cess, and which. in my opinion, would
| succeed, had l not resolved on causing
| them to fail. l mean that, only a few
! days ago, your conSpirators assembled in
a velorio kept by a certain No Lusacho.
Through the agency of Don Jaime Lupo,
you divided among them two bags of
| gold. brought by you for them, and emp
! tied in your presence. | mean that. fter
| this distribution, the final arrangements
were made, and the day was almost fixed
| for the pronunciamento. Am l deceived,
general, or do you now see that | am
well informed, and that my spies are
! quite equal to yours, who were not even
able TO inform you of my arrival at the
ciudad. where I have been for more than
week and you have not known a word
about it,"
Il will initiate your frankness, senior.
| OF what use would it be to dissimulate
with an enemy so we'll informed?"
Let us for the present" Valentine
went on, still calmly and coldly. leave
presently. and pass to a more interesting
subject. l believe Senior Don Sebastian,
you have a ward of the name of Dona
Anita de Tore 50"
The general started. but remained ST.
lent.
Now continued Valentine, "in con-
sequence of frightful catastrophe, this
young lady became insane. But that
4
marrying her, in contempt of all law,
divine and human. for the simple reason
that she is enormously rich. 1t is true
that the young lady does not love you,
and never did love you; it is also true
that her father intended her for another
and that other you insist on declaring to
be dead, although he is alive. Unfortu-
nately, one of my intimate friends, of
whom you probably never heard, Senior
| Don Serapio de la Ronda, has heard this
affair alluded to. l will tell you conf
dentially that Don Serapio is greatly re-
spected, and has very considerable power.
| Don Serapio, | know not why, takes an
| interest in Dona Anita. and has made
up his mind, whether you like it or not, to
marry her to the man she loves"
The villain is Dead the general ex-
claimed, furiously.
You know to the contrary, Senior
Valentine answered. but to remove any
doubts you might still happen to have.
l will give you the proof. Don Martial,
he said aloud. come in. pray, and tell
Gen Guerrero yourself that you are not
dead"
OH the general muttered furiously,
this man is a demon.
At this moment the door opened and
a new parsonage entered the room.
ITO no coor5puad \