Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1907-05-22
7BetWeen Two fireSa
By ANTHONY HOPE
"a wise will make opportunities
he finds" Francis

W ny SohStAtutAOAdA duNlocISs Vail
is acting as my secretary, and you can
speak freely before him."
l was annoyed at failing in my at
tempt to see the President alone, but not
wishing to show it, merely bowed and
said:
Il venture to intrude on your excellen-
cy, in consequence of a letter from my
directors. They inform me that, to use
their words, 'disquieting rumors' are
afioat on the exchanges in regard to the
Aureataland loan, and they direct me to
submit to your excellency he expediency
of giving some public notification rela-
tive to the payment of the interest falling
due next month. 1t appears from their
communication that it is apprehended
that some difficulty may occur in the mat
ter"
would not this application, II neces-
sary at all, have been more properly made
to the ministry of finance in the first
instance?" said the President. "These
details hardly fall within my province"
Il can only follow my instructions, your
excellency," l replied.
Have you any objection, Mr.. Martini"
said the President, ITO allowing myself
and my advisers to see this letter."
Il am empowered to submit 1t only to
your excellency's own eye."
oh, only to my eye," said he, with an
amused expression. THAT was why the
interview was to be private?"
Exactly, SIR" replied. II intend no
disrespect to the minister of finance or to
your secretary, sir, but I am bound by
my orders"
you are an exemplary servant, Mr..
Martin. But 1 don't think 1 need trou-
BILE you about 1t further. Is 1t a cable?"
He smiled 80 wickedly at this question
that l saw he had penetrated my little
fiction. However, only said:
"A letter, SIR"
swell, gentlemen" said he to the 9TH
ers. Il think we may reassure Mr.. Mar
tin. Tell your directors this, Mr.. Mar
tin. The government does not see any
need OF a public notification, and none
will be made. I think we agree, gentle
men, that to acknowledge the necessity
of any such action would be highly deroga-
tory. But assure them that the President
has stated to you, Mr.. Martin, personally,
with the concurrence Of his advisers, that
he anticipates no difficulties in your be-
ing in position to remit the full amount
of interest to them on the proper day."
Il may assure them, sir, that the inter
est will be punctually paid?"
Surely expressed myself in a manner
you could understand" said he, with the
slightest emphasis on the "you." "Au-
reataland will meet her obligations. You
will receive all your due, Mr.. Martin.
That is so, gentlemen"
Don Antonio acquiesced at once. John
ny Carr, I noticed, said nothing and
fidgeted rather uneasily in his chair.
knew what the President meant. He
meant. IF we don't pay, pay it out of
your reserve fund" Alas, the reserve
fund was considerably diminished; l had
enough, and just enough left, to pay the
next installment II l paid none of nv
own debts. felt very vicious as I saw
his excellency taking keen pleasure in the
consciousness of my difficulties, but of
course could say nothing. So l rose
and bowed myself out, feeling had gain
ed nothing, except very clear convic-
tion that l should not see the color of the
Presidents money on the next interest
day. True, l could just pay myself. But
what would happen next time? And il
be wouldn't pay, and couldn't Day, the
game would be up. As to the original
loan, It is true l had no responsibility
but then, II no interest were paid, the
fact that l had applied a second loan,
my loan, In a manner different from that
which my instructions authorized and nv
own reports represented, would be newt
ably discovered. And my acceptance of
the bonus, my dealings with the reserve
fund, all this would, knew, look rather
queer to people who didn't know the cir
cumstances.
When went back to the bank, revolv-
ing these things In my mind, I found
Jones employed In arranging the CORE.
spondence. 1t was part of his duty to see
to the preservation and filing of ali letters
arriving from Europe, and, strange to say.
he delighted In the task. It was part of
my duty to see he did this; 60 I sat down
and began to turn over the pile Of letters
and messages which he had put on my
desk they dated back two years; this sur
prised me, and l said:
Rather behindhand, aren't you.
Jones?"
ayes, sir, rather. Fact ID, I've done
'em before, but as you've never initiated
'em, thought ought to bring 'em to
your notice."
"Quite right-very neglectful Of me.
suppose they're all right?"
Eyes, sir, all right"
"Then l won't trouble to 60 through
them"
They're all there, sir, except, Of course,
the cable about the second loan, SIR"
Except what" I said.
"The cable about the second loan," he
repeated.
was glad to be reminded of this, for
Of course l wished to remove that docu-
ment before the bundle finally took its
place among the archives. Indeed. l
thought l had done so. But why had
Jones removed it? Surely Jones was not
as skeptical as that?
"Ah, and where have you put that?"
"Why, sir, his excellency took that"
"What" l cried.
"Yes, sir. Didn't I mention it? WHY.
the day after you and the President were
here that night, his excellency came down
in the afternoon, when you'd gone out to
the Piazza, and said he wanted it. He
said, sir, that you'd said it was to 90 to
the ministry of finance. He was very of-