Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1907-06-01
include me?" said~I. II think win e
and see his excellency."
CHAPTER VII.

CHAPTER VII.
The next morning l took my way to the
Golden House, where l learned that the
President was at the ministry of finance.
Arriving there, l sent In my card, writing
thereon an humble request for private
interview. l was ushered into Don An
tonio's room, where l found the minister
himself, the President and Johnny Carr.
AS l entered and the servant, on sign
from his excellency, placed a chair for
me, the latter said rather stif1y:
AS | presume this is business visit,
Mr.. Martin, it Is more regular that l
should receive you in the presence of one
of my constitutional advisers. Mr.. Carr
is acting as my secretary, and you can
speak freely before him."
/ was annoyed at failing in my at
tempt to see the President alone, but not
wishing to show it, I 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
ahoat 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," 1 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 it 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" l replied. II intend no
disrespect to the minister of finance or to
your secretary, sir, but l am bound by
my ORDERS"
You are an exemplary servant, Mr..
Martin. But I don't think 1 need trou-
BILE you about it further. Is it cable 2"
He smiled so wickedly at this question
that l saw he had penetrated my little
fiction. However, 1 only said:
"a letter, SIR"
well, gentlemen" said he to the 9TH
ers. II 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. l 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 a position to remit the full amount
of interest to them on the proper day."
II may assure them, SIR that the inter
est will be punctually paid?"
Surely l 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, l 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 If 1 paid none of my
own debts. | felt very vicious as I saw
his excellency taking keen pleasure in the
consciousness of my difficulties, but of
course l could say nothing. So I rose
apd bowed myself out, feeling l had gain
ed nothing, except d very clear convic-
ton that l should not see the color of the
Presidents money on the next interest
day. True, 1 could just pay myself. But
what would happen next time? And If
he wouldn't pay, and couldn't pay, the
game would be up. AS to the original
loan, it Is true I had no responsibility /;
but then, If no interest were paid, the
fact that 1 had applied second loan,
my loan, In manner different from that
which my instructions authorized and my
own reports represented, would be newt
ably discovered. And my acceptance of
the bonus, my dealings with the reserve
fund, all this would, l knew, look rather
queer to people who didn't know the cir
cumstances.
When I went back to the bank, revolv-
Ing these things my mind, 1 found
Jones employed in arranging the CORE
spondence. 1t was part of his duty to see
to the preservation and filing of all letters
arriving from Europe, and, strange to say,
he delighted in the task. 1t was part of
my duty to see he did this so 1 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