Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1907-05-31

It
case strikes them. They are literally
starving, and fol- ten dollars man they
would make Satan himself President.
Have you got any money, Martini"
YES" said l, "a little"
How much?"
''Ten thousand" I replied; II was
keeping It for the interest"
All, you won't want 1t now"
+Indeed l shall-for the second loan,
you know"
Lock 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 1t case Or"
Some emergency said l, thoughtful
". Yes, 1t Is. But where do you sup
pose you're going to get 100000, to say
nothing Of your own shares2"
| He drew his chair closer to mine, and,
leaning forward said:
He's never spent the money. He's got
II somewhere; much the greater part, at
least"
did Carr tell you that7"
He didn't know for certain; but he
told me enough to make It 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, II you like. you shall be minister Of
finance. We practically know the moneys
there, don't we, signorinaT
She nodded assent.
! IF We failT' said /.
He drew neat little revolver from his
pocket, placed It for a moment against
his ear, and repocketed 1t.
Most lucldly explained, Colonel" said
l. "Will you give me half an hour to
think It over?"
YES" he said. 'Youn excuse me Il
stay In the outer Officer OF course /
trust you, Martin, but in this sort Of
thing"
IAN right See," said l. "And you,
signorina?"
I'm wait, too" she said.
They both rose and went out, and
heard them In conversation with Jones.
/ 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. looked up, and saw her |
face full Of mischief.
vi hat about the rose, Jack?" she
asked
Bewildered with delight, and believing
had won her, said:
Your soldier till death, Signorina."
Bother death r said she, saucily. mo
body's going to die. We shall win, and
then--w
"And them" said 1, eagerly, "you'n
marry me, sweetT
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
"HimT
~McGregor," said /.
Jack" said she, whispering now, II
hate him !"
so do l." answered promptly. "And
II It's TO win you, I'll upset dozen presl-
DENTS"
"Then yOun do 1t for mel / like to
think yOu'll do 1t for me, and not for the
money"
Il don't mind the money coming in"
began.
''Mercenary wretch r. she cried. IT
didn't kiss you, did II"
NO." replied. "You said you would
in a minute. when consented"
every neat, Jack" she said. But she
went and opened the door and called to
MeGregor, "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, "and when we've made
ours, veil think about you and Mrs.
Jones'"
heard Jones make some noise lneo-
herently suggestive Of qualification, for
he was as bad as any Of us about the Sig
norma, and then was left to my rehec-
tions. These were less sOmber than the
reader would, perhaps, anticipate. True,
/ was putting my head into a moose and
X the Presidents hands ever found their
way to the end Of the rope, fancied he
would pull Il pretty tight. But, again,
was immensely In love, and equally IN
debt. To a 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; Il becomes worth still less !
when he is held to account for money he
ought 70 have. So / cheerfully entered
upon my DAbBesC gamble nOldlng the stake
OF life well risZed. Ny pleasure In the
affair was only marred BY the enforced
partnership Of McGregor. There was no
help for this, but knew be wasn't much
tonder 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, and by all signs she loved me. So
l lay back In my chair, and recalled my
charmer's presence by whistling the hymn
of liberty until 1t was time to 60 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
held a prolonged and anxious conference
at the Signorina's. Mrs. Darlington was
commanded to have headache after din
ner, and retired with II to bed and from
ten till one we sat and consplred. The
result Of our deliberations was q pretty
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