The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-07-18
THE
DIPLOMAT
ny A. m. Peterson.

The diplomat pressed his finger tips
together and gazed pensively into the
fire. A valet glided into the room.
"A lady wishes to see you, SIR
who is she?"
"She declines to give her name
SIR
rs she slender; brown hair and
eyes; imperious carriage?"
Eyes. sir"
A satisfied smile stole over the diplo
mats face. SHOW her into this room"
This way, madam" said the valet.
A girl of dark, passionate beauty
swept into the room. MY business is
very important" she said.
There is no danger of being over.
heard" the diplomat replied.
Il am Theresa Victoria, daughter of
President Manuel Victoria" she said,
in low voice.
The diplomat kept wary eye on
her right hand, which was concealed
| in fur muff
Now, / intend to shoot you as
coldly and brutally as you did him."
The hand in the muff moved, and
the diplomat spoke hastily. Il knew
two days ago you were coming" he
said. Far from assassinating your
father, l was the only one who trio
to befriend him in his misfort
Look at this
He took a slip of paper frof the
desk. 1t read:
| Discharge Mansel Victoria.
| (Signed) MIGREUL GONZALES.
81 forced that from Gonzales when
your father was in prison, but 1t
came too late. / was hand in glove
with Gonzales at the Instruction two
years ago But we were never any
thing more. wanted your father
ousted from the presidency, but
would have done anything to protect
him from personal injury. | forced
Gonzales to give me that order, but be-
fore | reached the prison l learned of
his assassination" He paused a mo-
ment. 1T was not who killed your
father; it was the commander Of the
prison, Capt. Manuel Imez."
But / thought" the grls inter
rupted
"You thought that Imez was your ia
TIERS best friend, and had to fly the
country. Imez murdered your father
because he thought that by assassinat-
ing him he would gain favor with Con-
Zales.
Gonzales was anxious to get rid of
your father, but he had nothing to do
with his murder"
He pressed button in the wall near
the desk. ASK Capt. Santoz to come
here" he said to the valet. He is
Imez," he explained to the girl. He
fed back three months ago, thinking,
as you did, that l was your fathers
enemy. l have been sheltering him
since"
The door opened. Capt Santoz,"
announced the valet. A large fat
man with a fiabby, bestial face en-
tered
Theresa Victoria" the diplomat
said in low voice, sweeping one
hand toward the girl, daughter of
President Mansel Victoria. The fat
mans face suddenly became white,
and he moved back until his hand rest
ed against the wall THE man who as
sassinated your father" The diplo-
mat pointed to Imez, and turned to the
girl. She was looking at the man
against the wall, her eyes flaming
Suddenly her hand whisked from the
muff and something gittered. A pis.
toll cracked, and the fat man tumbled
to the floor.
The diplomat jerked the pistol from
the girls hand, and seized her by the
arm. His hand ran along the wains-
coting and something clicked A secret
door flew open. 1t was the entrance
TO a dark corridor, into which he
thrust the girl.
Follow this passageway," he ex-
claimed. 1T will take you to the
street. Never tell any one what you
have done"
He slammed the secret door to and
hurried back to the man on the floor
He was dead. Slipping the girls pts.
toll into one of the lifeless hands, he
rang for the valet.
Remember, you admitted no one to
this room but him." pointing to the
body on the floor
Yes, SIR"
In a few minutes the police had
been summoned. Suicide, captain, y
the diplomat explained. Money mat
tiers, YOU know. Poor DEVIL"
Study of Mountain Sickness.