Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-06
In Desperation.

| Messing the execution which had afforded
him such lively satisfaction when he dis
covered on his desk most astounding
message from the dead man.
| 1t told him. in curt terms. that his
most trusted general had. for some rea-
son unexplained. but doubtless foOlishly
quixotfc. assumed the guise of the con-
demned. ransomed him with his own life.
He had feared and dsiked Won Rudolf.
had always intended to rid himself o. the
Austrian. but not before he should have
made full use Of him. To lose him thus
and in the midst of crisis was maddening.
II was as though the servant had dis
missed his master. and that when his
master needed his services most. His
l'excellency. biting his nails in impotent
anger. growled like beast as he giared
at the paper before him. He dared not
tell the troops of the mistake made in the
dusk of dawn lest they should turn ano
rend him because Of it.
l. Won Rudolf had been far more popular
| among the men than he, and since the
pay chest had run dry. only the deao
tman's popularity had held together the
regiments on the ridge. These had been
reinforced by guns and cavalry. but there
was discomfort and INSTRUMENTATION
| among all arms and the sole salve for
| these was money.
money due him for the Hilario to tide
him over till he could lay hands on his
Irecalcitrant cousin again. nut tnat the
| New York underwriters refused to pay
holding that a man who is foolish enough
to insure a ship and then sink her delib-
| erately is we'll off If he escape prosecu-
ton for conspiracy to defraud.
| He knew only too we'll that no more
country and since Quentin Sariol had
| been at work it's foreign credit also had
| been cut short. He cursed Don quentin
savagely in all his works and ways. and
fate rewarded him with long cipher
message from Alta Cruz. in which the
vice president explained that the Red
Revolution had achieved proportions un-
believable. that he felt quite incapable or
| coping with it, and that 1t would be for
the good of all concerned If President
Ybarra would tear himself away from
his private affairs at the hacienda and
| ,nce more take up the cares OF state
| There was even a yelled threat In the
wording of it. and postscript. which
gent force had surrounded the capital
asked instant and explicit instructions
1.-THE dog his excellency snarled.
when he had mastered this. He knows
| that 1 am tied here and is shaping mat
| tiers so that II l seem to shirk issue
with the Reds. he may step into my shoes
and make terms with them for his own
advancement. But there is only room for
| one ruler III San DcIitO. L ~ A'iAA
that the Tiger has sharp teeth as well as
| claws.
He took deep thought and called
council of the senior officers. sour and
unsmiling men with many grievances, to
whom he put the matter with engaging
| frankness.
.'Our friend. Won Rudolf" he said
| smilingly. has had to leave US at an
/ anxious time. but I could not spare any
Of you others, and it will be for few
days only.
Meantime and until he gets back with
/ the gold he has gone for. have decided
| to advance out of my private pocket
sufficient sum to settle all outstanding
pay sheets.
"The savings of a lifetime spent In the
service of our country are. insignificant
but-all that there is shall devote to the
reduction of the debt 1 owe you and your
men,"
Encouraged by the signs Of approval
which greeted this most welcome and un-
| expected statement. he went on. smooth
lily: Don Quentin Sariol sends word that
the Reds have besieged Alta Cruz. Our
duty calls us thither. would not have
1t said that we, responsible for the good
| government of our afflicted fatherland
were absent from its capital at such a
moment. I put 1t to you frankly. whether
we should leave those filibustering for
eigners in full possession of the Golden
Horseshoe. wherein. unfortunately for us
all. are locked away my poor resources
against poverty. or-seize the hacienda
| first and them
.If you have funds concealed there. in
Gods name let us storm the place" broke
in a grizzled colonel of artillery. Alta
| Cruz will be too hot to hold us II We
march back with empty pockets with
| neither cash nor credit.
| well said" agreed an officer of cav
airy. whose threadbare uniform pro-
claimed his impecunious plight
The others growied unanimous assent:
49, <A@
they said bluntly. while there is treas
| ure hidden in the hacienda We stay here" -
but we must act" Ybarra argued.
what boots it to sit still and blow my
buildings into ruins"
Let us attack then" snapped their
spokesman. Are twenty men to hold at
| bay an army?
His excellency rose, well pleased that
he had gained point of such Importance
| by stratagem so simple. He had been
half afraid that. knowing him for what
he was. they would desert his standard.
Their guliibility. in spite of past exper-
fence, gave him fresh confidence.
|. I'VE will attack within the hour" he
said. decisively. with our full fighting
force. Sheer weight Of numbers will en-
able us to overwhelm the enemy. Let
| your men know that once we hold the
hacienda there will be ample funds
with interest in the shape of a months
pay additional for all ranks. And. in
| Won Rudolfs absence. / shall lead in per-
son. l hold the only key to the position"
| He watched them hasten off, and. as
one after another reached his lines and
| spread the glad news without ceremony.
| there arose a dull buzz which presently
broke into thin, cracking semblance of
applause.
| viva ell presidente" was it's burden,
and Don Ygnacio. standing at his tent
door smiled with sardonic pleasure as he
| saw the train that he had lit burn with
out further blowing on his part.
| He meant to make his promise good IL
that were absolutely necessary, after the
| place was taken. by forcing Beatriz to
sign a draft upon her bankers for the few
thousand dollars il would take to keep
his troops in temper. What plumber he
had hidden in the hacienda was in the
| shape of bonds and share certificates
which he could not by any means nego-
tiate while he held ONCE. And. further
more. they formed the nucleus of that
| capital with which he hoped. when he
| had added a sufficiency. to make himself
/ more or less Independent of his cousin 8
| millions, His final goal was Paris. where
| 1t would not be pleasant to exist quite on
sufferance and at the caprice Of wealthy
| wife.
| He turned into the tent and got himself
into a gorgeous uniform in time to in
| spect the miniature columns as they
marched past on their way to the parade
| ground.
The ragged rank and file glanced up to
! where he stood as they went by. and he
| could see how much the prospect he had
held out had encouraged them. They