The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06

X
Through the boy he cautiously
sounded" the steward on the propriety
OF his being allowed TO go down to the
telegraph office.
Tell htm just long enough to get
down there and back. and he can go
with me II he likes-tO see that come
back. Tell him I will be back before
the doctors make their afternoon
rounds
While the boy was translating Nc
Williams was thOughtfuuy lingering
a nuilber OF twenty dollar gold pieces.
which clinIzed with q most melodfous
sound I'm the ears of the steward. The
steward said he thought IL could be
arranged.
McWilliams wrote a long dispatch to
the secretary OF state and one to the
company's offices in Wall street; the
longest dispatch he sent TO Pornrio Diaz.
the president Of Mexico. He had more
hopes OF Diaz than o. either OF the
others. He realized that the state de-
partment would not be likely to be-
come much outraged over the imprison-
ment OF a man who had shot I'D the
Mexican cavalry. He didn't know what
the company would do. but was inclined
to think they would not become as much
Mortified over his plight as they might
have hac the black ledge turned out TO
be coal. But he know thar Diaz would
at least see that he got a square deal
and fair trial.
To tell the truth. McWil1iams wasn't
calculating on being present at that
trial. Everything depended on his
being allowed to remain at the hospital
instead OF being returned 10 the jail
He got to the telegraph once and by
giving the operator a weeks salarY,
was able TO see the Diaz dispaesh
-
went back to the hospital and slipped
into bed.
The doctors smiled grimly when thay
came TO his cot But he was relieved
when they only smiled and passed en-.
1t got to be sort OF joke after a whils-
They used to stop at his bed and In
quirs with great solicituds after hls
health and pretend to compare bis CON-
dition that day with the day before
I'm pretty good hand at these bar
ber shop flashes OF brilliancy nysslf,~
said McWilliams In telling about t.
And we all got TO be pretty good
friends. Incidentally considerable
American money was kept In cireula-
tton IN the way OF cigar bills-"
One day they got him up and the
American boy told him he was wanted
in court. 1t was a dingy III lighted
room and the judge was an elderly
man OF great dignity OF mien- MoWfi-
liams was as near to being ovsrawed
as he could be.
The Judge was holding a tslsgraphio
dispatch in his hand ana Mcwilliams
could see that he was offended. He
said something in Spanish and looked
resentfully over his glasses at the
American.
The honorable judge says" tha In
terpreter explained, that he has 4 dis
patch from the president OF Mexico. His
excellency instructs that you are to
have every consideration"
Wall street must have been stirrfnR n
them up thought McWilliams Maybe
they haven't found out yet about that
coal"
The court wishes to ask what re-
quest you have to make"
McWilliams looked around the little
courtroom. the sleepy sunlight pouring
in at the windows, the subdued looking
spectators. the attorneys and the
guard. Then his glance travelled back
to the Judge with the telegraphic dis
patch still in his hand. leaning on the
bench and waiting for the prisoner.
What request have you to maker
repeated the interpreter
"A six shooter and 10 feet start" said
McWflliams with a grin. The Judge
did not smile The court win be COM
PEELED to deny both requests" said the
interpreter, but informs you that any
Gee that must have been a hot
joke" said McWilliams ruefully when
he got back TO the hospital That
Judge ought to take a correspondence
course in American humor''
The dispatch from el. presidents
made a difference in his position. how
ever They allowed him more freedom
and he knew they would not send him
back to the jail now He knew that
the prejudice was bitter against him
on account of the two cavalry incidents
and he realized that II would go hard
with him at the time OF his trial
The steward. however. used to allow
him to walk around the streets for an
nour or so every day. the only restrfc-
ton being that he should be In bed for
the doctors visits every afternoon. In
spite OF this apparent freedom there
seemed no way for him to get out Of
town He couldn't hope to get away
across country and II was folly for him
to take the train. for the steward
would give warning ana he would DO
caught on thu train before Ne could
get across the line The sfightest sliD
meant that he would be sent back to
jail from the hospital A long term al
hard labor was the least that he could
expect IN any case.
The time was near for his trial ana
he had spent $500 for what he called
fees for special service" before ths
grand inspiration struck him. McwfI-
hsms always followed what he called
his lunches"
walking along the street ons day hs
heard the northbound train leaving ths
depot-gofng back to the statsH sud-
denly he got the hunch.
Feel1ng IN his pockets a. he went
MoWflltsns turned and hurried toward
the railroad ofice. II was a division
headquarters with q lot OF clerks ana
American oncials. Out OF one OF hfs
pockets he drew the business card or a
Los Angeles real estate agent. Great
ne muttered. for IT gave him another
hunch
Brushing aside all the clerks. he bus
tied headlong into the office OF the divf-
sion superintendent. Some one bore
down upon him severely and said the
superintendent was not in his once
and could not see him.
McWilliams poked a bill into the Sec
retary's hand and began talking about
special train. big real estate sales.
|. missed train.
While the secretary was looking at
! him In bewilderment the division SUI