, 1909-04-08

rnmmOu IL Ill -liCu, embarked
with boyish enthusiasm in this new
Enterprise, not only investing a con-
,iderable amount Of money. but like
wise giving 1.-The company my personal
seryices as assistant superintendent.
Beyond doubt our concession was
a extremely valuable one. but, as we
we're soon destined TO discover. n
came to us with an unfortunate flaw in
the title. there developing a spirited
controversy between the constituted
authorities of Bolivia n Chile. over
which country the territory involved
belonged. From harsh words in pub
lie, and the private exchange of din.
l~crratic notes. the argument re ,idly
advanced to blows. and was finally re.
ferred to the arbitrament of the rife
As our financial interests were en-
tirely Bolivian, and our invested money
at stake. 1t was no more than natural
that we should openly ally ourselves
with that struggling faction which the
Chilean authorities promttlv ID
nounced as insurrectos, n proce e fed
to crush.
II was something of a comic opera
war, resulting in two or three Skin.
mishes wherein ill-equipped and poorly
Differed paisanos were pitted against
regular troops Of the line, and, as we
received from Bolivia no more sub
stantial aid than vague promises, our
resistance. though rather stubborn,
was soon overcome. When the final
wild stampede for safety came, | dis
covered myself. as quartermaster gem
eral Of the late revolutionary forces,
still in possession of a considerable
sum of money. to which no one else
possessed any better claim. the I'M
healed scar Of a Chilean bullet in my
shoulder. and an exceedingly fiattering
chance Of being summarily shot by
drumhead court-martial II caught. All
opportunity for retreat across the Bo-
livian frontier was already effectively
blocked. but. after several weeks of
excessive hardship. skulking amid the
dark recesses of Indian nuts in the
mountains. | succeeded in stea ing In
observed into Valparaiso, feeling con-
fident that. as a sailor, | should be
able to discover in that busy seaport
some early opportunity for escape.
This confidence was doomed to bit
ter disappointment. The Chilean au-
thoritiss were especially DESTROYS OF
experimenting me. inspired doubles
by visions of the war-chest, rumored
to be of far greater value than truth
could Justify. They were both aleri
and suspicious. The American consul
was obdurate to pleading. refus.ng
peremptorily to become involved In
the affair, while no war vessel floating
the flag of the United States, to who.
/ might fee for protection. entered
the harbor. M~anifestly 1t was impos-
sible for me to depart on any foreign
vessel as a passenger without possess
ing the necessary papers pronerlr
vised. nor could | even ship a. sea
man before the mast without running
the gantlet of numerous suspicious
officials especially warned to appre'
hend me. In brief. though possessing
ample means, i was a helpless pri
oner. my only safety he keeping out
Of sight from all in authority within
the narrow confines of the hotel.
Sitting there in solitude that even
ing Thought 1t out all over again for
the hundredth time. bitterly cursins
myself for a stupid fool. yet utterly
unable to discover any venturesome
prospect of ultimate escape. was
trapped as securely as though the
hand of actual arrest was about to be
placed upon my shoulder. l might,
by thus continuing to skulk in the
dark, delay the result. yet the final
ending was inevitable. Beyond doubt
/ was cornered. and the time was ripe
for the eager acceptance OF any reck-
less opportunity. Yet. desperate as !
was, l could perceive none; every
where arose the same blank wall OF
Chilean power. impossible. unassail-
able. insurmountable. Saint Andrew!
mine was a situation to chill the blood.
The stars began to CLEAN in the
black voidsof sky overhead, those Drill
liant. scintillating stars OF the south
in their unfamiliar consultations. for
ever reminding me hat | was an alien
and a stranger. The city itseii.
wrapped within the deepening folds OF
this early night mantle. appeared I'M
usually noisy and demonstrative. l
dimlv wondered at 1t. There was a
ceaseless blare of bands. a medley OF
in%articulate cries, mingled with the
continuous disorder of stunning feet
along the roughly paved streets.
could distinguish nothing definite as
l hung curiously over the bal
cony rail. staring idly down, yet
II was plainly evident that the entire
population was astir with some IN,
r easing excitement. Far out toward
the distant mouth of the harbor a fort
ress battery vas firing salVos OF ar
tillery, the swift flames OF ischarg
cleaving the black shadows in vicious
spurts Of yellowish red, the suileh re
verberations OF sound shaking the no
tel easements. Some Holy Saints oay'
l imagined, wondering idly what spe'
aial AauotIau of the church COulQ De