The Washington times., 1911-04-13
CHAPTER XIX-(Continued).

ly, thrice, upon the door or tn
senora's house, instead of usinl
the bell; and thereupon tn
attendant opened with promptness
nor stopped to inspect the caller
through the loophole He ushered then
the passageway; and here the presiden
of Anahuac and his minister of wa
were permitted to cool their heels. Fo
Notwithstanding the very evident prepa
ration which had been made agains
their coming, the sonora, woman-like
was pleased to keep them waiting for
space of time sufficiently long to max,
the presidents empty heart to fret rest
lessly at the delay, and to bound will
pleasure when she consented to make
her appearance. The which she did at
tired regally; for she meant to conque
In this one night.
Colonel Kilrae acknowledged hel
charms generously with the respect h,
showed as he bent over her hand
Thereby, pleasing her, he further
pleased the president In truth, tn,
gT1zzled, war-worn veteran could fine
little fault with Malone for his clandes
tine adventure. In common with Burke
his fear was solely that the womans in
fuence might work for evil toward the
president-not specifically the influence
of the Sonora de Casada. for he had nc
reason to suspect her, but that of any
one woman. Distrusdng the sex, ht
watched her closely, II covertly
throughout the dinner and ended BY
admitting to himself a feeling of relief
that he had found no peg whereon tc
hang the cloak of doubt.
The meal was served in the patio
close upon the bronze fountain. whose
playing made the only music other than
that which Malone fancied in the rip
PIE of the senora's laughter and the
caressing modulations of her voice. The
adventures herself was in rare form
II the eyes of the president lied not to
her, she had wasted no time at her
dressing table, although her seance be-
fore the mirror had taken up the best
part Of three hours. She felt herself to
be success, and cared not If that sue
cess were but triumph Of art and mil
lnery.
Moreover, she gave herself the credit
for a dinner well calculated, her con-
spiracy with the cook having brought
forth dainty, tempting dishes; and the
wines had been chosen with nicely.
Even the elements proved her allies, af-
fording airs bland and heady, and COW
ering the patio with a canopy rich and
deep nd lavishly bestrewn with gems of
brilliance-that same warm armament,
indeed, which lowered over the road
stead of San Diego, where presently
murder was to be done IN the saloon OF
the Miranda ].
The four-Dona Inez lending the re-
spectability of her countenance to the
paPty-lingered long at table, dallying
with the helados and dulces, the liqueurs
and the cigarettes, the which latter
neither lady disdained more than the
former. They were quietly gay, the
sonora sparkling in the wits Of the two
Irishmen, sharpened by the tang OF
wine, no mean foils for her repartee.
Colonel Kilrae forgot his forebodings
and threw care to the CATS while the
president enjoyed himself with a keen
ness to which he had been a stranger
for many day.
As the great clock in the tower of the
Palacio Federal doomed eleven tardy
strokes, they rose. Colonel Kilrae, re-
luctantly tugging at his mustaches, al
lowed himself to be beguiled by the
languishing glances with which Dona
Inez favored him above the coy lace
work of her fan. The old woman, dis
tinctly in her native element once more,
PLAYED him gently and discreetly until
she landed him in the billiard room,
leaving the shadowed patio to the
sonora and her prey. And here she
bored him uncommonly with the shr1ll,
small gossip which forms the converse
ttonal stock of the matrons OF Latin
America.
The president regarded the snarlng of
his minister of war with undisguised re-
lief The methods of the duenna were
quite broad enough to have put another
man upon his guard; but Malone, seeing
them, saw not, and was but glad to be
alone with the senora- For the moment
her hand was resting lightly upon his
arm as they paced slowly in the obscur-
ity of the corridor. In the patio dett,
silent servants were clearing and re-
moving the table and replenishing with
fresh candles the infreQuent lanterns
which hung suspended from bush and
vine. In time they retired, and the
sonora, electing for the open air, led
the president to a wicker tete-a-tete
oao,apiantI,,. placed in the deeuer gloom
Of an Hex tree.
with a feminine rustic she settled
herself, signing contentedly and smiling
dreamily at her partner. Malone echoed
personal smile with interest. At that
nnoment ne capitulated without admit
tinp II. but the sonora read the signs
Vith an ease born OF experience, and
turned her face from him that she
might conceal the gleam OF trlampn:
overted cheek would achieve more than
Geometry the most profound, she rested
her chin delicately upon her hnger ups
seeming to lose herself In revere:
The man became completely ln1atua-
ted. This woman YVES SO near to him
that. leaning forward, he could see
his breath stir the tendrils Of her hair,
could Whit the elusiveness OF the per-
fur1e she affected, could watch the rise
and fall Of her bosom. revealed by the
with one sweep of his arm he could
crush her to him-if he dared; and the
Malone was one to dare greatly. But
he contented himself with echoing her
.I,b for the second time.
She turned TO him suddenly, with
single word, low-spoken:
Barry
1T can read your thoughts, Barry.
"Did you know, then" he dissimula- Isl
Ted that was dying to smoker?
'sNo. but so am l.
Tbe president offered his case and
match-box. The woman selected and
iighted her cigarette, but when ne wouIo
bsXe done likewise she laughed and
threw away the match.
mo" she said, ''the old way, Barry,
she bent her head until the red coal
of the roll of tobacco between her Iuli
iips touched his cigarette. AS he puf1ed
her ewes met his frankly, and she drew
aWay quickly and flushed.
'@You were thinking" she resumed
burriedlv, as IL to cover her CONFUSION:
l tell you, Barry?,of Paris.
"T was not" he exclaimed; but, on
my word. Adele, 1 am going to-!
"Oh, BarryW
And vet maybe you were right. he
Continued. yes, in way was think
faa- alt