The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-04-22
The Heart of a Dictator

and sudden deaths, are not Instantly
cast aside.
Viroti had been disposed as com
fortably as might be in the shadow
of the rock. Edeman-Dulana was pill
ing twigs for a campfire under the
overhang of another boulder. Azur-
pan, one hand in his medal-sown coat
front, the other on his sword hilt-
his habitual reflective pose-watched
the Secretary quietly for a moment,
then abruptly faced about, conscious
of a faint sound of crealxing gravel
behind him. He looked into the mug
zle Of a revolver, distant not three
feet from his face.
Hands up, Azurpan"
Beyond the revolver loomed what
should have been the mummied gen
eral Every bandage had been knife
slitted, and the loose ends of them
hung fantastically about the militant
apparition from head to feet, draping
the shoulders in the semblance Of
the withered leaves of a great white
flower, above which the shaver head
bobbed like that of a drunken Peirot
The uncovered visage was not that
of Viroti, the lion Of the Azurpan
regime; but it was nevertheless a
lions face, lean, snarling. American.
Azurpan's hands went up quickly, but
he spoke slowly and calmly.
who are you? What do you want?"
he asked.
The appariton, without answering,
stepped forward and plucked the pis-
toll from the ex-dictator's belt, back
ing away with both weapons present
ed.
"Dulana, come here" he called. ''Sit
down, gentlemen. 1 will sit here fac
ing you, and tell you a story. But
first. Azurpan, would ask you, where
is the Sonora viesca? and what Is
her condition."
you are Henry Klackit?" counter
ed Azurpan. his eyelids narrowed.
'Tt is plain that your spy system
was all that it was renowned to be.
AzurDan. It is true, 1 am Loretta
Viesca's brother. Does that interest
you? To my tale. AzurDan. Your
soldiery rayaged my laws
plantation in the fashion of Apache
savages on our American plains
They killed Otoro Viesca. young. no
BILE and a non-combatant. with the
lash. because he would not tell what
he did not know. Viroti. knowing
your wishes. brought my sister to
the palace for that purpose which
God, you and I know. Other people,
when told of it, say they are beyond
adolescence and ogre tales. Azurpan,
the vultures are picking Viroti's
bones where l left them, in the wild
erness near Hidalgo. The thread on
which you are hanging between Mex
tco and hell is stranding fast. Azur-
pan. Before It parts, tell me. where
is my sister,"
May reach into my breast pock-
ct. senor?" queried Azurpan.
There was no culver in his voice;
no faintness or faltering. Instead.
it carried certain note of quiet con-
fdence savoring of a superior self
restraint.
you may" snapped Klacklt. But
If there is a weapon there. you will
only have fastened the end"
Azurpan drew from an inner pock-
ct a little packet of letters.
"The third from the top, the side
where there is no knot" he direct
ed, tossing the packet between the
feet of Klackit, who. seated in the
sand, rested a forearm on either up
crooked knee, pointing the revolvers
at the two men seated similarly in
front Of him.
He laid the revolver carried in his
left hand on the sand beside his left
foot, picked up the package. and with
deft contortions of the single set Of
fingers, drew the third envelope from
the packet and the letter from the en-
velope. which he spread out on his
left knee. With glances alternating
hghtning-Iike between the knee and
the two men, he scanned the writing.
which it shocked him to recognize as
that Of his sister Klackit was read
ing:
VIII this sad uncertainty never
end? The revolutionaries are raw
aging El Principe province, but fear
no personal danger from them. My
fears and tears are all for you, below
ed. Every day your enemies are
spreading more cruel calumnies
abroad PaODIa haIiava now that my