The Washington times., 1911-04-19

" colonel-oh, Curttce, It's me-
self that's glad to see you!
But I've no time for greeting you
properly; we'll be leaving that till the
morning. Give us your advice; I'm
thinking that 'tis needed-a clear, young
head among us grannies. And grannies,
gentlemen" he broke out emphatically.
lis the word that fits US! tell you, we
fear overmuch; we take as a ground
work a mere local disturbance-over-
taxation will be the likely cause mere
local uprising in distant province, and
build upon that a terrifying, chimerical
popular revolt-the which, l am con-
WINGED, has no existence save in our
added brains. 'Tfs mixed metaphor,
but let it pass. We assume, because a
mob of llaneros, led by a professional
trouble maker such as Ursua, choose TO
- set up the standard of revolt and hap
pen to capture a third-class village, that
the whole country is ready to rise and
join them. 'TIs plain folly. Am L not
right, Curtice?"
What is the situation? I have not
heard
Here" The president drew him to
the table and indicated a point upon the
map. Here Is La Maroma. News comes
this night by courier that Ursua has in
raded the province and taken the city.
Pedros, who policed the district with a
and shot. 'Tis said that the neighbor-
hood is enliStng under UrSua?'
Have you confirmed that report?"
"Ursua has seized the telegraph Of
fices and cut the wires"
AS for that" said Curtice, the pop
ulace always cheers the conqueror. To-
day they applaud Ursua; tomorrow,
when your troops have chased his from
the province, they will be crying vtvas
"Kilrae denies that. He holds that
this is but the first move of an organ
tied plot to oust me. He even claims
that Castro is behind Ursua, furnishing
him with arms and munitions, urging
him on"
Castro" Kilrae interrupted, uses
Ursua as a catspaw. If he wins, Cas-
Venezuela
gentleman" cried Malone. Il can
show you proofs the most convincing
of Castro's friendliness to me-
so, no doubt, could Ursua."
You have heard" said the president
turning again to Jimmy.
Il regret-'' he began. and stopped
reluctant.
What he must say would dash the
presidents hopes to the ground at q
time when he most needed to be
cheered.
AS for Malone, he was counting Sc
renely upon the young mans support
of his view of the predtcament He was
in a frame of mind to belittle the r1s-
ing, to regard it as an annoyance to
be dealt with as he had previously dealt
with other and similar troubles, His
lucky star was in the ascendant; al
ready had he achieved one victory that
night: and in the roseate glow Of happT
content which comes to the man who
has won a woman, he could not con-
ceiVe of aught that might defeat hire.
He had reason to believe himself capa-
bile of outgeneralinS any leader in the
Southern continent; and If indeed his
n aGSailad. looked fOr
support to the faithfulness of his army.
There he erred; the army was sIen-
der reed, quantity unstable as quick
silver volatile as laughing gas; body
of men gathered from the four ends
.of the earth-Indians, Spaniards, MeX1-
cans, rene gades from all nations, cross
breeds. and half-breeds; brave to a
fault, II may be, but to be bought for
their price and loving that eXhilaration
which is own brother to anarchy, the
excitement bred of change.
Il am sorry, Malone, but 1 am Obliged
to disagree with you, to side with
Colonel Kilrae."
And Why?
Il know a tri6e more of the real state
of affairs than you do. In fact, have
Just escaped from an enforced sea-Voy-
age in company with the leaders of the
Junta directing the revolution winch
Colonel Kilrae foresees. If l am a judge
of men, and If we can estimate the
spirit which moves the underlings by
the activity, the acumen, and the un-
scrupulousness of the leaders, you are
truly in peril. l believe that you now
face the greatest crisis in the history
OF the republic; and since you honor
me by asking my advice. I would coun-
sci yol to crush this incipient uprising
with as hard and heavy hand as you
may
Kflrae nodded to him, knitting . his
brows
"Go on" said Malone. with a drop of
several degrees from his former assur-
ance.
For one thing continued Jimmy,
this affair in La Maroma province is
spontaneous, not premeditated by the
Junta-or so / firmly believe. That ar
cues that the people are aroused and
Will not be held that they are weary of
your rule impatience for your downfall.
Orsua is not a leader born; l have
fought under him, and 1 know that men
would not follow him unless he espoused
a cause that was near TO their hearts.
And upon What do you base your
belief, Specifically" demanded the pres
ident.
reach YOU by a differest channel
whether they feared to rely upon pop
ular feeling, l do not know, but they
have schemed to force you out With0u,
bloodshed Thav have conceived a plot
so ingeniously diabolical in its nature
that / hesitate to tell you how they
propose to influence your aodlcat1on;
And the time has come When lhey VIII
Malone motionad The American to q
chair.
Go on" he repeated.
"A man named Arthur is the leader
Do you know him.
mo" replied the president; mur'
muir of negation ran around the board.
''Lazard-"
5. "Ah. that f1end! Is he in it?''
He is: and one Joseph Fetter.
"a man whom i had befriended anc
trusted" cried Malone. II employed
him as personal secretary. He disap'
peared some time ago, and
''You might better have warmed an
asp in your breast. Listen, then"
Concisely. with a reporters brevity
Jimmy outlined the conspiracy, and the
train of events which had brought him
to Anahuac AS he spoke. the president
buried his face in his hands. Only once
did he raise his head. and then 1t was
to exchange word with the minister ot
war.
''The carriage?" he asked.
Eyes; and the priest?'