The Elbert County tribune., 1912-05-17

than in 1869. preparing to make his last nghs
,or tho long-coveted crown of Spain. His chief
agent Ind bought all OF the arms and ammuni-
tion he could pay for from Kynoch & Co. OF
pirmiugham. and had contracted with Nickel
a Son for their delivery the northern coast
NJ spain. They had lost one cargo through the
vatchfulness Of q Spanish warship. and had
nearly come to grief with another
The Pretender's agent then proposed tnat
Don Carlos pay for the arms when they were
delivered instead OF at the factory. as beiore'
OId man Nickel was considering this PROPOSE
t,or ,yhen I met him, and he told me about
n after we had come to know and understand
zach other a bit and It was agreed that Nickeii
ahould buy the arms while would furnisn tne
ship and deliver them
II was stipulated that the hrst consisnmeh.
ahould be delivered to Don Carlos hmSeh ~
his headquarters near Bilbao.
Only a small and light-draft ship could get up
tha river and I did not caro- to try II with the
Ieckwith SO I chartered q smaller soeamer
which greatly resembled the Santa Marta
Spanish coastwise ship. To avoid suspicion
the rifles and cartridges were shipped 10 Anu
werp and picked them up there.
Az soon as we were out Of sight OF land
repainted my ship and made some snght
changes until she looked almost exactly ike
the Santa Marta.
We got over the bar at Bilbao with very III
tie to spare under our keel and went on up the
river to the appointed place. A band OF Gyp-
sies-Gitanos-were camped close by. and In
ten minutes they we're all over the ship.
Among them a singularly beautiful girl to
whom I was strangely drawn. She followed
me around the ship, which did not annoy me
at ALL and insisted on telling my fortune When
consented she told me- among lot OF other
things, that I would be paid large sum OF
money in the mountains and assassnated-
The Carlist camp was located we'll up in the
mountains, nearly twelve miles away. After
short wait l ceremoniously ushered into
the august presence of the Pretender. He
greeted me with frigid formality in contradic-
ton to the welcome had expected, as
due savior of the Carlist cause. and his first
words, spoken in fair English were a curt
statement that he had no money but would pay
for my cargo through his London agent within
two months.
l pointed out to him. as discreetly as posi-
BILE. what the result Of such course would be.
Failure to keep the agreement made by your
agent would destroy your excellent credit with
all dealers In revolutionary supplies, and that
of course Is not to be thought Of On the
other hand. by paying for this cargo you will
establish your credit more firmly than ever
know that your majesty is not only very hon
est, but very WISE"
This argument appeared to convince him
and. with smile though he had really been
only Joking. he summoned venerable Jew
evidently his treasurer, who looked like the
original Of all pictures of Shylock and ordered
him to pay me 428000 the amount called for
by the manifest The Jew returned in a few
minutes with the exact amount. With the
transaction completed Don Carlos dramatically
waved out
The officer who had piloted us to the camp
suggested that could ind our way back to
the ship without any trouble. as the trail was
clearly defined. and we started back alone
Before we had gone twenty steps Brown nv
sailing master. asked whether had been paid
In oh nt,nt. - -
told him l undoubtedly had. He then con.
fessed that he thought we were "in for It" six
cavalrymen he said, had started down the
trail not long before I left Don CarIos' tent
and he believed they had been sent out to
waylay. rob and probably murder us in the
deep canyon into which the ravine from the
camp turned.
In a flash ! recalled the prediction of the
GYPSY girl. laughed at myself for the spasm
OF something like fear that came into my mind
yet was undeniably nervous for Brown was
not a man to form foolish fancies or become
unduly alarmed about anything. And none Of
armed
We had turned a corner that put us out of
sight OF the camp. when 1 saw a dark face
peering at us through the underbrush that mat
TED the trail on both sides. At the first glance
the face looked like nothing but one of tbe
troopers we had been talking about but IN an
instant recognized the Gitano girl who ba a
told my fortune and begged me not to IN into
the mountains. She beckoDed to us and with.
out saying word. plunged on into deep woods
In which we. unguded. would have been hone.
lessly lost in ten minutes
She led US over hill and across wide de-
preston and then over another much higher
mountain. There was not SO much as n aup.
gestion OF path and 1t was hard going. yet
none OF US complained. She brought us out N
the trail at the point where we had made our
nrst turn Into the foothills. From there II wa
straight road to the ship with no fear Of am.
buscade or attack
The rest OF the cargo was jerked out with
all speed and as soon as the last box was on
the bank we got under way. Greatly to my
at the mouth Of the river, where had looked
Tor some serious business. and We continued
happily on our way to London