The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-02-06


on my stretch" which extended
from the La Plata down almost to the
Colorado, heard that the agent of a
rival was in front Of me. The news
fairly staggered me. II was a clean
breach Of the rules, and l found some
difficulty in believing IT, II was prob
ably the rough Jest Of some practical
joker, or perhaps the sorry attempt
Of some impudent pirate.
However, what had been doubted at
Los Santos became certainty at Beja-
no, My run" was being worked, and
had a pretty good notion that
could even put a name to the "scut"
who was working II, Between Los
Santos and Bejano did a lot Of hard
thinking The man, had ascertained,
was a Levantine; my informant CIV
ing his age as 80 or thereabouts. He
was said to speak Spanish, French
and italian. Whether he had any
knowledge of English was unable to
gather. But / heard that he was a
mark with the pictures" and played
good hand at poker.
At this point my thoughts would
persistently revert to one Gregorio
Stefanetti a Greco-Itallan who five
years before had absconded from Nice
after embezzling eighteen thousand
francs from the leading banking house
in the municipality, in which he was
employed Stefanetti knew to be a
clever dog, both sleek and sly. There
was some reason, too why he might
be tempted to take "a rise" out Of
me. I had known the man at Mar
seilles previous to his going to Nice,
and had warned certain people against
him.
The growers in the Bejano district
had been advised by circular
that Messer Emilio Corentini, the
representative of the house of B. & B.
of New York, would attend at the
Fonda los Angeles" on (here fol
lowed the date), and would offer the
highest price for wool of any house
in the market; or consignments would
be accepted for sale on commission.
1t was really a most straightforward
and misunderstanding document. He
had stipulated that delivery was to
commence Immediately, and several
loads had gone forward already.
The shape which the matter as
sumed, then, was this: Stefanetti, who
had a face of brass under his smooth
olive skin, had evidently planned a
bold coup. The wool-shipping season
was Just opening. Why not assume
the role of agent for a commission
house2 He had a good appearance,
plant tongue, a pretty wit; was
familiar with the routine; and could
start at the hour. If he could bag
few hundred bales there was for
tune for him, besides the satisfaction
he would feel In scoring off me.
The rogue, considered hardly cal
culated on securing more than few
hundred bales at most. Well, in any
case, Gregorio, l did not doubt, had
made preparation to meet the contin-
gency.
La Vega, whose lights we're now
beginning to assume specific shape
and distinct individuality, was to be
my last place to call.
AS l turned my jaded beast into
the struggling street, the sound Of
noisy revelry struck loud upon the
ear. It came from the Fonda"
was pumped-worn-ou with the long.
hard anxious ride; and the blatant
merriment seemed prophetic OF dis
aster
Passing to the back Of the low mud
wall which enclosed the premises, I
rode into the yard and made my way
to the stables. The yard seemed de-
serted. In~the stables, however, there
we're at least a dozen horses Evi-
IDENTIFY the Fonda" had no lack Of
guests.
There was a light in the kitchen,
and | moved towards It. l thought
It more than likely that l should
there find pretty Manuelita, the 49,
year-old daughter of Barcelona Pete,
who ran the establishment l had
brought her a necklace-a snowy but
inexpensive affair-blue beads strung
on thin gold wire. The girl would
probably be in the kitchen. l would
90 there and ascertain who was in the
sala.
Moving across the yard, / peeped in
at the uncurtained window. A lamp
was burning against the wall but the
room was empty.
A burst of laughter came from the
sala The noise and racket there were
increasing. Out of a babel of voices
could distinguish tones of remon-
STRANGE. The windows on that side
were furnished with jalousies, and
these were closed; but from a hole
high up in the wall streamed a narrow
pencil Of light.
left the kitchen window and looked
about for something that would enable
me to reach the hole. Presently |
stumbled over ladder. Half the rungs
we're broken, and one side was longer
than the other But there was moth
ing else; so, rearing 1t against the
wall, | climbed up. From my posi-
tion on the ladder l could see over
about half the room.
Immediately opposite the knot-hole
sat a swarthy-faced individual whom
recognized as Don Felipe Ricardo,
the steward Of the largest estancia In
the district His lips were livid, his
features distorted. He was staring
stonily across the table at some one
evidently sitting Immediately beneath
me. On the floor at his feet number
of playing-cards lay scattered about.