Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1914-02-13

move. her riding whip flashed in hei
hand, and she struck Cesnola blind
ing blow across the face. From the
sheer shock he went down as though
hit by an *. But he sprang to bis
feet on the instant, his face livid with
rage, his hand upon a long hunting
knife.
In another second Holton woult
have been at the girls side; but be
fore he could move. a half-dozen -
volvers flashed in the hands of Gu
J ban officers, and the deep voice Of
the elderly captain broke the stila
ness.
stop, Senior Cesnola. Remembei
who you are-and remember 1t we'll
We have listened to you, and now We
will listen to the beautiful and spir
tied senorita."
Miss La Tossa smiled radiantly.
Thank you," she replied. Il have
no burst of eloQuence to give you
men Of Cuba. / say merely that yor
have been badly advised, misled, by
those whose interest It Is to misleat
you. And, further, do nothing more
than this"
She flashed aloft President McKin
ley's dispatch, and then handed it te
the Cuban captain, who read 1t an6
then in silence passed 1t around the
circle. At length, as 1t was about tt
60 into Cesnola's hands, Miss La
| TNcSo fn< thu
tended 1t to an officer whom she knew
II do not wish this to pass into thai
mans hands," she said. will you
read 1t to him, MAORI"
The officer complied, and then re
turned the dispatch to the girl with 9
bow.
Gentlemen" cried the young WON
an, "can you ask more than that"
A cheer-not a general cheerful,
/ still fairly satisfactory in it's strength
greeted her words. AS 1t died OUT
Cesnola stood forth, raising his hand
He regarded the girl Indignantly.
Let US know one thing" he snarled
Where did you get that message?
Are you"
Miss La Tossa stamped her foot.
"Silence!" she cried. ITO you
shall not speak another word. If any
gentleman"-she emphasized the term
-"if any true Cuban"-this word she
also emphasized-"wishes to question
me, will gladly respond"
WELL" replied an officer, I'VE ash
you, then, to answer the statement
just made by Senior Cesnola."
IT Is easily answered" she returned
quickly. Il am not in General Sraft
er's confidence. He does not give to
me his private messages"
And you received this, then
Queried the officer.
From an officer who possesses the
| confidence Of General Shafter not
only, but Of President Mckinley"
"He is a Cuban offlcer?' suggested
| the questioner.
He
"Ah!" Cesnola sprang forward
| ALLOW me to tell you who he is
Then, without needing the girls re-
monstrating voice, he ran on like a
wild man:
HE is an American naval officer
who has been spying among ns
throughout this campaign and before
You know / was in Washington and
| in Tampa before the Americans de.
clared war, and you know much that
/ saw and heard there has proved OF
value to Us.
| II declare to you that this man
Holton was sent among US to disor
ganize us, and to prevent any effort
on our part to throw off the American
yoke once we saw 1t settling upon our
necks. He was In Garcia's camp two
days before the Americans landed
and he was there In the guise Of q
writer for an English newspaper. II
he had not designs against us, why
did he not appear In his true colors
| Would not Garcia have received him
After the battle of July list he was
In Santiago. He was in this girls
house, unknown to her father, and he
was assailing this girl with caresses-
which she accepted until interrupted
by her fathers friends-then he
leaped through a window, followed by
bullet from her fathers pistol"
| "You lie!" The voice fairly
drowned out Cesnola's wild TRADE:
and as he recoiled from the unex
pected interruption, Holton appeared
from out of the darkness and stood
| in the freight, pointing his finger al
the spurious Cuban.
'You lie, you hound! You were the
one who was In the house Of this girl
and with you':-he turned and faced
the officers-'were General Toral and
| Admiral Cervera. You have been tell.
ing these men who / am. Well. I'll
tell them who am.
CTO BE CONTINUED