The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1914-02-20


sheer shock he went down as though
hit by an ak. But he sprang to his
feet on the instant, his face livid with
rage, his hand upon long hunting
knife.
In another second Holton would
have been at the girls side; but be-
fore he could move. half.doZen re-
yolyers flashed in the hands OF Gu
ban officers, and the deep voice of
the elderly captain broke the still.
ness.
Stop, Senior Cesnola. Remember
who you are-and remember it 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 you
have been badly advised, misled, by
those whose interest it is to mislead
you. And, further, l do nothing more
than this
She flashed aloft President Mckin-
ley's dispatch, and then handed it to
the Cuban captain, who read it and
then in silence passed it around the
circle. At length, as it was about to
60 into Cesnola's hands, Miss La
Tossa Intercepted the paper and ex-
tended it to an officer whom she knew.
81 do not wish this to pass into that
mans hands," she said. will you
read it to him, major?"
The officer complied, and then re-
turned the dispatch to the girl with
bow.
Gentlemen" cried the young WON
an, can you ask more than that?"
A cheer-not a general cheer-but
still fairly satisfactory in its strength
greeted her words. AS it 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
eff any true Cuban"-this word she
also emphasized-"wishes to question
me, | will gladly respond"
We'll" replied an officer, I'VE ask
you, then, to answer the statement
just made by Senior Cesnola."
ut 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 Cuban otficer?" suggested
the questioner.
"He-"
"Ah!" Cesnola sprang forward.
ALLOW me to tell you who he is"
Then, without needing the girls re-
frustrating voice, he ran on like a
Wa man:
He is an American naval officer
who has been spying among US
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
Il 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 it settling upon our
necks. He was in Garcia's camp two
days before the Americans landed.
and he was there in the guise OF
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 window, followed by
a 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 at
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 l am. Well. Ill
tell them who am.
(TO BE CONTINUED)