The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1914-06-25
An Episode
Of Mexico
By ESTHER VANDERVEER

A girl sat sewing in her room in the
City of Mexico. Hearing footstep on
the stairs. she started. A woman en-
tered out of breath.
"Inezr' she gaSped.
"Oh, Pepita. What is it,"
If you have anything to compromise
you with the ConStitutionaiStS get rid
of it at once. This man Manuel Coral.
whom you have trusted. is 4 spy of the
dictator. He has informed upon you.
Then what use to get rid Of evil
dence? The dictator does not need ev!-
dence to get rid Of his victims"
"Corars brother. Enrique. came to
me and said to me: 4 have just learn
ed that Manuel is In the secret service
of the dictator and has informed the
tyrant that by searching lnez'S room
he will find papers revealing the plan
Of the revolutionists.' Enrique assured
me that If no such papers are found
you will not be troubled. If they are
found it will go hard with you, even
though you are woman"
Inez burst into tears. The man she
loved had turned traitor to her. But
her friend urged her to waste no time
In getting rid of any compromising
documents she might possess. She did
possess several important ones. for her
brother was one Of the revolutionary
chiefs, and be was using her to lay
plans for a rising against the dictator
In the City of Mexico. But Inez had
received TOO terrible blow in the
treachery of her lover to keep her mind
on what she was doing. After she had
DESTROYED every document, as she sup
posed, she remembered one she had
not destroyed that gave list Of per
sons in the city who could be relied
on to desert the dictator and join the
revolutiopists as soon as fighting COM
menced. But this did not occur to
her till the sound of heavy footsteps
was heard on the staircase She had
only time to unlock drawer, take out
the paper and slip 1t under her dress
at the neck when the door was thrown
open and Manuel Coral with a man
and q woman entered
81 am sorry 10 disturb you, senorita-
he said to Inez. but the government
has received news that you are In pos
session Of plans Of the revolunonists,
and have been sent here to get them.
"You mean" said Inez. whose indig-
nation by this time had got the better
Of her grief, "that you have accus-
ed me-"
what matters it?' Pepita broke in.
~since you are innocent of the charge!
Let them search the room"
II shall also be obliged to have you
searched" said Coral II have brought
q woman for the purpose"
Coral and the man he had brought
with him began to search the room
Pepita asked permission to leave, and
It was granted Before doing 30 she
embraced Inez and. slipping her
thumb AMI forefnger in under the neck
of her dress. drew the paper hidden
there into the palm Of her hand Then
she disengaged herself. but before do
ing so transferred the paper into her
sleeve. Then, with few words OF en-
couragement for her friend, she took
her departure
As soon as Pepita had gone Coral
ordered the woman to take lnez into
another room and make a thorough
search Of her person, promising the
former a handsome reward If she
found what they were looking for.
Inez left with a mingled glance OF de-
fance and contempt for the man she
had loved. She felt perfectly safe,
Pepita having taken away the COM
promising document Coral showed
no feeling whatever at her treatment
In due time the two women returned.
the searcher announcing that though
she had made a careful investigation
of the senorita's clothing and her hair,
not a scrap Of information had been
found. Then Coral, making a cere-
monious bow to Inez, left her alone.
Inez was moved by two conflicting
emotions. She had saved her brother
and the cause he was engaged In from
q serious setback, and, far more i'm
portant than that many a man who
would have been implicated and lost
his life had not Pepita carried away a
list Of their names that had been saved.
On the other hand. she had received
q bitter thrust in the treatment OF her
lover.
Her usefulness to the cause had end
ed and she determined to slip away
from the city Of Mexico and rejoin her
brother. She was engaged in getting
together the things she would take
with her when the door opened, and
Manuel Coral entered. Placing his fin
ger to his lips, he looked about him
to satisfy himself that no one else was
present. Inez looked at him wonder
ing what he would do next Then he
spoke hurriedly:
"I found II necessary to deceive the