The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-20
TWELFTH INSTALLMENT
"BACKED BY THE U. S. N"
CHAPTER LII.
A Thorn In the Flesh.

It was late at night when Hernandez
and his two companions, Senorita Inez
Castro and the Brute, crept to the out.
skirts of the village Of Santa Maria,
and stealthily approached the ram
shackle old hotel For two days they
had kept carefully out Of sight.
They had left the dead Ponto to his
fate. He had now become cipher.
He was food for the jackals and they
left him to the jackals.
"Then," said Inez, 1T shall be Pom
to's share for mine"
Hernandez leered at her. What
does it matter" he returned; what is
mine is yours. fair Inez-Inez, mine
own"
She crept to him, resting her shout
der against his breast.
"You mean that, Hernandez" she
queried, jealous note tinging her
tone. There is no one-there never
shall be one-save Inez?"
Hernandez leered again. Time
and time have l not told you SOP
he answered. 1--WE are one-as in the
past-so in the prsent-so in the fu'
ture."
Hernandez brushed her gently to
one side and rose to his feet. "WaI
first-love afterwards" he said. "Busi
ness now-and later, happiness. A
whirl of happiness-of worldwide
happiness When l am king of prin
cipality-and you are queen. Come
let us on"
Softly he crept to secluded door
way of the hotel and knocked cautious
ly upon it. 1t was opened in due
course. The frowzled head of serv
ant thrust itself forth.
"Ah." whispered Hernandez, IN!
good friend"
He slipped goodly coin into thu
hand of his good friend-and the goot
friend became at once a better friend
THE Americanos? queried Herman
dez. Have they gomez"
Gone" returned the servant; ito
day they went. Enter. senior"
Hernandez, alert but satisfied o
temporary safety, beckoned to his TIVE
companions and the three crowded
into the dingy little closet of the por
ter.
He turned back to the porter. Tel
u.s." he commanded, 1.-The best rout
to San Pedro and Los Angeles. GU
way lies north"
Many hours later at Los Angeles,
coterie of Americans sat around
broad table in an unused courtroom
in the post Office building in Los An
geles.
Spread upon the table were a mum
Der of documents-a trinket or two
Among them was locket Among ther
were patched.together parchmen
map and Spanish grant.
The admiral leaned toward tn
United States district attorney-th
LATTER had come down from San Frar
cisco to place the seal of his depart
ment's approval upon the matter nov
in hand
Are you satisfied" queried the aC
miral.
Absolutely" said the district a
torney, the paper title is at preser
unassailable, and as much to be re,
ognized as though'-he bowed to Al
nette-"as though our fair daughtt
here were sister republic. 1t r
mains for you, sir'-his glance Der
upon the commander of the battl
ship Missouri-'to find out who ma
be in possession-and to GUST the
in favor of this paper title"
Il wonder whom we'll find?' muse
Annette, her eyes glowing.
Probably no one." returned the q
miral.
He returned the documentary e'
dence and the trinkets to his POI
folio. These" he said to the distri
attorney, Il take with me-"
Exactly" said the other, I'VE ha
photographs of all of them. The
vestigation has been of interest
curious situation"
The district attorney placed befo
Annette a bulky document.
You will be compensated for Il
Lost Island" he said, and the 81
eminent stands ready now to ma