Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1915-12-14
TWELFTH INSTALLMENT
BACKED BY THE u. S. NJ"
CHAPTER LII.
A Thorn in the Flesh.

and his two companions, Senorita lneZ
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
tate. He had now become a cipher.
He was food for the jackals and they
left him to the jackals
Then" said Inez, lit shall be Pom
tos 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 shoul-
der against his breast
you mean that, Hernandez" she
queried. q jealous note tinging her
tone. There is no one-there never
shall be one-save Inez?"
hernandez leered again. Time
and time have / not told you SOP"
he answered. I'VE 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. WAR
hrst-love afterwards" he said ''Busi-
ness now-and later, happiness. A
vhirl Of happiness-of worldwide
happiness. When l am king of prin-
cipaiity-and you are queen. Come,
let rs on
Softly he crept to a secluded door
way of the hotel and knocked cautious
iy unon it. 1t was opened in due
course. The frowzled head of a serv-
ant thrust itself forth.
"Ah, whispered Hernandez, my
good friend"
He slipped a goodly coin into the
hand Of his good friend-and the good
friend became at once a better friend.
The Americanos?" queried Herman
daz. Have they gomez"
Gone" returned the servant; to
day they went. Enter, senior"
Hernandez. alert but satisfied of
temporary safety. beckoned TO his two
companions and the three crowded
into the dingy little closet of the por-
ter.
He turned back to the porter. Tell
u.s., ne commanded, the best route
70 san Pedro and Los Angeles. Our
way lies north"
Many hours later at Los Angeles, a
ccterie OF Americans sat around q
broad table in an unused courtroom
in the post Office building in Los An
geles.
$1,000 ,,,,c,, tba 4ahla were q num-
Scr Of documents inket or two.
Among them was 2 locket Among them
Ne.a . interchangeable parchment
nan and a Spanish grant.
The admiral leaned toward the
United States district attorney-the
latter had come down from San Fran
cisco to place the seal Of his depart
tnent's approval upon the matter now
IN hand
Are you satisfied" queried the adj
miral.
Absolutely" said the district at
torney. THE paper title is at present
unassailable. ard as much to be rec
ogpized as though''-he bowed to An
nette-'as though our fair daughter
here were a sister republic. II re-
mains for you, sir'-tis glance bent
unon the commander OF the battle
ship Missouri-''to find out who may
be in possession-and to Dust them
in favor of this paper title"
Z wonder whom Wen find?" unused
Annette. her eyes glowing.
Probably no one, returned the ad-
miral
He returned the documentary evil
! dence and the trinkets to his port
folio. These he said to the district
attorney, Il take with me-
Exactly" said the other, I'VE have
photographs of all of them. The in
vestigation has been of interest-a
curious situation"
The district attorney placed before
/ Annette a bulky document.
You will be compensated for this
Lost, Island" he said, and the gov
eminent stands ready now to make
you a substantial advance OF money
upon the signing OF this paper
Annette signed-and sighed with re-
lief
That's done, she exclaimed