Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-07-27
There was a silence. which was bro
ken by the son

There was a silence. which was bro
ken by the son
What actiot do you intend to take
to abort tA!S eifort!'
What would you propose"'
The yoiii= mans eye lighted. This
was tie first time his father had ever
asked his advice.
Give me an hour to consider. If !
can decide in less time l will do So"
Very well. l shah need some time
for consideration myself. Go and re.
turn us SOON as your mind is made up"
The young man retired and before
the expiration of the hour returned.
Have you come to IL decision?"
asked his father.
II have. These revolutions are more
easily nipped in the bud than broken
down after the first success. If all
does not 90 well in the beginning those.
who have been led into them become
panic stricken and desert. In this
case we have an opportunity to cause
the affair to fail apart without having
struck Il blow"
Explain"
II will go myself to the Herrera
hacienda and conceal myself at the
point where the signal fire is prepared.
Doubtless but one person will be
charged With that work. That person
| will eliminate with cold steel. The
fire will not be lighted"
My dear boy" exclaimed the father.
embracing his son, You have hit the
nail ON the head. But suppose YOU
have knitted this single person you as
sumo will be charged with the lighting
of the fire. Will not Herrera, not see
ing the sequel. send another"
Never fear. father. Whoever he
sends shall receive the same steel"
AS 500 as the darkness fell Jose
Molina. disguised as a countryman.
mounted Il rawboned horse and set
out for the Herrera home. One mat
ter Of which his father was ig%noran.
troubled him. Senior Herrera had a
sister much younger than her brother,
whom Jose had met, and an affair OF
the heart had resulted. The conspir-
acy was liable to break up this attach
ment. Inez Herrera undoubtedly sym
pathized with her brothers movement,
and Jose must stand by his father.
Young Molina directed his course to
a part of the Herrera hacienda far
thest from the house and, passing
through q grove. climbed the hill
where the signal. fire was to be light
ed. AS he expected, he found a pile
of wood collected on the very apex.
Underneath was kindling. and all that
was needed to depose his father and
put a rival in his place was a match.
Not a dozen yards from the pyre was
a clump of bushes, in which lose Mo
lima hid himself. He had taken the
%precaution to be on hand two hours
before the appointed time and had a
long wait before him. The night was
Starlit, with no At midnight
the watcher heard a faint sound of
some one climbing the hill, and soon
he saw the dim outline of a figure.
The figure apparently stopped by the
pyre. Like Il flash Jose passed the in
terval between him and it and clasped
q body in his arms.
SILENCE or death!' he said in a low
voice.
Jose knew that he srasped a woman
by her dress. She struggled for Il few
moments. then remained quiet.
"Who are you?" he asked.
There was no reply for a time, then:
II know you by your voice. You are
Jose Molina"
"And YOU are Inez Herrera. Lis
ten to me. The fate of the Mexican
people. Your fathers life. depends
upon what we do here. This plot has
been revealed by one of your servants.
l knew that n signal fire was to be
lighted here to start q revolution. I
came to put this knife into him who
would light it. How came you here?'
My brother would trust no one else"
and I would leave my fathers in
terests in nc ones keeping but mine.
This signal shall not be given. My IA
ther is prepared for the emergency.
You must remain here till it shall be
too late to start the revolution. Then
l will offer on behalf of my father, the
president. terms to Senior Herrera
And suppose he r~efuses?'
"The garrote.'
The girl shuddered. She had been
opposed to her brothers project both
OF her own account and because she
loved the son of the man he would de
pose.
Every well.' she said presently with
4 sigh; 81 will do as you say and use
every effort to persuade my brother
to adopt your suggestion"
"He shall have the most exalted Of.
fee next to that of president"
"How can you assure him Of this?'
Il have saved my father from revo-
luton and probable death. He cannot
gainsay anything to which l bind
him"
Inez suggested that they go to her
brother at once, inform him that his
plan was known to the president and
that the signal fire had not been light