Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-09-12


the door behind him.
fWell?' his two friends questioned.
anxiously.
"Tve done all can. The rest is out
of our hands" The little man sat
down heavily and mopped his forehead
what does he say?"
"He told me to come here and wait.
l never saw a man so torn, so dis
tracted."
"Then he Is wavering. Oh-h p Alaire
clasped her hands in thanksgiving. but
the father cautioned her:
Don't be too sanguine. He is not
afraid of consequences. He appears to
have no conscience. He is without
mercy and seems lost to shame. l have
you know what he feels at this mo-
ment? Chagrin. Yes, modification
raised to the highest pitch, and sort
of stupefaction that you should prefer
another man to him. He can't under
stand your lack of taste" Father
! O'Malley smiled family.
Connected idiot" Dave growled.
His humiliation kills him. When l
! saw that 1t was useless to appeal to
him on moral grounds, and that threats
were unavailing took another course.
Something gave me insight into his
mind, and the power to talk as l have
| never talked before. All in fash l
saw the mans soul laid bare before me,
and-I think l played upon it with
some cunning. l don'tremember all l
said, for l was inspired, but appealed
to his vanity and to his conceit, and as
I went along / impressed upon him,
over and over, the fact that the world
knows we are here and that it trusts
him. He aspires to the presidency; he
believes he is destined to be Mexico's
dictator; so / painted picture that
surpassed his own imaginings. He
flattery, so I went far beyond that and
infiamed him with such extravagant
visions as only child or an unblushing
egotist like him could accept.
swelled his vanity; inflated his con-
ceit. For a moment, at least, l lifted
the heights"
From beyond the closed door came
Longorio's voice, issuing some COM
mand to his men. A moment passed;
then he appeared before the three
Americans. He seemed taller, thinner,
more erect and hawklike than ever
His head was held more proudly and
his chest was fuller. set, disdainful
smile was craven upon his face.
He began by addressing his words
directly to Alaire. Sonora" he said,
II am a man of deep feeling and |
scorn deceit. Therefore / offer no
apology for my recent display Of emo
ton. If have seemed to press my adj
vances with undue fervor, it is because,
at heart, am as great lover as am
a statesman or soldier. But there
are other things than love. Nature
constituted me a leader, and he who
climbs high must climb alone l offered
Chapultepec as a shrine for your
beauty. offered to share Mexico with
you, and l told you that would not |
be content with less than all Of you.
Well, meant it. Otherwise would |
take you now" His voice thrObbed |
with a sudden fierce desire, and his |
long, lean hands closed cOnvuSively. |
"You must realize that have the cour-
age and the power to defy thesworld,
eh?" He seemed to challengeIaenial
of this statement, but, receiving none,
he went on, fixing his brilliant, fever
ish eyes once more upon Alaire." sAs a
man Of sentiment l am unique; l am
different from any you have ever
known. l would not possess flower
without its fragrance. You did not be-
lieve me when l told you that, but l
am going to prove it. All your life you |
are going to think of me as heroic. |
Perhaps no patriot in history ever |
made Il more splebdid sacrifice for his
country than make now. Some day
the world will wonder how l had the
to put fiside love and follow
the path of duty
Alaire trusted herself to ask. "Then
we are free to go?' .-.-- ~
The generals face was swept by
grimace intended for a smile. II have
ordered your horses to be saddled."' |
Dave, who had with difficulty re-:
his anger at the fellows bonn
bast, was upon the point OF. speaking
when Father OMalley-took, the; words
out of his mouth: 49, ...........
"Would you send this woman out Of
her own house into "a. country like-.
like this? Remember. the fortune in
cattle you have already taken 49,.
.(TO BE CONTINUED) ,...,-
An Unusual Bird '''>7'f - |