Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-07-06


face and made a quick decision.
There's limit to what you dare to do,
| LOngorio. I'm unarmed; make no re-
sistance, so there is no excuse for viO-
| lence. / surrender to you, and claim
| protection for myself and my wife,"
| But Longorio was not to be tricked.
"Good!" he cried, triumphantly. u
have been looking forward to some
| thing like this, and shall give myself
a great pleasure" He laid hand up
on the dOOr-knob but before he could
| turn it the Catholic priest had him by
| the arm, and with strength surprising
| in one of his stature wrenched him
away. Father O'Malley's face was
| white and terrible; his voice was deep
menacing; the hand he raised above
Longorio seemed to brandish weapon
"Stop!'' he Numbered. 'Are you a
mailman? Destruction hangs over you:
destruction of body and soul. You dare
not separate those whom God hath
joined
God! God!" the other shrilled. u
don't believe in him. I am god; ]
know of no other"
"Blasphemerv roared the little man,
Listen, then. So surely as you harm
these people, so surely do you kill your
earthly prospects. You, the first man
in Mexico, the dictator indeed! Think
what you are doing before it is too late.
Is your dream of greatness only
dream? viii you sacrifice yourself
and all your aspirations in the heat OF
this unholy and impossible passioni
Tonight, now, you must choose whether
you will be famous or Infamous, glori.
GUS or shameful, honOred or dishOn.
ored! Restrain your hatred and con-
quer your lust, or foregO forever your
dreams of empire and pass into oh.
liviOn."
"You are a meddler," Longorio
stormed. "You make a loud noise, but
shall rid Mexico of your kind. We
shall have no more Of you priests"
Father O'Malley shook the speaker
as parent shakes an unruly child,
"See! You have completely lost your
head. But Iwant you to listen to what
am saying. Whether you are more
good than evil, God must judge, but
the people of Mexico are good people,
and they will not be ruled by a man
who is wholly bad. You have the power
to remove this man and this woman
yes, and this priest who dares to point
out the pit at your feet; but If you dc
you will never command another MeXi.
can army. There is no war. We are
not your enemies. The world knows
we are here, and it holds you account
able for our safety. Tomorrow you
will have to face the reckoning"
Longorio listened. 1t was plain that
he recognized the truth of O'Malley's
words, but he was convulsed with rage.
"Good!'' he cried. "I see my dreams
dissolve, but I am not the first great
man to trade an empire for a woman.
Antony, the Roman general, laid his
honor in woman's arms. I had
shining destiny, but Mexico will be the
sufferer by my betrayal. Instead OF
Longorio the Deliverer, shall be
known as Longorio the Lover, the man
who gave all"
O'Malley interrupted forcefully
Enough of this Come with me.
have something more to say to you"
He flung open the door into the hall
and, taking the general by the arm,
fairly dragged hia from the room and
into the one opposite. The lieutenant
and his men looked on in amazement,
shuffling their feet and shifting their
rif!e-butts noisily upon the floor.
Alaire turned an anxious face te
Dave, saying: "He is wonderful. Lon.
gorio is almost-afraid of him.
eyes; he may bring him to his
senses. If he doesn't" Dave cast
his eyes desperately over the room
conscious all the time that he was be.
ing watched with suspicion by the men
outside. He stirred restlessly and
moistened his lips. "Longorio would
be crazy to injure YOU"
Ten minutes passed: fifteen. Alaire
leaned, motionless against the table;
Dave paced about, followed by the eyes
of the soldiers. One of the latter
struck a match, and in the silence ii
sounded like gllnshot. Dave started,
at which the soldiers laughed. They
began to talk in murnurs. The odo1
Of cigarette smoke drifted in to the
man and the woman.
Finally the door through which Fa.
Their OMalley and Longorio had passed
opened, and the priest emerged. He
was alone. His face was flushed and
damp; his eyes were glowing. He
forced the Mexicans out of his way
and, entering the living room, closed
the door behind him.
"Well?' his two friends questioned
RnxiouSly.
"Pve done all can. The rest is out
of our hands," The little man sat
down heavily and mopped his forehead
"What does he say?"
T.. IO7I To Coy1on nd