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

Dave added his words to the others
you are ten to one, but you can't have
her." he cried. deflantly. Jose San
! chez confessed TO the murder of Mr.
Austin, and told how you had got Mrs
Austin to come here. The whole thing
is known in Washington and Mexico
| City by this time. The newspapers
have it; everybody knows you are
keeniRg her as your prisoner. and that
l nave come for her. If she is harmed
all Mexico, all the world, will know
that you are worse than a murderer"
! LongoriO reached behind his back
and slammed the door in the faces of
his listening men.
what is this? What did Jose con-
fess?" he inquired. sharply.
"He swears you hired him."
Bah! The word of pelador"
In spite of the mans contemptuous
tone Dave saw the expression in his
face and made a quick decision.
There's limit to what you dare to do,
LongoriO. I'm unarmed; l make no re-
sistance, so there is no excuse for vio-
lence. l surrender to you, and claim
protection for myself and my wife"
But Longorio was not to be tricked.
"GOod!" he cried, triumphantly. IL
have been looking forward to some
thing like this, and shall give myself
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
mailman? Destruction hangs over you;
destruction Of body and soul. You dare
not separate those whom God hath
joined"
God! God!" the other shrilled. II
don't believe in him. am god;
know of no other"
"Blasphemer !" 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 passion?
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 OBJ
livion."
"You are u meddfer," Longorio
stormed. you make loud noise, but
1 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 want 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 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 do
you will never command another Next
can army. There Is no war. We are
not your enemies. The world knows
we are here, and 1t 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. Il see my dreams
dissolve, but 1 am not the first great
man to trade an empire for woman.
Antony, the Roman general, laid his
honor in woman's arms. l had a
shining destiny, but Mexico will be the
sufferer by my betrayal. Instead of
Longorio the Deliverer, 1 shall be
Known as Longorio the Lover, the man
Who gave all"
O'Malley interrupted forcefully.
Enough of this? Come with me. l
lave something more to say to you"
He flung open the door into the hall
ind, taking the general by the arm,
'airly dragged him from the room and
INTO the one opposite. The lieutenant |
ind. bis men looked on in amazement,
their feet and shifting their
noisily' upon the floor.
Alaire turned, an anxious face to
Dave. saying: .".,He is wonderful. Lon
,orio is almost--afraid of him."
Eyes,; he may bring him to his
senses. If he doesn't" Dave cast
lis eyes desperately over the room,
conscious all the time that he was be-
ng watched with suspicion by the men |