The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-09-08


on the door-knob, but before he could
turn it the Catholic priest had him by
the arm, and with a strength surprising
in one of his stature wrenched him
away. Father O'dalley'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! GodT" the other shrilled. ''I
don't believe in him. 1 am a god; 1
know of no other''
"Blasphemer I' 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 a
dream? Win 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, ,gIori-
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 a meddler," 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 a parent shakes an unruIy child.
See! You have completely lost your
head. But 1 want you to listen to what
1 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 do
you will never command another MeN-
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. It was plain that
he recognized the truth of O'Malley's
words, but he was convulsed with rage
Good =" he cried. 81 see my dreams
dissolve, but am not the first great
man to trade an empire for a woman.
Antony, the Roman general, laid his
honor in a woman's arms. 1 had
shining destiny, but Mexico will be the
sufferer by my betrayal. Instead of
LongorfO the Deliverer, I shall be
known as LongOriO the Lover, the man
who gave all
O'Malley interrupted forcefully
Enough of this! Come with me. I
have something more to say to you"
He flung open the door into the hall
and, taking the general by the arm.
fairly dragged him from the room and
into the one opposite. The lieutenant
and his men looked on in amazement
shutting their feet and shifting their
rifie-butts noisily upon the floor.
Alaire turned an anxious face to
Dave, saying: "He is wonderful. Lon
gorio is almost-afraid of him."
yes; 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 restIessly and
moistened his lips. 'Longorio would
be crazy to injure you"
Ten minutes passed fifteen. AIaire
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 it
sounded like a gunshot. Dave started,
at which the soldiers laughed. They
began to talk in murmurs. The odor
of cigarette smoke drifted in to the
man and the woman.
Finally the door through which Fa-
Their O'Mal1ey 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.
''Weu?' his two friends questioned,
, anxiously.
, 1--WE done all can. The rest is out
, of our hands" The little man sat
down heavily and mopped his forehead.
''What does he say?"
'FHe told me to come here and wait.
: never saw a man so torn, so dis
tracted."
'Then he is wavering. Oh-h !" AIaire
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 1 have
, never met a man quite like him. Do
you know what he feels at this mo-
ment? Chagrin. Yes, modification
: raised TO the highest pitch, and a sort
. of stupefaction that you should prefer
; another man to him. He can't under
stand your lack of taste" Father
!. OMalley smiled family.
; Connected idiot Dave growled.
? His humiliation kills him. When
2 saw that it was useless to appeal to
q him on moral grounds, and that threats
q? were unavailing, took another course
Something gave me insight into his
mind, and the power to talk as have
/: never talked before. All in q flash ]
e saw the mans soul laid bare before me
= and-I think I Olavnd un0D If With