Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-06-07

am well known in my country. You
have but to inquire
Il have" said Dual. "Senor. pray
sit down"
But | am accuse. demand
proof" Laredo insisted, seating him
self and keeping his eyes upon Semi.
You shall have it," said Dual.
LAS often happens, throughout this
entire matter. you have. from time 10
time. made remarks which drew my
attention to yourself--and | told you
| read minds, il you will remember.
Senior read you from the first. My
whole endeavor was 10 prove what !
read that others might believe
Laredo shrugged, 1t would be
needful-I should think
Exactly. A few moments ago,
however, you once more brought up
the one point of weakness in my story
as an argument. as you hoped, in
favor Of yourself. In reality ii acted
against YOU, For you were right.
The man who planned the theft OF the
emerald and The image would have
needed prior knowledge.
by your own confession you had
it, so ar as Wingarde's trip here was
concerned He obtained his knowl.
edge of the objects in question in
your Mexican city. May you not also
have obtained similar knowledge?
This morning when | inquired about
the bills your name appeared in the
list the clerk gave me concerning
those WHO had received some of the
smaller bills.
And, senior, your physical descrip-
ton tailed with he man shown by
the stars as being the one who killed.
with the double suggestion to go
on cabed to Mexico City 10 man
well known 10 myself. He is a man
in touch with sources OF Information,
and one To be relied on asked for
information concerning one Rodrl
sue2 Laredo. You yourself saw has
message Of reply delivered TO me- this
morning at table. Ii reads
Thrusting his hand into pocket
he drew out the telegraph form and
gave us its contents:
Rodriguez Laredo, resident this
city travels widely, however. seldom
long resident here. Suspected by
government agents OF endeavoring to
incte uprising of various Indian
tribes against federal government for
past two years Under surveillance
much Of time by secret service Left
lately, assigned destination United
States-eXact locality unknown. Some
times calls himself Prince of Monte,
yuma.
"You see, senor," he continued,
putting the message away, you are
well known indeed; and it is men.
toned that you have sought TO pro.
duce an uprising among the Indian
tribes, which would doubtless elevate
you, the self.styled Prince of Monte.
yuma, TO temporal power If success
full.
"Senor Laredo, you have dreamed
dream, and in dreaming-in work
ing for the object of your dream
among those Indian tribes descended
from the old Aztec stock--you have
heard of the Image of Quet2al in
the mountains Of the north, and of
the Eye of Quetzal, that great iu,a.
Clio emerald from the temple, which
had been taken away and must b. re.
stored. according to their legend be-
fore the children of Quetzal could be
free.
And in your dream, senor, you
imagined that could YOU procure this
talismanic stone--oould come back
among them and say: See, |, Prince
Of Montezuma, whose forebears were
OF the great kings blood, have
brought back the stone to assure your
final triumph Then they would rally
TO your standard, and you should once
more asCend> the throne from which
the Spaniards thrust the final Monte
yuma ere they enslayed his people
and looted the splendors Of his realm. |
Shall we not see now how closely
my theoretical story matches the
facts, You came here a few days ago. |
You learned that Wingarde had gone
north, taking the most available |
guides, but would return shortly You
waited. No doubt, you had learned
before you started that he had heard
OF the gem.
I'VE may assume so much TO ac- |
count for your presence at thls Time. |
You waited then until he cane back |
and you questioned his guides. One |
told you all that you wished to know.
Him you took into your plan and