The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-06-19

and business has been poor. Ny
home is in Colon, and ! wish / were
safely there. But even a noble
Narvaez may be a peddler, and even
a peddler must live, eh. senors, is
it not so? But tell me. is there not
2 Tomas Romero who dwells in this
pleasant city of San Antonio?"
There are any Gods number Of
Tomas Romeros who dwell every
where in Panama" laughed Pedro
Zurito, the assistant jailer "One
would need a full description"
HE is the cousin of my second
wife" the ancient answered hope
fully, and seemed bewildered by the
roar of laughter from the crowd.
A Ray of Hope.
"And a dozen Tomas Romeros
live in and about San Antonio" the
assistant jailer went on, ANY one
of which may be your second wife's
cousin, senior. There is Tomas
Romero. the drunkard. There is
Tomas Romero, the thief. There is
Tomas Romero-but, no, he was
hanged a month back for murder
and robbery. There is the rich To-
mas Romero. who owns many cattle
on the Hills. There is
To each suggested one. Leopold
Narvaez had shaken his head dole
fully. until the cattle-owner was
mentioned. At this he had become
hopeful and broke in:
Pardon me. senior, it must be he.
or some such one as he. I shall
find him. If my precious stock-in-
trade can be safely stored, I shall
seek him now. II is well my mis-
fortune came upon me where it did.
/ shall be able to trust with you,
who are, one can see with half an
eye, an honest and an honorable
man" AS he talked, he fumbled
forth from his pocket two silver
pesos and handed them 20 the jailer.
There, I wish you and your men
TO have some pleasure of assisting
me-"
Henry grfnned to himself as he
noted the access of interest in the
old man and of consideration for
him on the part of Pedro Zurita
and the gendarmes, caused by the
present of the coins. They showed
the more curious of the crowd
roughly back from the wrecked
wagon and began to carry the
boxes into the Jail
Careful. o senors. careful" the
old man pleaded, greatly anxious,
as they took hold of the big box.
Handle it gently. it is of value,
and it is fragile, most fragile"
While the contents of the wagon
were being carried into the Jail.
the old man removed and deposited
IN the wagon all harness from the
horse save the bride.
A Parting Shot.
Pedro zurita ordered the harness
taken in as well, explaining, with
a glare at the miserable crowd:
Not a strap, or buckle, would re-
main the second after our backs
were turned"
Using what was left Of the wagon
for a stepping block, and ably as
sisted by the jailer and his crews.
the peddler managed to get astride
his animal
TT is well" he said, and added
gratefully: "A thousand thanks
senors. 1t has been nv good for
tune to meet with honest men with
whom my goods will be safe-onlv
poor goods. peddlers' goods, you un-
oerstand; but to me, everything, nv
way upon the road. The pleasure
has been mine TO meet you. Tomor-
row L shall return with my kinsman.
whom / certainly shall find, and re-
heye from you the burden Of safe
guarding my uncomfortable proper
ty.' He dOffed his hat. "Adios-
senors, adoisw
He rode away at a careful walk.
tlmid Of the animal he bestroda
which had caused his catastrophe
he matted and turned his head at a
call from Pedro Zurita.
search the graveyard. Senior Mar
vaeZ," the jailor advised. Full
hundred Tomas Romeros lie there "
And be vigilant. beg Of Won
senior. Of the heavy box" the peddIer
called back
Henry watched the street grow
deserted as the gendarmes and tbe
populace fed from the scorch of tbs
sun Small wonder. he thought to
himself, that the old peddIer's voice
had sounded vaguely familiar. II
had been because he had possessed
only half a Spanish tongue. to twist
around the language-the other hair
being the German tongue OF the
mother. Even so, he talked like a
native, and he would be robbed like
native If there were anything r.
value in the heavy box deposited
with the jailers, Henry concluded
ere diSmissing the incident from his
mind.
In the guardroom. a scant dftv
rect away from Henry's cell, Leo
poldo Narvaez was being robbed.
1t had begun by Pedro Zurito max
ing A profound and wistfuI survey
or the large box. He lifted one end OF
II TO sample its weight, and shifted
IKE hound At the crack of il as
ms nose might give him some
message OF it's contents.
Leave it alone, Pedro" one of IN.
gendarmes laughed at him. '.You
have been paid two pesos 10 be
honest"
The assistant jaiIer sighed. walked
away and sat down, looked back at
the box, and sighed again. Con-
tInually the eyes of the men roved
10 the box. a greasy pack of cards
could not divert them. The game
lanGuished. The gendarmes who had
tWitted Pedro himself went to the
box and shifted
Il smell nothing" he announced.
Absolutely in the box there il
nothing TO smell. Now what can
IL be? The caballero said that il
was Of value"
"Caballero!" shifted another Of
the gendarmes. THE old mans
father was more like to have been
peddler of rotten fish on the streets
OF Colon and his father before him.
Every lying beggar claims descent
from the conquiStadores."