The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1921-06-23

and seem conversant with Ai.; vii
| lainy.
The door opened toward me. bat i
woll.l d, suicidal TO attclA:t viz. -
| the room beyond through ;i''''
The only thing l dare vrn".' =,
gain such survey as was possible by
means Of the harrow crack below the
hinge on which the door swung. This
afforded NE the mereSt glimpse of one
side of the room. revealing four or five
men sitting mOtlonlcSs on a berch
against the wall, evidently li>'cring in
tently to what was going on opposite
;hpm. Wi;h the exception of Wine.
who was third in the row, no face l
saw was IN the least famliar-two
being pronoUncedly Spanish, the 9th.
erS not so easily recognized as to ma
tionality. I had no difficulty whatever
in 0verfeacing then voices, and grasp
Ing the sense Of what they were say
ing. AS a general thing the words used
were English although occasionally
some one requested an explanation in
Spanish. which was Immediately given.
However. almost the first sentence
overheard convinced me that l had ar
rived too late to learn directly the ma
ture of those instructions received
from Washington Alva was asking
question.
but we are ready to act now" he
said impatiently, his foreign accent
faint, yet plainly perceptible, "have
been ready for month past. What
necessity then is there for further de-
lay?"
The woman, whom he evidently ad-
dressed. must have been very close to
the door; her voice soft, but speaking
with clear enunciation, sounded almost
within reach of my hand.
''The reason is Valparaiso, of
course" she said; lit is not Washing
ton at all. When you strike, the people
must be ready there. You say you are
prepared, senior. That is what I was
sent to learn, and I find, you are not
prepared"
Not ready! We are organized and
sworn to service"
She seemed to lean forward, her
voice changing almost to whisper.
II see that, your eagerness, your de-
votion. But that is not readiness for
such a duty. Who has been chosen for
the act itself-the post of danger? No
one. Until the man I need not name
dies, we can accomplish nothing. You
have taken no ballot. If the single
word was flashed tonight, Co. and it
may be, who among you is authorized
TO execute the Order?"
She paused, but no voice spoke.
"Nor is that all; the money from
England yet lies untouched. Surely
your instructions were clear, and moth
ing is being accomplished for the
cause while it rests in the vault. It
will require. all of thirty days to dis
tribute this into the proper hands,
here and in Chile, yet nothing has
been done We supposed it was al
ready in circulation. What caused the
delay?"
One of the men on the bench spoke,
a heavily built fellow, with a long
gray mustache, and horn spectacles
shading his eyes.
Gall I know iss ct Wait on der order
of Gustave Alva to be indorsed by
Senor Mendez. I hoP EFT so in trust,
from the agent. Eft was in a private
safe, package of currency, only I
know where. The bank hav' nothings
to do with der DEAL"
"I understand. The agent gave you
personally the letter of credit, which
you Immediately cashed, and you now
hold the currency subject to call?''
"Certainly; dat vos how EFT vos. The
agent he tell me-"
"The agent? Oh, you mean 1OS?
What about that arrangement, Mr..
Horner"
l recognized Harris in the reply, his
voice perfectly calm and confident. In
all probability he lied, but it was done
most convincingly.
"ThOse were my positive instruc-
tions in London" he said coolly. "The
banking house there was not to be in
vo1ved in the slightest degree; no
trace of the transaction was to appear
on their books"
"But why has the money not been
drawn and used"
"That is for Alva to say. I tried to
get him to act. but he refused without
another authorization from Mendez,
and special instructions"
"You never received these, Senor
Alva?"
"No. I asked by code: I supposed
he would answer by messenger"
There was a pause. silence. L
imagined I could understand some
thing of what Harrie was endeavoring
to accomplish in this delay. this get
ting the entire sum transferred into
currency in private hands. 1t was one
more step in his intricate scheme OF
robbery. but 80 cautiously concealed
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