Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-04-01

brante, rules with an iron hand. ana
has cute little habit of railrOading
his enemies to the cemetery via the
treason charge and the firing squad
He killed my father, who was the
best president this benighted country
ever had, and | consider it my Chris
tian duty to avenge my father ana a
patriotic duty to take up the task he
left uafnished-the task of making
over my country.
"In Sobrante, as in most of the cOun'
tries in Central America, there are
two distinct classes of peOple-the
aristocrats and peOns-and the aristo
crat fattens on the peon, as he has
had a habit Of doing since Adam. We
haven't any middle class to stand as
a buffer between the twO-which
makes it a sad proposition. My father
was an idealist and a dreamer and he
dreamed of reform in government and
solution of the agrarian problem
which confronts all Latin-America. He
trusted one Pablo SarrOs, an educated
peon, who had commanded the gov
eminent forces under the regime my
father overthrow. My tender-hearted
parent discovered that SarrOs was
plotting to overthrow him; but instead
Of having him shot he merely removed
him from command. SarrOs gathered
a handful of bandits, Joined the old
government forces my father had CON
quered hired couple dozen Yankee
artillerymel and-he won out, My
father was captured and executed the
palace was burned, and my sister per-
ished In the flames. Tn here to pay
off the score"
"a worthy ambition SO you organ
lied the revolutionary junta in New
Orleans. eh?"
Ricardo nodded. "Word of it reached
Sarros, and he sent his brother RaouI,
chief of the intelligence bureau, to in
vestigate and report. AS fast as he
reported, Colonel CaraveO reported to
me. My fathers sOa possesses name
to cOnjure with. Consequently it was
to the interest of the SarrOs admins
tration that be eliminated. They
watched every boat; hence my scheme
for GLIDING their vigilance-which,
thanks to you, worked like a charm. "
But" Webster complained, "Im not
sitting in the game at all, and yet I'm
caught between the upper and neither
millstOnes."
THAT is easy to explain. You inter
fered that morning in Jackson square;
then Raou Sarros met you going
aboard the steamer for Buenaventura
and you manhandled him, and natural
ly, putting two and two together, he
has concluded that you are not only
his personal enemy but also friend
and protector of mine and consequent
ly an enemy of the state"
"And as a consequence I'm marked
for slaughter?"
1T would be we'll, my friend" Doc
tor Pacheco suggested, ito return to
the United States until after Ricardo
and his friends have eliminated your
Nemesis"
"How soon will that happy event
transpire?"
an about sixty days we hope to be
ready to strike Mr.. Webster"
Colonel CaraveO cleared his throat.
81 understand from Ricardo that you
and another American are interested
in a mining concession, Mr.. Webster. b"
Webster nodded.
us this a concession from private
Iandholder or did your friend secure
1t from the Sarros government"
From the government. We pay ten
per cent. royalty, on ninety-nine-year
lease, and that's all | know about 1t.
| have never seen the property, and
my object in coming was to examine 1t
and, if satisfied, finance the project
"If you will return to your hotel
my dear sir" Colonel CaraveO sug
gested, land remain there until noon
tomorrow, I feel confident l can guar
antee you immunity from attack there
after. l have a plan to influence my
associates in the intelligence office"
Bully for you, Colonel. Give me six
ty days in which to operate, and I'll
have finished my job in SObrante and
gotten out of it before that gang of cut
thrOats wakes up to the fact that I'm
gone. l thank you, sir"
1.-THE least we can do since you have
saved Ricardo's life and rendered our
cause a great service, is to save your
life" Colonel CaraveO replied.
"This is more comfort than | had
hoped for when l came here, gentle
men. l am very grateful, | assure
you. OF course this little revolution
you're cooking up is no affair of mine,
and l trust need not assure you that
your confidence is quite safe with
me-"
The Doctor and the Colonel imme-
diately rose and bowed like a pair OF
marionettes. Webster turned to Ri
cardO.
"Have you had any experience in
revolutions my SOM" he asked.
Ricardo nodded. 81 realized l had
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