Evening star., 1921-05-29

Now, you see. I dance. In return for
my miserable life dance like train
ed bear. That was Pedro Cammarillo.'
who is he?'
"A wealthy landowner-half Span
lard. half Tapadas He comes from
behind the Christina. He is the lead
CT Of the nationalists."
Good Lord" Pug groaned. "are
there two of you?"
Il fought Cammarillo's battles. Sig
nor Pug He could have raised an
army of his own. but he preferred to
let me risk my unimportant neck. |
was-how do you say in Engiish?-
the goat.
We'll" Pug demanded. What
neXto'
Gonelli glanced around the cafe and
| lowered his voice. Pug saw that his
hand was trembling. But the look
he gave the American was steady
enough. The answer is simple. You
are in control of the Fairchild mines.
Diego is behind you. Cammarillo
will form new party. stage a revo-
luton and destroy you if he can"
The defeated nationalist took a
spluttering drink of coffee and said
in a tense. passionate whisper: II cry
with you Viva la liberia. But Ma
gella's fetters will have to be struck
off one by one. Signor Pug. and the
heaviest chain of all is Cammarillo."
Pug stretched his arms above his
head and grinned happily. Where
does your fire-eating co-star hang
out" ! want to twist his nose.
"Hr will be at the Cafe Nazionale
tonight. There is a girl who dances
there"
Well co.
Not To- Gonelli answered in a
sullen voice. "Cammarillo never shows
tenderness to those who fail him. If
am caught l will be taken back
1ai isl
what that means? Thirst, starvation,
torture--No!"
Pug did not answer. He paid for
the coffee. put the tottering. blood
stained nationalist into cab. and
leaving the Cafe Albion paralyzed
with curiosity. The consul's Indian
boy helped him to get Gonelli into
bed. and between they washed the
wounds in his back and side that had
been inflicted during the night by the
Jealous sword points of Diego's mill
tary examiners. Gonelli smoked
dozen cigarettes. shut his eyes. and
said nothing. TN not dead. after
all" he thought He liked the beat
ing of his own heart. steady. sure
nd vitaI-the heart that might have
stopped with the coming of the sun.
He liked the warm taste OF tobacco
in his mouth. When Pug and the
Indian boy had gone. leaving him
to the blessed luxury of clean sheets
and deep pillows. he lay still: watch
ing the thin slivers of sunlight be-
tween the closed blinds until they
had faded into rose. into violet. into
silver, into the complete blackncss or
night.
DUG opened the door and looked at
his enemy. He could see moth
ing of him. save the glowing tip OF
his cigarette. in the Opaque and i'm
penetrablc darkness of the room.
"It's s o'clock" he said. i've got
some fresh clothes for you. Put
them on. We're going to the Cafe
NaZionale to twist Cammarillos
nose.
Gonelli groaned. You're a tragic
fool he said
Dance
Pug lighted the ld-fashioned kero-
sene lamp which stood on the dresser.
and lionelli. struggling stifiy to his
feet. began slowly and painfully to
dress.
Side by side they crossed the city to
the Esplanade. The streets were still
Uttered with broken glass. A ragged.
sombrero were lying on the pedestal
of San Martinos statue. But the
band was playing in the open-air
casino on the Esplanade and an end
less procession of carriages circled
the park-seedy cabs drawn by ema-
ciated horses. old fashioned victorias
boasting pairs of long-eared mules,
rattletrap funeral hacks and an oc-
casional brougham Of respectable
contour The women rode; the men
stared at them from the sidewalk.
Pug saw powdered faces. brilliant
eyes. shapely hands holding enor-
nous black fans. Just for an in
slant he longed for 5th avenue. the
crisp northern air. the shop windows.
the frank eyes of his own people.
Then he remembered the promise he
had made his dad-''free Magella"
He snatched off his hat and grnned
az at the stars. Magella and youth
and a hard .fight.--
Gonelli stared sideWse at his en-
emy. do you know where you're
going. Signor Pug" The Cafe Ma
zionale is the meeting place of the
anti-royalists. There it is-where