New-York tribune., 1922-02-12
THE CLIMAX
OF FEAR
tSorttnner sF,m poge ttro)

He is only slightly wounded. He is recover
ing. The proof of it is that he is now asleep
Still another added, more frankly, translat
ing the common sentiment:
And then, it is his profession
The motion was unanimously approved.
They found Immediately a hundred reasons in
favor of the solution, permitting them to sad
die on some one else this dangerous mission,
which, although Jacinto Ortiz had not even ex
planned it, appeared indispensable to all of
them, because it had given birth in their minds
20 faint gleam Of hope.
"He is a soder!
He is not one of our townsmen."
After all. he is paid to receive blows.
Jacinto Ortiz smiled sarcasticay.
No. he said. holding in his hand the letter
which he had sealed, don't let's talk about
that. 1t is foolish idea. The man would
nave his throat cut before he had taken three
steps. | will not assume the responsibility for
that Anyhow, it is so slight a chance. 1t
would be better that all perish together"
They protested. Already the gendarme was
being shaken by rude and impatient hands as
ne lay on his bench, asleep from exhaustion
he opened his eyes in astonishmen,.
Paying no attention whatever to mis- weak
ened condition, they pulled him to his feet and
brought him before Ortiz. The brave fellow
not understanding what was expecfsd of him.
stood respectfully at attention before the GOV
ernor.
Ortiz repeated:
"This unfortunate man isn't capable Of ur-
derstanding perilous mission
They protested again:
Nn- Lo H. ct,. L.
husky fellow
They felt him with their fingers, as if he
represented piece of merchandise What he
represented, in fact. to these maddenod people
was a means Of saving their lives
jacinto Ortiz silenced them
"No, decidedly no he said Il can't sacri-
flee this man to what is, no doubt purely
illusory hope Of rescue 1t means certain
death to him
But in an instant they had pushed the
gendarme to d door of the court leading to a
street which they supposed to be less well
guarded than the others. although The cries
outside showed that danger was everywhere.
Some Of them tried to inspire the stupefieG
soldier with patriotic eXhortations. comic as
coming from them. Others gave him the
money and iewcry they had with them, They
werc about t. thrust him through the door
when Jacnto Ortiz snatched from him the let
ter. which, passed from hand to hand, had
already been put into the gcndarmes leather
bag.
TO think" he shouted to the panc-stricken
councillors. that you don't even know what is
IN the letter."
He assumed the ironcal tone Of man who
has carried through cynical experiment and
is about to see his worst calculations realized
For q purpose you know nothing about" he
SAID, "and solely because you are clutching at
an imaginary straw, you cheerfully send one
u your own people to DEATH
He burst into a nervous laugh.
Don't you understand wretched people. that
have devoted the last moments which remain
10 us tsInce every effort to escape is now i'm
possible) to making sport of you, to expert
'nentlng with your abectness? 1t has pleased
me to find some amusement in your ic~nomny
What wrote few minutes ago in this letter
without any address--a detail which none of
you even noticed-in this letter which made
YOU hght-heartedly condemn one of YOUR own
companons-l am going to read it to YOU"
And while the mob was breaking down the
palace doors and beginning to rush in-whie
ne menaclng clamor came nearer and nearer
lacinto Ortiz read this
There is nothing more lamentable than the
spectacle OF human cowardice especially when
such cowardlce is without avail"