V
. THE OlfAHA DAILY DEE: BAT UK DAY, MAY 29, 1004.
ON THE STROKE OF
TWELVE
DV SARGENT RICHARDSON.
(Copyright, 1904, by T. C. McCIure.)
"Not because ali a fair In love end war,
but because everything goes In the rotten
Bouth American republic," murmured
Dave Henley, aa he coolly tore open the
tote addressed to bis native eesistant.
"Now, In the state, no man"
He broke olf abruptly, and under the tan
t hie clear-cut race crept an ugly, purplish-red
tint.
"Come at a quarter to twelve tonight
the old south wing. Lollta."
He repeated the word mechanically,
nee, twice. Then, very deliberately, he
tore Into minute pieces the note written by
Lollta, daughter of fienor Matanya, min
ister of finance, to Carlos Aqullla, first as
sistant to David W. Henley, manager of
the Henley-Oraves Construction company,
engaged In Introducing a water system Into
the capital of Ban Crura,
Incidentally the resident representative of
the company offered dally prayers that the
present party might remain In power until
the contract was completed and th'e lat
Instalment was paid. That was one reason
why Henley had turned color at sight of a
note from the daughter of a man In power
to a man whom ha suspected of secretly
conspiring with the disaffected party.
There la always a disaffected party In a
South American republic, and It require
only the light leader In the right place at
the right moment te put It Into power. '
Henley had questioned the wisdom of re
taining Carlos after ha had discovered the
native's sympathy with the Insurrection
ists, but Carlo Aqullla was the only man
In all the Ood-forsaken republic who knew
on thing about the foundations of rock,
gravel and quicksand which underlaid the
city with the same uncertainty that
marked Its government.
But there waa another reason why Dave
Henley had flushed at sight of the note,
and that was Its writer.
Ha returned to his plans and specifica
tions, but over the ruled psgea ran the
words: "Com tonight Lollta."
What did the girl knew of Carlo and
how much did she care? Had the asked for
this midnight meeting In hopes of winning
him over to the cause? Henley knew that
there could be but one price at which the
loyalty of Aqullla could be bought the lov
of Lollta.
Dave ground hla teeth at thought of It.
Carlos at this particular moment -was up
In the foothills, swearing plcturesqtiuly at
the native' foreman, who had ordered a
blast set seven rods from the right spot.
He would not return before dusk.
Henley rolled up his papers, locked his
desk and his office and strolled out to call
on the head of Ban Cruca's secret service.
That ilght aa Carlos Aqullla, his throat
parched from heat, dust and much pro
fanity, rode slowly toward the city a small
body of soldiers appeared suddenly at a
sharp bend In the road. An hour later. In
a gloomy courtroom Aqullla waa formally
arraigned for having made "riotous and In
flammatory speeches" at a meeting of in
surrectloolsts In a neighboring village
three nights before. In vain the first as
sistant of Senor Henley swore by hla
patron skint, and all the rest on the church
calendar, that on the night mentioned ha
had ridden with hla chief to the new aqua
duct west of the elty. Senor Henley was
not to be found to prove the alibi, there
fore must Aqullla await his coming In that
section of the beat lie devoted to state pris
oners. Carlos was too angry to not that ha waa
treated with unusual courtesy for a polit
ical prisoner. He knew that the charge
was trumped up, for, though he had been
aiding th Insurrection lets, he had covered
his tracks too well to be followed by stupid
officers of tb cause. And then there waa
Lollta! Only the night before, when he
had pressed her hand In th dance and had
a eked for a word alone, she had whispered,
"Perhaps tomorrow by night."
Ferhaps ah had sent htm a message!
Perhaps at this vary moment she awaited
his coming!
And at this very moment Dave Henley,
in th guest room of the secret service
chief, waa calmly, deliberately donning a
fresh duck suit, a soft silk shirt and a
stunning tie, warranted the newest things
In th States.
And over the house of Senor Matanya,
mtnlster of finance,, brooded a calm that 1
was portentous. Oddly enough, and for
v th first Urn m Its history. It waa empty,
save for the master and his young daugh
ter. Th old caretaker at their . country
home was celebrating her saint's feast day,
and all the servants In th city house had
.been hidden. Not only had they received
, permission to attend, but they had been
Merer of a rarely large gift from th
Id. retainer.
In the dinning hall th minister and his
daughter lingered over th evening meal,
which, for th girl's part, waa untasted.
"It Is such deeds that th women of your
rare did before yon, Lollta," said th min
ister with calm finality.
"Tes, father," murmured the girl, obedi
ently, but her vole shook and two tear
stole down her cheek. "But I never saw
anyone die and I shall remember It al
ways." "You will not see him die and you will
not remember anything save that through
you the republic of San Crusa waa saved.
Men Ilk Carlo Aqullla are more danger
ous than thoee who talk loudly and do
little, who long to carry th gun, hut know
naught of the art of Intrigue."
"Tes, father," said the girl, through
force of habit. But she heard nothing that
he said, for suddenly there had come be
fore her a vision of a dance and a man
unlike the men of her own race on who
stood so straight that he looked down
upon her by full a head, who fee waa
fair and who wore no black, pointed mus
tache. She recalled the next time they
had met and the neat and life grew
tweeter with each turn of memory' paga.
She waa weary of the empty, honeyed
phrases of her father's political frlenda
She had learned to care for this north
erner, who laughed with his eyee when he
pralned with his lips. And she clasped her
hands tightly In her lap and wondered
carrying with bar th light shad by tb
candle. Sternly her father ordered her to
draw near, and, unwrapping the package,
be climbed one more on th chair, matched
th package Into a corner of th clock, ad
justed what looked like a plee of dull,
pliable wire, shut th clock ease and stepped
lightly to th floor.
"There I nothing left but to wait"
She shuddered at hla words and drew
back Into th shadows, while he tried the
door and windows. Then he led her back
to th library and calmly drew forth a card
table. Lollta shook her head.
"Not tonight for In less than an hour,
I I shall aend blm to hla death and he
has done nothing to me."
Her father's lips set In a firm, narrow
line, and he eyed her sternly.
"It Is not the- daughter of a Matanya
who speaks now. It la a coward, a woman
t say, what does this meant Thl la no
melodrama, you know."
She clutched his arm, and aa she spoke
her eye traveled, fascinated, to the clock.
"Carlos waa a traitor to tb cans. He
wss to die. It Is the will f my father,
and every door la guarded should I weaken.
Behind that door (pointing to the on lead
ing Into th new part of the house), stands
my father. To him I must go alone and
not before five minute to 12. Were you
to leave this room they would shoot you
for Carlos the aame height, th tame
clothe'' She clung deeperately to hla
arm, while he looked down at her uncer
tainly. It seemed so like bally nonsense,
he was saying to himself.
Then once more ahe looked at the clock.
Another minute had been ticked off. She
flew to the door leading to the other part
of the house and shook It like a mad
Wt w0
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Igggl rajf
, a.. .SSSbi
THERB WAS A QUICK, BHARPBEPOR T, A LEAP OF FLAME, AND THE CLOC K TICKED NO MORE.
what he would think If h knew!
8h waa aroused by th scraping of her
father' chair.
"We will retire to th south wing," he
was saying.
Th south wing! Her breath cam in
short, faint gasps.
They crossed the dimly lighted reception
hall and passed through the drawing room
and the library, where a great metal lamp
threw weird shadows over her father'
high, carved desk; then through the un
llghted, silent passage which led to the
south wing.
He threw open a narrow door and they
stood within the original :esldence of the
house of Matanya cramped, low-celled and
narrow. From the living room, stair led to
sleeping rooms above, and at the further
end aa Iron-barred door led Into the
kitchen, where the mother of Lollta had
cooked many a simple meal. Opposite the
staircase waa another barred door, which
led Into the gardens.
Since the death of Lollta' mother the
rooms had not been used. Often the power
ful minister of finance had determined t
pull down the wing, which served only to
remind him of th day of poverty and
struggle. But It was just aa well, for now
the old aouth wing waa to have a. mag
nificent, a spectacular fate. V
He closed the-door behind them. Lollta
clasped her hands over her heart and leaned
against the wall. For on the silence of the
room ther waa borne to her a sound the
rhythmlo, regular tick-tick of a clock.
Her father held aloft a flaming candle,
and now she saw It, a big, Inartistic, oak
wall clock, fresh from th states, and ut
terly out of the atmosphere of this half
Spanish apartment.
Her father drew a chair Under the clock
and, bidding her hold the candle, he opened
the caee, placed hla ear eloae and listened,
aa a doctor to the heart-beats of his pa
tient Then he compared hi watch with
the clock and smiled. The new timepiece
bad not varied a second In twelve hours.
Next be took from his pocket a small,
bulging package and laid It carefully on
the chair. Lollta looked at It with wide
yea and quivering lips, and draw back.
(tu:
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to
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7T
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BCUAi-i-'Elt 8 CUT I-BILJO PHI'O STORl.a.
who does not lov her country and her
father's people. Th Republic of Ban Crusa
Is prosperous. Th president Is a father
to its people, but they do not understand,
and such men as Carlo Aqullla will drive
them to their doom. It Is one life against
a thousand, and th man "la nothing to
your
; There was a note of Interrogation In his
voice, and Lollta shook her head.
"Nothing, father but a man should have
the right to live and breathe"
; "And start a revolution in which hun
dreds of peaceful men and women will lose
their lives T For your country for the
wives and children of our soldiers, Lollta!
Remember that to you they will owe their
lives, their homes their happiness!"
. Bo when the new clock from he state
pointed to 11:35 they entered the south
wing. Her father led her to the door open
ing from the garden and banded her the
rusty key.
"Remember, at five minutes of twelve
you leave by , the passageway. Three
knocks, soft as a child's, and I open It.
This key you bring to ma"
He kissed her broad forehead and with
out another word he left her alone.
On the table th candle flickered and
flared bravely, but the girl, huddled In a
high-backed chair, sat, like a bird fasci
nated, listening listening for the footstep
she knew must oome.
At sound of It, outside the door, soft as
a woman's, stealthy as a thief, she drop
ped the key with a great clatter; then with
a quick prayer, she picked it up, thrust It
into the lock, turned It with a hand grown
suddenly cold and firm, and threw open
the door.
"Toul You I"
Bhe staggered back against th wall.
And Dave Henley, dusting dead leave and
twig from his Immaculate duck suit,
stepped lightly Into the room.- ,
"I hop you don't mind much," he said,
with an easy smile, as he stood, hat In
hand, before her.
"Mind muchT"
8he raised her hand before her face to
shut out sight of him, A gust of wind
roe sighingly and swept th door shut
Tb key clattered from her finger and
Henley, bending to pick It up, did not hear
another key click In th outside door, or a
bolt slid. Then, too, aa h looked up be
caught a womanly sorrow and pleading In
th girl's y which mad him for the In
stant blind and deaf to all else. He handed
her th key, and she took It with half a
sob, thrusting It Into the bosom of her
dress,
"Carlos was er detained and a he
didn't want you disappointed, thought er
there might be something Important, he
Just asked m to drop around and her I
am. I hop you don't car."
For answer th girt burst Into sobs,
swaying uncertainly In her grief.
It was evident that she oared very muck
and for Carlo!
But even a tb thought drove relent
lessly Into hi brain, the drew hereolf up,
wheeled on her tiny heel and stared wildly
at th clock. It was fifteen minutes to It
Again shs turned and thla tire eh dashed
up th stairs, pulling frantically on th
barred door.
"Oh, I say." said Henley, looking up at
her In frank anger, "this is a bit too rough.
Tou know I'm no oad. If I don't belong to
your people. If you'll kindly give m that
key I'll out out at once."
OoT Tou would gof'th girl said, In
low. tens voloe. "1 would glv my life
If you could. But It is locked everything
la locked! If I glv you this key and you
leave by that door (pointing t the door
through which he had entered) you'll be
hot Uk a dog!"
Bhe cam tearing down the step and
toed before him, wild-eyed and panting.
woman. The answer waa silence, and now
for the first time Henley felt a vague sense
of uneasiness.
"Would you mind telling me just how
I am to diet"
He had tried to pass It off half as a Jest,
but the horror in the face turned to htm
made him regret hi light words. It was
a stern reality after all.
"You will hate me hate me," sobbed the
girl, "but I was to leave Aqullla In the
room alone on a pretense and on the
stroke of 13 a lltte machine In that clock
would go off and and "
"Exactly," said Henley, his vole quit
even and firm, "an Infernal machine. When
th hammer strikes 11 It will also strike the
percussion cap. Quite up to the average
diplomacy of a Bouth American republic.
It' rather a nasty way"
"Senor Henley," tobbed Lollta, clinging
to his arm, but still glaring1 at the clock.
"It Is seven minutes of .We will go to
gether to the door and I will cry aloud to
my father who you are"
"And he won't believe a word of It
Thanks. I prefer a scenic explosion to a
tab In the dark. Tou mutt gr " he said,
suddenly, and with a at range light In his
eyee. "81 x minutes!"
"No. No!" she sobbed, dragging him to
ward the door.
He braced himself firmly.
"Just one thing, Lollta, before you go.
Had you any any Idea of drawing me Into
thlaT"
"No, nol See! I kneel to you" and
suiting th action to th word ahe dropped
at hla feet Almost roughly he picked her
up and carried her to the door.
"I am glad of that because because
well, I rather thought I loved you." With
a half boyish gesture he bent ever and
kissed her. then tried to raise her hand to
give the signal. Instesd, her finger closed
convulsively on his arm.
"You love me you love me" she whis
pered almost Inaudihly, as the clock ticked
off the fatal seconds; "then I will not go!
It Is better to die with him you love than
to live without him."
For an Instant Henley forgot the clock
and the fatal cllrk-tlck-tlrk that tolled off
life-beats for them both. He held her close
to his heart and all else In the world was
barred out. Then It came hack, th In
sistent tick-tick; and he whirled round to
face the clock' dial. Four minutes of 12!
Suddenly he pushed th girl far behind him
and something In his demeanor made her
obey hi gesture. He had straightened
up. Th clear-cut features, so dear to her,
stood out In marvelous profile between her
and the candle light.
Three minute of ill
HI hand slid round into hi hip pocket.
Something bright and long and narrow
shone at th end of hi Arm, slim hand.
There was a quick, sharp report, a leap of
flame and th clock clicked no more. He
had struck It mainspring to the heart.
He turned, and In the girl's ayes waa that
which mad him tremble. He had read of
sudden shook causing Insanity. She stood,
her' gas glued upon the hands which
would never turn sgaln.
"It I coming, coming, tha stroke of
twelve," she whispered.
Henley gathered her close to his heart.
"The clock will never strike again. Th
machine can't go off, dear heart. It Is
broken! Broken! Do you understand?"
Shudderlngly, the crept closer to him.
"Never strike again?" she murmured.
"It's all right, dear girl; It's all right!
Why, I came from Waterbury where they
make docks I"
Th next morning th superintendent .md
manager of th Henley-Orave Construc
tion company, strolled Into court and proved
tha much desired alibi for his first assist
ant Together they strolled back to the
office of the company. There, behind closed
doors, Henley looked at Aqullla narrowly.
"Lucky for you, old man, you were locked
up last night. There are ugly rumors
around the palace this morning about an
attempt to blow up Senor Matanya's home.
You're a good civil engineer In your way,
Carlos, but you are liable to make the
Henley-Oraves company unpopular with the
government I think you'd make a better
soldier!"
Aqullla' eyes brightened.
"81, senor," he answered with quiet en
thusiasm. .
"Well, there' war on between Russia and
Japan. The Japanese are little people and
they might be glad of your help. I've a
letter here to a friend In Japan, a man who
know everybody. I think he can put you
next to real war. Want to go?"
"SI, senor," replied tb South American,
hi eye flashing.
It cost Henley his share of th first pay
ment on the new aqueduct, but he counted
it wortn while. The departure of Carlos
Aqullla Increased the chances of completing
the contract, for the rumor o an attempt
on the life of tha able minister cf finance
and hi charming daughter had strength
ened th cause and prolonged the life of
the party In power.
Then there waa Lollta!
Bolls, lore aad Felona
Find prompt, sure euro in Bucklen'
Arnica Salve, also ec seiua, salt rheum,
burns, bruises and piles, er no pay. 2So,
For sal by Kwhn A Co. .
At Fort Arthar.
"General," cried th saluting aid. "I have
Just learned from a good authority that th
Japanese Intend to cut off our light sup
ply." -
Th general turned pal.
"That' tough," he said. "I had fully
calculated to prolong th (leg a t .ontn or
two by serving out th tallow candles
rations." Cleveland Plain Dealer.
MCCLU
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