THE CONSPIRATORS DISPERSED.
“It is only a woman!” exclaimed one man. “Finish the job, boys. She
cannot prevent us. Finish your slaughter, boys; then we will triumph. Do
not mind the voice of a woman. One of the makers of ‘Memory Fluid’ lies
dead now, and the others will be laid in the grave at the same time, if
they can be found.”
At that moment the entire crowd was surrounded by police and soldiers,
and the voice of a general rang out: “Revolutionists, surrender or die!”
Still, curses, threats and shots from the disturbers of peace rang out.
The soldiers were drawing nearer and on the point of rushing into the
revolutionists, determined to quell the uprising with their noiseless
guns and poisoned bayonets, when Helen Hinckley arose far above the
heads of all, with Catalina by the hand, and cried: “Colonel, no blood
must be shed. The principles of truth must not be established by
bloodshed. People cannot be forced to see the inner life. It can only
come through an awakening of self. Orthodoxism has been carried into
every country with the _sword_ in one hand, and the _cross_ in the
other. No lasting good has resulted. A knowledge of things not seen by
the eye cannot be forced on man. Come forward; the disturbers will give
up their arms. Take them prisoners, and if they will be subjects, if
they will take ‘Memory Fluid’ freely and without force, the evil in them
will be overcome. They will remember and when they remember they will
_see the things not seen by the eye_.”
To the initiated the sight of Helen Hinckley and Catalina Martinet
suspended in the air wholly without any visible support, in consequence
of overcoming the law of gravitation, was the cause of much rejoicing.
On the other hand, the great mass of people present whose knowledge of
the great law of God was limited, or more often wanting, stood back in
awe. Some of the revolutionists cried: “Save us, save us! The wrath of
God is upon us. The end of the world is near.”
The captain of one of the regular companies stood near by, and seeing
the effect of Helen Hinckley’s words and the sight of her and Catalina
now moving slowly from one part of the crowd to another, suspended in
space, concluded to take advantage of the occasion, and quietly and
without bloodshed make prisoners of the worst of the leaders of the
trouble. At the most opportune moment possible for him to be assisted in
carrying out his intentions, Helen Hinckley cried: “Lay down your arms,
you disturbers of law! Surrender before it is too late.” The soldiers
rushed in and with very little trouble disarmed those who had uttered
the revolutionary sentiments, those who were considered the most
dangerous, and the leaders of the party.
With the assistance of the police, several hundred men were marshalled
away from the crowded street, some imprisoned and others put under
strict surveillance, where they would be kept until peace was finally
assured in the city, and the rebellion in general had been quelled.
While the throng was dispersing, Helen Hinckley and Catalina sought the
wounded, and had them removed to the great hospital, while the dead were
taken to the morgue to await identification and be prepared for burial.
Julio Murillo was discovered, when they were leaving to follow the
wounded to the hospital, jammed up against a large stone, several bullet
holes through him and one leg broken. A litter was soon at hand by Miss
Hinckley’s order, and the great man of science was carried hurriedly to
the Governor’s Mansion, where every attention known to science was given
him.
Not for several hours after his leg had been set, the bullets removed
and the poison counteracted by means of “Liquid from the Sun’s Rays,”
did he return to consciousness.
Señor Guillermo Gonzales, assisted by Helen Hinckley, performed the
entire operation, and sat quietly by his side discussing in subdued
tones the present state of affairs. When he again had control of his
mental faculties, he addressed himself first to Helen Hinckley.
“You saved me from many long days of suffering by discovering my
condition when you did, and attending to my wounds so promptly. And I
thank you very much.”
“I was out to do my duty, friend Julio; there is no occasion for thanks.
Many believed that you had left us; but I was determined not to take any
chances. It seemed impossible that you would pass away at the very
moment your services are the most needed. Now that you are with us
again, and I am assured of the fact, I will go to the hospital, where my
hands may be needed to care for the wounded and dying.”
At that moment, Juan quietly entered the room, bringing a card which he
handed to Señor Guillermo Gonzales.
He scanned the card closely and read: “‘William Jones, Physician and
Surgeon,’ A very plain, inoffensive name. I will receive Doctor Jones;
he may be able to render some assistance at the hospital. Show him up to
the reception-room, Juan. Hold a minute,” he said, turning the card
over; “here is a message written on the back.”
“Your Honor,” it began, “I wish to offer my professional services. Let
me help care for the wounded and dying. Call me. I am your servant.”
“Those are noble sentiments. I will receive him immediately. Miss
Hinckley, remain with friend Julio until I return,” concluded Guillermo
Gonzales, as he arose to leave the room. Julio Murillo detained him by
saying: “Doctor Jones has no doubt made this call partly to find out my
condition. I will consider it a favor if you let him come to this room,
and I insist that Miss Hinckley remain.”
“As you like, friend Julio. You know your condition better than anyone
else. If you do not fear any evil results from having this stranger
present, Juan may show the visitor here, to this room,” concluded
Guillermo Gonzales.
No sooner had Juan disappeared from the room, than a light tap was heard
on the door. Helen Hinckley opened it quietly and his Honor stepped into
the room.
He clasped her hand warmly, and said in tones only heard by herself: “My
soul, my life, my preserver! I must speak to you alone. _When_ and
where? I want to know now.”
“When the interview at hand is over, I will take you to our retreat,
found this morning. Hark! they are coming,” concluded Miss Hinckley,
going slowly with the Governor to the bed on which lay the wounded
scientist.
Señor Guillermo Gonzales greeted the Governor cordially, and explained
the condition of Julio.
The Governor sympathized heartily with the sufferer, and assured him
that the mere fact of his escape from death, or rather of his being
wounded in the affray, would serve as proof of the real intentions of
the rebels, and be a means of helping to bring the trouble to an early
end.
“I have for the last two hours been closeted with the officers of war,
and constantly in receipt of messages from Washington. The Government is
determined to put down these small cliques of rebels. The condition of
affairs in some of the States east of the Mississippi River is worse
than in our own city. The President will arrive in the national capital
to-morrow night, and a council of war will be held immediately.
Instantly the result will be made known to us. There is much, much to be
talked about; but the condition of our friend Julio must be the first
consideration. Ah! here comes some one. Who can be intruding on the
wounded one?” concluded the Governor.
Señor Guillermo Gonzales handed him the card of the prospective visitor,
and said: “A physician, who wishes to assist in caring for the wounded
and dying. It is at the request of Julio that he comes here.”
At that moment the door opened at the order of Señor Guillermo Gonzales,
and Juan ushered in William Jones, M. D., but not alone. He was
accompanied by a much smaller and younger looking man, whom he
introduced to Señor Guillermo Gonzales as “my secretary, Francis
Maynard.”
William Jones, M. D., bowed very stiffly when presented to the Governor
and Helen Hinckley, but was very profuse in his expressions of sympathy
when he was presented to the wounded scientist.
“Ah, friend Julio, I could not resist coming to see you, after hearing
of your terrible accident. Gentlemen, I recognize in this unfortunate
man a friend of my youth. I beg of you to let me attend him. I have no
business at present, and your duties are many.”
Questioning glances passed between Helen Hinckley, Guillermo Gonzales
and the Governor. Even Juan felt that something was radically wrong, and
as he looked from one to the other with a hopeful expression in his
face, he turned away, and as his eyes fell upon the face of Doctor
Jones, he shook his head, which confirmed all that his suspicions had
been aroused, and he evidently believed Doctor Jones to be the
suspicions person. The two strangers did not accept the chairs offered
them, and all in the room remained standing.
Doctor Jones, seemingly unconscious of the suspicions his presence had
aroused, continued: “If my medical skill avails anything, the son of
Señora Suzzan Carriles, of Colima, shall not leave this existence until
the great work he is trying to accomplish is a success. Until ‘Memory
Fluid,’ and the wonderful results obtained by the use of it, are
heralded from one end of the universe to the other. It is a great and
noble cause for which you are working,—to see that justice is meted to
all. ‘The Plunger from Kansas’ is not the only one to whom justice will
be meted out. The ample proof at hand that he committed the great cattle
theft in the year eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, and was then the
cause of suffering and poverty of many whom fortune favored in the way
of helping on retribution, by causing many whom he wronged, to live
another life at the same time the Plunger lived, that this very thing
for which you are working might come to pass. Gentlemen, let me
congratulate you, one and all.” With that the enthusiastic doctor shook
hands with the three scientists and Miss Hinckley. Everyone present
except himself seemed to be very much constrained.
He rubbed his hands in evident satisfaction, and as he sat down by
Julio’s bedside he continued: “You will do me a very great favor not to
linger here any longer. Others need your services badly. It will give me
much pain to leave the son of Señora Suzzan Carriles, of Colima. Sit
down, Francis, sit down. I may need you. Gentlemen, consider yourselves
at liberty to go now.”
Great astonishment was written on the faces of the Governor, Señor
Guillermo Gonzales, Miss Hinckley and Juan. They were too much surprised
at the audacity of Doctor Jones to speak. Even Francis Maynard showed
great uneasiness as he took a seat near the chair of Doctor Jones.
Governor Lehumada offered Miss Hinckley his arm, and without a word they
left the room, followed by Señor Guillermo Gonzales, who tarried a
moment to give a few directions to Juan, and speak a moment with his
coworker, Julio Murillo.
When the three were safely in the Governor’s private study, and the door
securely locked, the Governor motioned all to be seated. Standing in
front of them he laughed merrily, as he said: “It was well for my
reputation that no stranger was present when _Doctor Jones_ invited us
to leave our own apartments, and we quietly obeyed without any comments
whatever.”
Both Señor Guillermo Gonzales and Helen Hinckley saw the humorous side
of the occurrence and they joined the Governor in his laugh.
“The audacious señorita,” continued the Governor, “is irresponsible for
her actions.”
Miss Hinckley and Señor Guillermo Gonzales exclaimed in a breath:
“Señorita?”
“Certainly; Marriet Motuble. I do not believe it is possible for her to
effect a disguise I could not penetrate.”
“Governor,” said Miss Hinckley, “you have confirmed my suspicions.”
“And mine,” added Guillermo Gonzales.
“The young fellow with her I cannot quite make out,” continued the
Governor, with a puzzled look in his face.
“The fellow,” said Helen Hinckley, “is, I believe, ‘The Plunger from
Kansas.’”
“Can it be possible?” exclaimed both the Governor and Guillermo
Gonzales.
“Then we must not let him get away until we have his full confession in
writing, and a check for the full amount of his obligations,” said the
Governor.
“You are quite right, Miguey,” said the Governor’s scientific friend,
and friend of his other life, “quite right. Possibly if we had been able
to present to the public a month or so ago all the necessary proofs of
what we claim for ‘Memory Fluid,’ the present trouble,—the uprising, I
mean—might have been prevented. It is a horrible thing. Fifty persons
now lie dead in the morgue.”
“It is a serious condition of affairs,” replied the Governor, “for the
uninitiated, particularly, to be sent out of this existence during such
an unfortunate affair, and without any insight whatever into the unseen.
Think of the misery they will unknowingly cause the future generation.
If it were not the law that each must see the things not seen by the
eye, before they are fitted for the Realm on High, it would be fortunate
for those who will come in contact with them if their reappearance here
could be prevented.”
“I hope the poor creatures at the hospital who were wounded and are in
agony with physical pain, will recover, that they may have a chance to
know. If your Honor and Señor Guillermo Gonzales will pardon me, I will
hurry to the hospital and tender my services,” concluded Helen Hinckley,
as she arose to leave the room.
“One moment, one moment, Miss Hinckley,” said Governor Lehumada. “I will
inquire how the wounded are, and if your services are needed.”
The Governor stepped into the chamber adjoining, built especially to
condense thought waves, which were made audible by holding a small
cone-shaped instrument to the ear which was connected at the smaller end
by means of a fine wire to the thought-condensing board. In a few
moments he returned to his study with a very much pleased expression on
his face. He dropped into a chair, and throwing his handsome head far
back and his arms out and forward in a suppliant manner, cried: “Great
Cause, thou everlasting Ruler, the Promoter of Harmony, and the
Distributor of Justice, I am happier this moment than at any other
period of my existence to my recollection.”
Helen Hinckley and Guillermo Gonzales looked quietly on, but neither
spoke.
After his exclamation was completed he looked at his friends smilingly,
and continued: “Miss Hinckley, and friend Guillermo, this is a
victorious day for us. I have this moment heard from the head physician
at the hospital, William J. Matling. He says that only two of the fifty
wounded will pass away. He further states that their blasphemous cries
and threats against myself and my able coworkers which filled the air
with horror for an hour or more, have subsided, and they are either in a
state which resembles a trance, or are relating strange stories, and now
and then one shouts: ‘I am happy. I know what it is to live. I see the
things not seen by the eye and hear things not heard by the ear.’ He
further says that a strange child, who declares she is his Honor’s
Catalina, has been going from one ward to another, and to no one has she
failed to talk a moment. He requested the head nurse to have the child
taken away from the hospital; but every man protested, and he allowed
her to remain.”
“Catalina, the blessed one,” said Miss Hinckley; “she is determined on
doing her duty in this life.”
“The physician asked me to use my influence in removing the child from
the hospital. He said he firmly believes she has bewitched the men, and
when they come out from under her spell they will be beyond his
control,” said the Governor.
“Doctor Matling is certainly one of the uninitiated. Catalina should
give him a whiff of ‘Memory Fluid,’ and he would understand the spell he
thinks she has cast over those men,” said Señor Guillermo Gonzales.
“I remember,” added Miss Hinckley. “She had a small basket on her arm
this morning, in which were several dozen small vials. She said they
were full of ‘Memory Fluid’ and she was going to give part of the
contents to each of the most vicious of the disturbers of peace she
could find.”
“The dear, blessed darling!” exclaimed the Governor, rising. “We
discoverers of ‘Memory Fluid’ certainly owe that dear child an eternal
debt of gratitude. Miss Hinckley, I wish you to remain here for a few
days; your services are not needed at the hospital or on the street. You
can render me and the cause for which we all are working, more direct
good by staying here. The trial of the unfortunate creatures who
attempted to rid this existence of my presence physically, I hope to
have take place in the near future. The capture of the three instigators
of this uprising is looked for at any moment. The condition of the
revolt outside of the city is getting more serious.”
“And in the North and East, friend Miguey, does not the President report
the condition alarming?” asked Guillermo Gonzales.
“He does,” replied the Governor. “And the main body of rebels comes from
those who see the waning of dogmatic teachings, on the one side, and the
increase of scientific investigations in the realm of spirit, on the
other. One cannot be forced to see the hidden. The desire must be born
within. And when the desire is given birth, it needs strict adherence to
right, a continual reaching out for Truth, or little good is
accomplished.”
“These priests and pastors and the fanatics who follow them are on the
whole responsible for the condition at present; but, Miguey, the final
is the great victory of the spirit; of the diffusion of knowledge of the
law of the unseen,” said Guillermo Gonzales.
“The petition pending in the legislature of the United States,” said
Helen Hinckley, “for a law to be passed to the effect that all persons
who claim to be ‘called’ to preach what they call the religion of ‘Jesus
Christ,’ must either show that they have sufficient means to support
themselves, independent of the church, or can procure employment in
connection with their gospel teachings, that they may not be such a
burden upon the community, as well as objects of especial charity upon
their particular church, is a great move in the right direction. Also,
that both priest and pastor be compelled to dress while on the street in
ordinary business clothes; that the confessionals in the Catholic church
be done away with, and that all the priests, bishops, cardinals and even
the Pope, be granted the privilege of marrying; likewise, all the women
belonging to the various orders of the church be granted the same
privilege. This will be, in my opinion, the beginning of raising the
standard of morals and the creating of a desire for spirit knowledge,”
concluded Miss Hinckley.
“I believe you were the originator of that petition, were you not,
Miguey?” asked Guillermo Gonzales, in a voice which showed the great
pride he had in his friend the Governor.
“Yes, I framed the petition,” replied the Governor, “and I met with much
opposition when I took it to Washington and presented it privately to
several of the most unprejudiced senators and representatives.”
“Why were they opposed?” asked Miss Hinckley.
“They no doubt thought that such a law would interfere with the
religious beliefs of the people, and hence be directly opposed to the
Constitution of the United States of America. Am I not correct, Miguey?”
asked Guillermo Gonzales.
“Quite true, quite true,” replied the Governor. “That was the first
objection that was broached; but I soon convinced them that such a law
would in nowise interfere with freedom of religious views. When I told
them that none but Mexican blood had coursed through my veins since time
out of mind, and how distinctly I recalled the practices of the priests
in my other existences, in Mexico, how they used the confessional as a
means to frighten the people into submission and extort money from them,
and how they held themselves up as shining lights of purity and virtue,
when those whose eyes were opened knew that their very thoughts were
seething masses of immorality, they promised to investigate the truth of
my statements before formally presenting the petition.”
“And they have done so!” exclaimed Helen Hinckley; “they have done so,
and the President who gave it no ear at the start, is in favor of its
becoming a law. The full account of it is in the great daily
_Chihuahuan_.”
“Is that true?” exclaimed the Governor.
“It is, Miguey, and President Mortingo has, no doubt, reached his
present state of thought since becoming a subject,” said Guillermo
Gonzales.
“If the petition becomes a law,” said Helen Hinckley, “it will no doubt
be attributed to the effect of ‘Memory Fluid’ upon the President and the
knowledge your wonderful discovery is continually producing upon
mankind. The discovery of ‘Memory Fluid’ is the wonder of this wonderful
age of scientific investigations, particularly in the spirit realm,”
concluded Miss Hinckley, as she glanced admiringly at the great Governor
of Chihuahua.
“I thank you very much, Miss Hinckley, and so does my friend here,” said
the Governor, going up to her and taking both of her hands in his; “but
the truth is, Guillermo, Miss Hinckley’s modesty keeps her from letting
even her most intimate friends know of her own great knowledge of Law.
It was through her knowledge of Law that my life was spared only this
morning.”
“Can it be possible!” exclaimed Guillermo Gonzales. “This is the first
intimation I have had of your life being in danger.”
“Julio forbade anyone disturbing you while you were receiving the
messages from President Mortingo,” said Helen Hinckley.
“The facts are as follows, friend Guillermo. A large crowd entered the
mansion unknown to Juan or anyone else on watch, intent on taking my
life. A few moments before they arrived, Miss Hinckley risked her life
by coming here to warn me. And while she was telling me of the
intentions of the rebels, the leader entered my room where we stood.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Miss Hinckley whispered in my ear: ‘Come;
we will escape,’ and following her instructions I stepped upon the
railing around the small balcony at the south door of my apartments, and
in an instant we were out of reach of the bandits, moving through space
without a support, wholly and solely by means of her knowledge of Law.”
“I congratulate you, Miss Hinckley; you must become a member of the
Royal Academy. Yours is a great discovery. A knowledge of how to
overcome the law of gravitation has been sought for by the lettered and
the unlettered, lo, these many years. How happy I am that you were
destined to become the revealer!” exclaimed Guillermo Gonzales.
“I attribute the greatest part of my ability to see the law,” replied
Helen Hinckley, “to the use I have made of your ‘Memory Fluid.’”