General Fernando De Bambos, President and Dictator of Zalapata, had
summoned one of the most momentous councils of war in the history of
the Republic. Those present were our old friend, Major Jack Starland,
who was a guest of the General, and Captain Alfredo Guzman, Chief of
Staff. The other leaders sulked because they were not invited to the
conference, but General Bambos dared not trust them with the important
matters that were oppressing his ponderous brain and had troubled him
for weeks.
The meeting was held in the upper room of the east wing of the palace,
safely removed from eavesdroppers, two armed guards on the outside of
the door adding to the isolation of the council. General Bambos,
though short of stature, weighed an eighth of a ton. His uniform
gleamed with blue, scarlet and gold, and the crimson sash around his
waist, with its gilt tassels almost touching the floor, was six
inches nearer his head in front than at the rear. His crimson
countenance was set off by a prodigious mustache, the waxed ends of
which, when he grinned, tickled his temples. He was short-breathed,
asthmatic and possessed a tempestuous temper. The big curved sword at
his side flipped the ground when he strode to and fro, as was his
custom while agitated, though during his calmer moods, the formidable
weapon swung fairly clear of the floor.
Captain Guzman, Aide and Chief of Staff, was swarthy, deliberate and
cool, and of moderate stature. He had proved himself a good soldier in
more than one fight with their neighbors in that breeding-nest of
revolutions.
At the present time, the _Warrenia_ was absent for a few days at San
Luis, down the river, while Jack Starland was the honored guest of
General Bambos, who was eager to secure his valuable military ability
for the republic. He really knew nothing of the young American's
experience in military matters, but he was not ignorant of the bravery
of his people, and had learned how completely they crushed Spain in
the late war. When he heard the youth addressed as "Major" he was
immediately fired with the ambition to gain him as an ally, in the new
revolution that was impending.
"Comrades," said the General, as he heaved ponderously to his feet,
addressing the two who sat at the table, listening expectantly to him,
"you will agree with me that golden opportunities come to nations as
well as to men. Such an opportunity has opened to the Republic of
Zalapata."
As he spoke, he leaned forward with his hands resting on the table,
and the chubby fingers doubled in upon the palms. His huge mustache
twitched, and his little black eyes shone upon the placid countenance
of Captain Guzman, lolling in his chair at the farther end and
languidly smoking a cigarette. The Captain calmly met the flickering
glare and the General shifted it to Major Starland on his right, who
was looking through the open window on the other side of the
apartment, as if the blue sky, with its fleecy clouds, framed by the
opening, was all that interested him. None the less, he was thinking
hard and not a word escaped him.
"I repeat that such an opportunity has now opened to the Republic of
Zalapata."
The thin husky voice climbed several notes of the register, and the
right hand of the speaker thumped so hard on the table that it shook.
The noise would have been considerable, had not the impact been dulled
by the fleshy cushion that smothered the knuckles of the orator.
Without stirring a muscle, Major Starland glanced sideways at the face
of the General, who swung his head around like a turtle peeping from
his shell and stared again at Captain Guzman. The latter snatched his
cigarette from his lips and nodded quickly several times.
General Bambos swung back to the upright poise, or rather went a
little beyond it since his bulky protuberance in front gave him
the appearance of leaning backward. The deepening crimson of his
countenance showed the profundity of his anger.
"How much longer shall we submit to the insults of that infamous
tyrant, President Yozarro of the Republic of Atlamalco. Actuated by my
fervent love of peace, my affection for my people, and my ardent
desire for their happiness, I have acquiesced in wrong, vainly hoping
that a sense of justice would restrain the oppressor from going too
far. But he mistakes our calmness for fear, until every man of
intelligence clearly perceives that unless resistance is made,--not
simple resistance alone, but aggressive protest, the grand, glorious
Republic of Zalapata will become a mere appanage of Atlamalco. I have
remonstrated with General Yozarro, and in return he treats me with
contumely and insult. My nature revolts, my blood is stirred--"
To make more emphatic the ebullition of his circulation, General
Bambos abruptly stopped speaking and snatched out his perfumed silk
handkerchief from beneath the partly unbuttoned breast of his coat,
and mopped his lumpy forehead. He had carefully conned his oration,
but his surging emotion would not give him pause. The climax leaped
from him. At the highest reach of his vibrant, staccato voice, he
shouted:
"The time has come to draw the sword!"
Grasping the top of his scabbard with his left hand, and the handle
of his sword with his right, he made a curving swing upward, while
drawing the blade from its nestling place. There was always difficulty
in doing this, since when the arm was extended to its limit, two or
three inches of the point of the weapon remained in the sheath. The
only way to overcome the hitch was to push downward and backward with
the hand which inclosed the upper part of the scabbard. In his
excitement, the General forgot this necessity, and, with the right arm
extended to the highest elevation, the weapon was not free from the
incumbrance at the other end. He tugged, swore under his breath and
grew purple of countenance.
[Illustration: "THE TIME HAS COME TO DRAW THE SWORD."]
Major Starland, without the shadow of a smile, looked at the lower
hand of the General and nodded meaningly. The other recovered his wits
at the same moment, liberated the blade by the method indicated, and
flourished it so far aloft that the keen point nipped the ceiling.
"The time has come to draw the sword! Liberty, justice, equality and
right is the war cry of the patriots of Zalapata!"
Carefully adjusting his weapon so that it would not interfere, the
General sagged down in his chair, and puffing from his exertion and
excitement, looked into the faces of his friends to signify that he
was now ready to listen to their sentiments. A brief silence followed,
and then Major Starland said in an even voice:
"I have learned of some of the insults received from General Yozarro,
Dictator of the Republic to the west, but I am not clear as to the
last outrage: may I be enlightened?"
He looked invitingly at Captain Guzman, who silently puffed for a
minute or so before speaking:
"A month ago, the single boat which constitutes the navy of President
Yozarro was engaged in target practice; one of the shots passed over
the boundary and struck the dwelling of a citizen of Zalapata,
smashing in a side-wall and scaring the family to that extent that
they are still a-tremble. Complaint was made to President Yozarro, who
treated the complainant with contempt. Then appeal was had to
President Bambos, who despatched a messenger to Yozarro, demanding
damages and an apology, and the salutation of our flag. What answer
did the tyrant send? He kicked the messenger down the steps of his
palace, bidding him to tell our revered President that if he or
anyone else came to him on a similar errand, he would ram him down the
throat of one of his cannon and fire at the palace of General Bambos."
"But that threat is idle," gravely remarked Major Starland.
"Why?" demanded President Bambos.
"Neither he nor you have any ordnance big enough to allow a man to
serve as a charge for it."
"A quibble!" commented the Captain; "it does not lessen the deadly
nature of the insult."
"What is the amount of the claim?"
General Bambos nodded to the Captain to answer.
"Forty-two _pesos_."
"Ah-um!" mused the American, who picked up a pencil from the table and
made a few figures on a blotting pad; "the present value of a _peso_
is twenty-eight cents. That would make the total damage eleven dollars
and seventy-six cents in the currency of my country. Does President
Yozarro refuse to pay this claim?"
"He not only refuses to pay the just demand," thundered the President,
"but accompanies his refusal with an unpardonable insult."
"No one can deny that you have cause for indignation, but knowing how
deeply you have the good of your people and country at heart, General,
I would ask whether there is not some way of settling the dispute
without going to war."
"Explain yourself," said the President severely, for, having set his
heart on having war, he did not mean to be bluffed out of it.
"Why not refer the dispute to The Hague Tribunal of Arbitration?"
"What good could come from that?"
"Suppose it decided in your favor and ordered General Yozarro to pay
the claim?"
"That wouldn't wipe out the insult."
"But, if he was ordered to apologize?"
"He wouldn't do it."
"How do you know he wouldn't?"
"Don't I know the man better than The Hague Tribunal or anyone else
knows him?"
"If you have so clear a case against President Yozarro, the decision
is sure to be in your favor."
"You forget, Sir, that The Hague has insulted the Republic of
Zalapata through its President."
"I was not aware of that."
"When the members assembled a short time ago, I sent a representative
with a request that he be permitted to act as one of them. Do you know
what reply was made? They said they had never heard of the Republic of
Zalapata."
"In other words, they told you to make a reputation first. Quite
natural, under the circumstances. Nevertheless, I would beg to insist
that the proper course is to refer this quarrel to The Hague Tribunal,
unless the President of the United States can be induced to act as
arbitrator. More than likely he will settle the wrangle by paying the
claim out of his own pocket."
"You mistake your man!" roared General Bambos; "you fail to see that
that would relieve General Yozarro from punishment for his insults and
outrages against Zalapata. It would encourage him to continue his
infamous course, since our powerful neighbor on the north would
relieve him from all penalty. Moreover, it would display a fatal
timidity on the part of the United States regarding their pet
idol,--the Monroe Doctrine. Such a subterfuge cannot be permitted."
"I had thought of offering to pay the bill myself."
With fine sarcasm, General Bambos said: "I am glad you are provided
with a surfeit of funds. Perhaps you will be willing to float our last
loan?"
"That depends upon its size; if it isn't more than a few hundred
dollars I am quite ready to give you a lift."
"I must decline to permit any more quibbling."
"Will you consent that I shall close the incident by paying this claim
against President Yozarro of the Republic of Atlamalco?"
"I do if you will agree to enforce the other conditions."
"What are they?"
"That he shall apologize, salute our flag and pledge himself never
again to turn his gun in the direction of our boundary line."
"You have added impossible terms, General, for you would bind him to
make no resistance in the event of your going to war with him."
"And don't you perceive on your part that there is nothing to
arbitrate? This talk of arbitration is very fine for the one who is in
the wrong. Suppose a set of employees refuse to work any longer unless
their wages are doubled. The employer, knowing it means his ruin,
refuses, and the strikers demand that the dispute shall be referred to
arbitration. Is that just?--is it common sense?"
"Not on the part of the employees. But your supposition is hardly
supposable; the employers would incur no risk in agreeing to
arbitration, since no committee on earth would fail to decide in their
favor, after the whole truth was made clear to them. I have noticed
that it is generally the one who is in the wrong who refuses to
arbitrate. At the same time, I concede that there can be no such thing
as forced arbitration. Every employer or capitalist has the right to
run his own business to suit himself, just as any man, or set of men,
have the right to quit work and to try to persuade their friends to
quit with them; but, your pardon, General; we are wandering from the
question."
"A suggestion I was about to make. When you reflect that a respectful
demand has been made upon President Yozarro for the payment of a just
claim, and that he brutally refuses, what would you advise, most wise
and honored Sir?"
"I have offered to pay the claim myself."
"Your offer is declined, since you cannot enforce all the conditions."
"I have named arbitration."
"And I have pointed out the impossible folly of such a thing."
"Admitting that President Yozarro refuses to comply with the decision
of The Hague Tribunal, you will not only be free to carry out your
original intention, but you will be justified before the world."
"No more than I shall be justified now, for many of the Atlamalcans
themselves condemn the course of their President."
"Why not make one more appeal to him?"
"How shall I shape my message? Whom shall I send to bear it to him?"
"I will be the messenger."
"And be returned to me from the throat of a cannon?"
"I will take my chances on that; if they have a gun capacious enough
to expedite matters in that fashion, the journey certainly will not
be a monotonous one. You forget one thing, General."
"What is that?"
"My sister is the guest of President Yozarro; I am anxious to see her;
this gives me the opportunity."