GENERAL LOPEZ INTERRUPTS.
The inhabitants of Castile, according to all accounts, are proud,
haughty, honorable, and easily offended, and Carlo Lopez came of
Castilians who had lived for three hundred years in Central America,
where the climate has a degenerating effect upon the fine qualities of
any white race.
He had made overtures to James Morrison in perfectly good faith,
assuming that Jim was representing his father in Rosa Blanca and was
fully informed regarding the situation of the fruit company in the
republic of Santa Rosa, and he had been grievously offended by the curt
note in which Morrison refused to dine with him without even bothering
to explain his refusal. This was not only a slight to the ministry of
war, but was particularly insulting to the very proud incumbent of the
office.
Later in the evening, while paying his respects to Miss Goring in the
presence of her parents, his ears had been assailed by ribald singing
and he was informed that it was Jim Morrison in person who was making
the night hideous under the window of Ellen Goring.
Lopez had long since made up his mind that Ellen would make a perfect
Señora Lopez and his discovery that the son of Tom Morrison was
interested in the young woman would have alarmed him if he had not been
reassured by the behavior of Miss Goring upon that occasion.
But, as he kept informed of everything that happened in the city, he
learned next night that the Gorings were dining with the Tillmans and
that the only other guest was James Morrison, and he remembered an old
Spanish proverb that one could not tell how a woman felt by what she
said or did.
Ellen, he knew, did not like living in Santa Rosa and if she accepted
the minister of war, she would have to reside here most of the time.
Morrison was richer than Lopez and he could settle his wife in New
York. It might be Morrison's winning argument.
Next afternoon, about four o'clock, General Carlo Lopez, wearing a
striking service uniform of his own design--green coat, with heavy
gold frogs, white riding breeches and high boots, and a gold and red
fatigue cap--passed through the archway of the consulate and came into
the patio, where he found Ellen Goring in the arms of Jim Morrison who
was kissing her on the lips. True, she broke away immediately, her eyes
blazing, her little fists clenched. She faced Jim like a young fury.
"I ask your pardon. I have intruded," softly said Carlo Lopez, whose
black eyes were also blazing.
Ellen's composure returned. "Come right in, general," she said. "Mr.
Morrison is just going. Oh yes, you are, and you're never coming back!"
"Is there any little thing I can do, Miss Goring?" asked Lopez softly
but significantly.
"I am quite capable of managing my affairs, thank you," she retorted.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Morrison."
Jim looked imploringly at the girl, threw Lopez a glance full of
resentment for his intrusion and indeed for his very existence, then
picked up his hat and went away. Lopez seated himself and, with
exquisite tact, began to discuss a German opera company which the
president of the republic had invited to Rosa Blanca.
Jim had behaved shamefully as he admitted to himself. Once again the
brown eyes of that girl had intoxicated him and the kindness with which
she had received him had affected his brain.
He had just come into the patio and Ellen, who was sitting under the
colonnade, had risen and come forward with outstretched hand and a
smile on her lovely face. All was well; she was no longer hostile and
it only needed good judgment and a little patience; but what did he do?
Imbecile, he had flamed at the touch of her hand, exploded at the
benevolence in her eyes and he had dragged her roughly into his embrace
and rained kisses upon her sweet unprotected little face. She had
struggled fiercely and then seemed to yield; he wouldn't swear to it,
but it seemed as though she were beginning to return the pressure
of his lips when that gold and green and white Adonis, Carlo Lopez,
appeared on the scene. Ellen had thrust him violently from her and
pronounced sentence of exile. It was all Lopez's fault. Now what was he
going to do?
* * * * *
From his hotel he sent by messenger a letter full of extravagant
protests of repentance, which was returned unopened. He tried the
telephone and got Mrs. Goring, who told him Ellen did not wish to speak
to him. He planted himself for two days outside the consulate and, on
the second day, she emerged looking as cool and fresh in the melting
afternoon as though she had come out of a refrigerator. She saw him,
hesitated, and continued toward him.
"Please forgive me, Miss Goring," he said humbly.
"Don't you ever dare to speak to me again," she said as sharply as a
lovely girl could say anything, and then she passed on her way.
General Carlo Lopez had a pleasant visit with Ellen after the departure
of Jim Morrison and found her kinder toward him than usual, but her
manner did not entirely satisfy him. He had seen her repulse and
banish the mad American, and she certainly seemed to resent the man's
familiarity with the utmost bitterness--but would she have done so had
the minister of war not appeared unexpectedly upon the scene?
Being totally unacquainted with the impulsive nature of Jim Morrison,
Lopez could not conceive that the fellow might have embraced and
kissed Ellen without some encouragement. The Latin race has always
overstressed the importance of a kiss. Lopez recalled the old Spanish
proverb: "A woman kissed is two-thirds won." He was already furiously
jealous of the young American, yet, such was his breeding, he had asked
Ellen no questions regarding the situation he had blundered upon.
Back in his office in the Administration Building, however, General
Carlo Lopez had a secretary telephone to John Laird, who was at the
Hotel Trinidad, and Laird arrived shortly before six o'clock.
"Mr. Laird," he said crisply, "at our conference I told you that we
should keep our agreement with the Morrison Company. That goes. If it
should happen, however, that the Morrison Company should make an unjust
demand upon this government, or reflect in any way upon our ability
to govern our country, I should feel that we were absolved from our
obligation and I am sure President Garcia would feel the same way."
"Yes? Is there any--er--prospect of such a thing coming to pass?"
Lopez smiled. "I think there is such a possibility. Therefore, if your
principals can make us a better offer--"
"I'll undertake to arrange that," said the Blue Star agent eagerly.
When he had gone, Carlo Lopez wrote a letter, called in a spruce young
officer and studied him for a moment.
"I want this letter placed in the hands of Pizzo the bandit," he said
slowly. "Do you think you can find his camp and deliver it?"
"_Sí, Señor Géneral_, I shall do my best."
"Go in civilian clothes and be silent about this mission. If you
succeed you will not be a lieutenant any longer, you will be a captain."