"On escaping from my coffin, as I have told you, I hurried by way of
Havre to New York--a city where revolutionists are treated with respect,
and may even obtain municipal office by means of the Irish vote. I make
no doubt I should have risen to some distinction of the kind, if another
employment had not been found for me by private enterprise.
"It happened in an underground saloon bar--a 'dive' as it was
called--which I frequented. I used to sit there in the company of some
large-hearted Irishmen who had got into trouble with the British
Government. We told each other stories of adventures, and I flatter
myself that, as a story-teller, I held my own among them. But the
crisis in my career arrived when I heard a strange but friendly voice at
my elbow, speaking the one word--
"'Cocktail?'
"I accepted the invitation and turned round to inspect my host. As he
was well-dressed, my first impression was that he was a young man of
fashion--a 'dude,' in fact--engaged in seeing life. His manner,
however, was not languid enough for that, and the look in his eyes was
too keen.
"He watched me closely and drew to the other end of the saloon, where we
could talk without being overheard. Then he jerked out--
"'Say, now! Those stories you've been tellin'--partly true, s'pose?'
"'Sir,' I said, 'if you have only offered me hospitality for the purpose
of throwing doubt upon my word----'
"The stranger apologised, and, after a pause, approached the subject
from a fresh point of view.
"'Say, though. You're by way of being a desperate character, anyhow,
reckon?' and added, dropping the words as if what he said was of no
particular importance, 'Lookin' out for employment, likely?'
"It seemed kindly meant, though crudely put; the conjecture was correct.
Before I could enlarge upon the extent and nature of my qualifications
he cut me short again.
"'Drop round on me at two o'clock to-morrow afternoon, and we'll fit up
a deal right there. Here is my card. Now, as it's getting late, I'll
say "Good-night" to you and get on the car. Glad to have made your
acquaintance. Hope to renew it in the morning.'
"He shook my hand and hurried off. I examined his card and found it
thus inscribed--
HIRAM P. VAN SCHUYLER,
115, Broadway.
It was a name that I knew--a name that everybody knew. Hiram P. Van
Schuyler was a millionaire--a railroad king. It puzzled me to think
what he could want in seeking the acquaintance of a revolutionist. Did
he desire to buy me over to constitutional causes? If so----
"'There is some mystery here,' I said to myself, 'and I will probe it to
the bottom.'
"So out of curiosity, rather than from any higher motive, I decided to
keep the appointment which Mr. Van Schuyler had made.
"His offices occupied the whole of an enormous block of buildings; his
own private room was on the highest floor. An elevator carried me up to
it, a clerk showed me in, and Mr. Van Schuyler shook me warmly by the
hand.
"'Glad to see you. Take a seat, Mr.----'
"'Jean Antoine Stromboli Kosnapulski,' I explained.
"'That's so. I think you were saying that you're in favour of
revolutions?'
"I had not, in fact, said anything of the kind; but as he had said it
for me, I replied--
"'My services--such as they are--have always been at the
disposition----'
"'That's the notion, sir. Now, I'm going to make you a square offer.'
"Now, I was quite sure that he wished to bribe me to abandon my
political opinions, and I prepared an appropriate reply. But I had no
use for it.
"'My offer is--subject, of course, to certain conditions,' Mr. Van
Schuyler continued--'to put up the dollars for a revolution in the
Republic of Nicaragua.'
"Once more I breathed freely; and Mr. Van Schuyler proceeded to explain,
as coolly as though he were discussing the most simple matter of
business routine.
"'You see, it's this way. There are concessions to be had in Nicaragua,
and I want the handling of them--concessions for railroads, concessions
for gold-mining, concessions for street-lighting, and plenty more. The
existing Government does not see its way to offer me sufficiently
remunerative terms. Therefore, the existing Government has to go, and my
nominee has to be elected President. If he can see his way to being
elected Emperor, so much the better. The main thing is that, after
election, he must afford me the necessary facilities for developing the
resources of the country. Possibly there is no money in those
resources; but that doesn't matter. There's money in the concessions,
and I mean getting them. The question is, therefore: Will you accept my
nomination to the Nicaraguan Presidency? Don't decide in a hurry. Think
it over carefully for two minutes while I write a letter, and then let
me know.'
"During the allotted interval I turned the matter over carefully in my
mind.
"'Your proposal is of a somewhat unusual character,' I said.
"'If it were usual, there wouldn't be money in it,' Mr. Van Schuyler
answered; and the argument impressed me favourably.
"'Then I am willing to act for you,' said I.
"'Then we'll consider it fixed up,' said he. 'Go home and draft your
plan of action, and drop round again this time to-morrow. In the
meantime, don't go gassing about it in the saloons, or Jacob Van Tine'll
get hold of the notion and put up a rival nominee.'
"I swore that I would be as silent as the grave.
"'Right,' said Mr. Van Schuyler. 'Good afternoon, Mr.----'
"'Jean Antoine Stromboli Kosnapulski,' I prompted.
"'That is so. Good afternoon, sir.'
"So we shook hands again and I departed to mature my schemes; for there
was much to be thought over and little time for thinking.
"'I will be methodical,' I said to myself, 'and begin at the beginning.
First of all, I must find out where is Nicaragua, and how one gets
there--whether by rail or steamer. Some further particulars as to the
population, and national defences, and the present political condition
of the country, will also be of service to me. They will know these
things at the State Library. I will go there and inquire. But I will
be careful not to divulge my secret to the librarian. Doubtless it will
suffice to make him communicative if I throw out mysterious hints.'
"Then I rode down to the Library on the cars, and though I made only the
most obscure references to the delicate mission with which I was
entrusted, all the vast resources of the establishment were instantly
placed at my disposal. In the course of a couple of hours I had probed
the question to the bottom, and by the time of my next appointment with
Mr. Van Schuyler was thoroughly master of my subject.
"'I have discovered,' I told him, 'that the Republic of Nicaragua
contains more than a quarter of a million of inhabitants.'
"'The precise number, according to the last census, was 259,800,' said
Mr. Van Schuyler. 'Fire ahead.'
"'I calculate that an army of ten thousand trustworthy volunteers----
"'Would eat up all my margin of profit and a bit more besides. Try
again.'
"'I was about to say, when you interrupted me,' I proceeded, 'that such
an army was obviously out of the question. On the other hands, I should
have no confidence in any smaller army. Consequently----'
"'Consequently, you're going to turn up the job?'
"I drew myself up proudly in my indignation.
"'No, sir,' I replied. 'Your suggestion shows that you do not know Jean
Antoine Stromboli Kosnapulski.'
"'What, then?'
"'I propose to go to Nicaragua alone, trusting to the operation of that
law of Nature which, in a troubled country, invariably brings the strong
man to the front.'
"Mr. Van Schuyler's face brightened.
"'Can you start right now?' he asked.
"'I can,' I answered.
"'Then I'll open you a credit of fifty thousand dollars in the bank of
Nicaragua to go on with. Take another fifty thousand dollars in bills
on New York, in case you need them. When you want to cable, use my
private code, which I'll give you. That's all, I think.'
"It was a great undertaking, was it not, to overthrow the Government of
a republic with no other weapon than my strength of character? Yet I
was confident of success--so much so that, feeling that secrecy no
longer mattered, I brightened my journey to San Francisco by discussing
my prospects with a fellow passenger.
"He was a big, burly man, red-bearded, tanned by the sun, attired in
corduroy breeches and a blue serge shirt, and he told me that he passed
by the name of Colorado Charlie. If I had desired a lieutenant to aid
me in any daring enterprise, he was the very type of man I should have
chosen; and as I was resolved to go alone, it seemed the most natural
thing in the world to confide in him.
"'I am as brave as you are, but more cunning,' I said to him. 'Mark my
words and you shall see. Like Joshua, I will blow my own trumpet, and
the wall shall fall down flat. I am Jean Antoine Stromboli
Kosnapulski.'
"'Stranger,' he responded cordially, 'I cotton to you. It sounds a
one-sided arrangement, and rather rough on the Nicaraguans; but I take
it that in the hour of victory you will be merciful as you are strong.'
"'I will,' I cried enthusiastically.
"'In that case, sir,' said Colorado Charlie, 'I will, with your
permission, call for drinks, and we will lower them together in honour
of your enterprise.'
"So he called for Bourbon whisky and persuaded me to drink it raw. Raw
Bourbon whisky burns the throat, but comforts the stomach and unties the
tongue. Until the bottle was empty I talked freely of Nicaraguan
affairs. When I had finished it I fell asleep, and when I awoke I found
that my companion had descended at a wayside station, leaving me alone,
a sufferer from a splitting headache.
"As for the further incidents of my journey, I need not trouble you with
them, for they were of no importance. There was a certain delay at San
Francisco while I waited for a steamer; and the boat, when it started,
travelled slowly and pitched more than I liked. Ultimately, however, I
reached Managua, the capital of the country and the seat of the
government which I had undertaken to overthrow with no other force than
my unaided strength of character. I put up at the best hotel, where I
made a favourable impression by engaging the best apartments
and--contrary to my usual habit--paying for them in advance. Then I
visited the bank, established my identity, furnished an example of my
signature, and provided myself with a large book of cheques payable to
bearer. Then I dined sumptuously, and after dinner began my campaign by
summoning the landlord to my presence. In private life he was, I
believe, a colonel in the army; but in his public capacity he stood
before me with obsequious bows and smirks.
"'Senor Landlord,' I said to him, 'will you be kind enough to tell me
the exact name of the President of this Republic?'
"He told me. It was a long name--longer even than my own--but the
essential part of it was Don Juan.
"'Then, Senor Landlord,' I proceeded, 'will you kindly send a boy round
to the Palace with my compliments--the compliments of Jean Antoine
Stromboli Kosnapulski--to say that it will give me great pleasure if the
President will step round and smoke a cigar.'
"The landlord smiled, and shrugged his shoulders, and looked the picture
of despair.
"'Alas! milord, it is impossible,' he answered. 'It is now three months
since the President last went outside the Palace gates.'
"'How, then? Is he ill?' I asked sympathetically.
"'It is not that, milord. It is that when he shows himself, the leaders
of the constitutional party shoot at him. They are bad marksmen, it is
true; but the President fears that, as there are so many of them, one of
them, by accident, might hit him.'
"I reflected, and, with the instinctive rapidity of genius, formed a
plan.
"'In that case,' I said, 'you may inform the President that I propose to
do myself the honour of calling upon him in the morning.'
"'But the President receives no one,' replied the landlord. 'It is now
two months since he received anyone. When he found that so many
visitors only called for the purpose of attempting to assassinate him,
his Excellency decided that it would be better to give up receiving
them.'
"Once more I meditated. Evidently there was a good deal of
dissatisfaction felt with the existing Nicaraguan Government. The
discovery quieted any qualms that might otherwise have hampered my
attempt to overthrow it. It also showed me that one way of making a
revolution there would be to take a side and lead it to victory; but I
preferred the more manly course of independent action.
"'Then you need say nothing to the President,' I told the landlord. 'I
will call upon him unannounced and take my chance of finding him.'
"'Of course milord will drive. Will four horses be sufficient for
milord?' the man inquired.
"I told him I should need no horses, but should go on foot. He looked
disappointed, having doubtless intended to charge me heavily for the
hire of horses; but I cheered him up by writing him out a cheque payable
to bearer. It was a negotiable instrument little used by Nicaraguans,
and it was a part of my plan to familiarise them with the fact that the
bank would hand money over the counter in exchange for them. When,
early the next morning, I looked out of my window and saw my landlord in
the centre of the _plaza_, attired in his military uniform, hugging a
bag of silver dollars to his breast, and explaining the nature of the
transaction to an animated group of fellow-citizens, my confidence in
the scheme which I had devised rose high.
"'An ass laden with gold captured cities in ancient Greece,' I said to
myself. 'Shall not a man carrying a cheque-book be able to do as much
in modern Nicaragua?'
"I waited patiently, smoking my cigar, while the reputation of the
cheque-book spread itself through the city. Then I wrote out a number
of other cheques for various sums, all payable to bearer, and, putting
on the evening dress and the white kid gloves which are usual for visits
of ceremony, walked over to the Palace, where the President resided. As
I had expected, I found the entrance barred by a couple of sentinels who
were playing cards and smoking cigarettes.
"'Is the President at home?' I asked them politely.
"They sprang to their feet, thrust their cigarettes between their teeth,
took up their rifles, and pointed their fixed bayonets truculently
towards my stomach.
"I calmed them with a friendly gesture.
[Illustration: "I calmed them with a friendly gesture."]
"'I mean your President no harm; and, as a token of the integrity of my
purpose, I would like to present you with these little cheques. You
will observe that they are payable to bearer.'
"The men took the slips of pale green paper, and looked carefully at
them, at me, and at each other. Smiles came out upon their faces and
gradually broadened into grins. With slow and deliberate movement they
leant their rifles up against the walls, and then, without a word of
explanation, or even of thanks, they started together at the double for
the bank.
"'It is a good beginning,' I said to myself, and walked on up the Palace
garden to the front door.
"Two other sentinels were on guard here; and they also were smoking
cigarettes and playing cards. To them, too, I handed cheques with a few
sympathetic words, and had the satisfaction of seeing them run off, like
happy children, in chase of their fellow-soldiers.
"'We are making progress,' I said to myself, and passed on unimpeded
into the entrance-hall.
"There, various servants--first footmen in livery, and then cooks and
housemaids--came out and crowded round me. I had expected it and I was
prepared. The cheques to bearer, as I have told you, were already
filled up and signed. It was only the work of a minute to sit down at a
table, tear them out of the book, and push them into the eager,
outstretched hands. The reputation of my cheques to bearer had reached
them perhaps a quarter of an hour before. They snatched them from me,
and, without waiting to put on their hats, men, women, and even boys,
started off in rapid procession down the street towards the bank.
"Once more I was alone. But not for long. The noise made by my rapid
distribution of cheques had evidently been overheard. A door opened and
there issued from it a little man in a magnificent scarlet uniform, with
magnificent white plumes in his cocked hat.
"'_Carramba_! Who are you, and what are you doing here?' was his
ferocious greeting.
"I advanced towards him courteously.
"'I am Jean Antoine Stromboli Kosnapulski,' I answered, gently but
firmly. 'May I, in my turn, inquire to whom I have the honour of
speaking?'
"'_Carramba_! I am the General Montojo del Rio Grande del Norte,
Minister of War to the Republic of Nicaragua,' he retorted, laying his
hand upon his sword.
"In defence I laid my hand upon my cheque-book.
"'The honour is entirely mine,' I said. 'In evidence of the pleasure
which I feel in making your acquaintance, you will perhaps permit me to
present you with this small cheque. You will perceive that it is an
open cheque for 2,000 dollars, made payable to bearer.'
"For the first time in the course of my adventure I experienced a
rebuff.
"'_Carramba_!' the War Minister repeated for the third time, and flung
my cheque scornfully on the floor and trampled on it, half drawing his
sabre from the scabbard.
"But I was a match for him.
"'Pardon me,' I said. 'I see I have given you the wrong cheque by
mistake. This was the cheque that I intended for you. It is payable to
bearer, like the other, but it is for the sum of 5,000 dollars.'
"General Montojo del Rio Grande del Norte took the cheque from me and
examined it; he picked up the first cheque from the floor and examined
that also; Then he stuffed both cheques into his pocket and said
abruptly--
"'Excuse me! I have an important appointment, and I must go and keep
it.'
"And he turned on his heel with dignity and left me. A minute later I
caught another glimpse of him through one of the windows. He was
running--I never saw a man run so fast.
"'I think I may take it that that fixes the price of a Cabinet Minister
at 5,000 dollars. The other 2,000 dollars were of the nature of a
windfall which the rest will not expect.'
"Scarcely had I said it when the hall was full of Cabinet Ministers, who
had apparently broken up a Cabinet Council in order to come and look for
their colleague. I received them with _empressement_, and cut short
their demand for explanations by the immediate production of my
cheque-book. I gave cheques for 5,000 dollars each to the Minister of
the Interior, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Finance Minister,
the Minister of Education, and the Minister of Agriculture; and as they
warmly shook my hand I added--
"'No doubt you would like to go and cash your cheques at once. Pray do
not stand on ceremony.'
"And they did not stand; they ran. Not being in uniform, they ran, I
fancy, faster even than General Montojo del Rio Grande del Norte, the
War Minister himself.
"In this way, by my force of character, and my knowledge of human
nature, I had at last cleared my path of obstacles. Nothing but a door
now stood between me and a private interview with the President. I
knocked, and was answered with the usual--
"'Come in!'
"As I had expected, the President was surprised to see me. He wore many
orders and decorations; but his face had a tired and haggard look, and
he shrank visibly, as though he expected me to strike him. It was an
obvious relief to him when I sat down and commenced a friendly
conversation.
"'Fear nothing,' I said. 'I am Jean Antoine Stromboli Kosnapulski, and
I shall not assassinate you unless it is absolutely necessary.'
"Perceiving that he was at my mercy, he bowed his head with all the
dignity that he could muster and waited for me to proceed.
"'I conjecture, sir,' I went on, 'that it is less for your pleasure than
for your profit that you have assumed the onerous position of President
of this Republic.'
"He opened his eyes wide. My candour evidently puzzled him. He did not
seem to know whether to take offence at it or not.
"'If my impression is correct,' I continued, 'we have already found the
basis of an arrangement which will be equally satisfactory to both of
us. Do not beat about the bush, but confide in me frankly. Tell me, as
nearly as you can, what the Presidency is worth to you, and I will see
what sort of an offer I can make you for it.'
"His face exhibited a strange mixture of emotions, his first impulse
being to ring the bell for his servants to eject me.
"'It is useless,' I explained. 'All the members of your household, and
all the members of your Cabinet, have gone to the bank to cash the
cheques which I have given them.'
"The President spoke for the first time.
"'Really,' he said, 'this is a very extraordinary situation.'
"'Try to realise it,' I replied, 'and avail yourself of the advantage
which it offers you.'
"'I am not quite sure,' he objected, 'that I grasp your Excellency's
meaning.'
"I explained myself in greater detail, and had the satisfaction of
seeing gleams of intelligence flash in rapid succession across his
features. It was my desire, I pointed out, to become President of the
Nicaraguan Republic instead of him; and I was willing to pay him (in
hard cash) not only reasonable, but even generous, compensation for
disturbance. And I concluded, laying my hand in a friendly, and almost
fatherly, fashion on his shoulder--
"'Come, now, speak to me, as between man and man. Tell me how much you
are expecting to make out of it?'
"At last I had coaxed him into giving me his confidence.
"'It isn't the salary that's of importance,' he said, 'but there are
certain perquisites.'
"'So I had imagined,' I interposed encouragingly.
"'I get a commission of ten per cent. on the salaries of the Cabinet
Ministers; and there are other commissions--tax-collectors have to pay
me for their appointments, and there's always a little something to be
made by pardoning political offenders. As fast as the money comes in, I
send it to London to lie as deposit in the Bank of England. On the
whole, I'm doing pretty nicely, but I haven't saved enough yet. Still,
it's a wearing life. There's a certain amount of discontent about; and
though our social reformers aren't very good marksmen as a rule----'
"'How much?' I interrupted, for his elaborate explanations were
beginning to pall upon me.
"'I think I might say 50,000 dollars,' replied the President of
Nicaragua.
"To his amazement, I did not haggle, but produced New York bills for the
amount and spread them on the table.
"There,' I said. 'Now tell me what is the next step to be taken,
according to the constitution of the country.'
"He took pen and ink, and a sheet of paper, and wrote something.
"'This,' he explained, 'is a decree, appointing you Provisional
President during my indisposition, and announcing that there will be a
_plebiscite_ to elect my successor on Sunday next. In the meantime, if
you cultivate the friendship of the Minister for War----'
"'Certainly. I will give him another cheque payable to bearer,' I
interposed.
"'In that case he will send soldiers to see that the result of the
_plebiscite_ is favourable to you.'
"'And this decree?'
"'Shall be sent to the Government printers at once, and placarded in the
course of half an hour. In the meantime, as I see that the members of
my household are now returning from the bank, I trust that your
Excellency, the Provisional President, will have lunch with me.'
"Need I say that I accepted the invitation. It was a magnificent meal,
served in a large and stately dining-hall. I sat at the head of the
table, with the ex-President on my right and the War Minister on my
left. It was, perhaps, the supreme moment of my life--the moment when I
attained the zenith of my earthly fortune. But alas for the mutability
of human beings!
"We lunched at leisure like epicures, slowly enjoying the flavour of the
soup, the fish, the cutlets, the poultry, and the salad. In two hours'
time we had arrived at the dessert without any untoward incident; but
just as we had got to the bananas and the sweet champagne, we heard the
loud noise of a disturbance outside the Palace walls--a noise of
firearms and of vigorous human voices.
"I looked inquiringly at the ex-President.
"'Excuse me,' he said. 'I have left my handkerchief upstairs, and I
will go and fetch it.'
"He rose and vanished, and I turned to the Minister for War.
"'Your Excellency will excuse me,' he said. 'This is a matter which
requires my immediate attention.'
"And he also rose and disappeared in the direction of the back door.
"So I sat alone in the great dining-hall and awaited the intruders as
calmly as the Roman senators in olden times awaited the invasion of the
Gauls. My arms were folded and I hugged my cheque-book to my bosom.
"The noise came nearer, there were heavy footsteps in the hall, the door
burst open, and the strangers entered.
"Imagine my consternation! They were Americans--serge-shirted,
corduroy-breeched desperadoes from California, and their leader was no
other than my old friend, Colorado Charlie, he to whom I had confided
the secret of my plans when I made his acquaintance in the train. They
advanced, firing their guns as they came, picking off the glass pendants
of the chandeliers, as though to keep their hands in or test their
accuracy of aim. Colorado Charlie, however, signalled to them to stop,
and stepped up and spoke to me, saying simply--
"'Game's up, sonnie. You've got to git.'
"I still sat on my carved mahogany chair, like the Roman senator in the
story, waiting for the Gaul to pluck his beard. Colorado Charlie
continued--
"'Seems you've been making a revolution for Van Schuyler. I'm here to
make a revolution for Van Tine. Our methods were diverse, but our
object was the same. First it was you that came out on top, and now
it's me. I ain't goin' to shoot unless compelled, and if you git at
once, I'll give you a free passage back to Frisco'.
"My anger was aroused, but I felt that I still held a trump card. With
a flourish of my arm I drew my cheque-book and waved it in the air.
"'Let us waste no time in bandying idle words,' I said. 'I am here and
I wish to stay here; but I am willing to make it worth your while to
go.' For I had guessed that money, and not honour, was the object of
Colorado Charlie's expedition; and his next words showed that I had
guessed rightly.
"'How much, sonnie?' he asked me curtly.
"I ran my eye rapidly over the counterfoils to calculate the balance
standing to my credit.
"'Sixty-one thousand two hundred and ninety-nine dollars,' I replied.
"'Right, sonnie. Hand up the draft.'
"I gave it to him and once more breathed freely. He did not hurry like
the Nicaraguans, but strolled off slowly towards the bank with about a
dozen members of his company. The others remained, presumably to keep
an eye upon my movements. I invited them to drink my health--a thing
which, otherwise, they would doubtless have done without my
invitation--and promised to treat them generously as soon as I had the
opportunity of cabling to New York for further funds. The idea appealed
to them; they were all willing to enlist under my banner. My cup of
glory and happiness was full.
"And then Colorado Charlie re-entered and dashed it from my lips.
"'It's no use, sonnie. You've got to git,' he said, handing me back my
cheque.
"I protested energetically.
"'They refuse to honour my cheque?' I exclaimed. 'There is some mistake
here. Come round to the bank with me and we will see the manager.'
"Without further circumlocution he blurted out the truth.
"'There ain't no manager, sonnie, and there ain't no bank. Seems you've
been dealing out drafts very freely all the morning, and the holders
have lost no time in cashing them. The sight of the crowd outside the
bank doors created a panic among the inhabitants. They started a run on
the bank for the purpose of withdrawing their deposits, and the
resources were unequal to the strain.'
"'You mean to say----'
"'I mean to say that the bank is broke. The manager and the clerks have
gone up country on important business, and a deputation of the leading
citizens is now engaged in breaking up the premises.'
"So I perceived that I had played my trump card without result. I
gasped and my head fell forward on my chest. Then I made an effort and
pulled myself together. Though I had lost everything else, there was no
reason why I should lose my dignity as well.
"'I bow to fate,' I said. 'I yield to circumstances. History will do
justice to my memory. In the meantime, sooner than be a cause of
bloodshed and dissension, I agree to abdicate.'
"'Is abdicate the same as git?' asked Colorado Charlie.
[Illustration: "'Is abdicate the same as git?' asked Colorado Charlie."]
"I answered that the difference between the two things was immaterial;
and, dipping my pen with dignity in the inkpot, I slowly wrote as
follows:--
"'_In order to save my country from the unspeakable horrors of a civil
war, I hereby abdicate the position of President to which I was about to
be called on Sunday next by the unfettered choice of the free and
independent citizens of the Republic of Nicaragua. Je ne boude pas; je
me recueille._
'_Given under my hand and seal._
'JEAN ANTOINE STROMBOLI KOSNAPULSKI.'
"It was done. Colorado Charlie took up the paper, and read it through
and expressed his satisfaction.
"'That's the notion, sonnie,' he said. 'Shake hands on it, to show
there's no ill feeling'; and when I merely bowed stiffly, holding my
hand behind my back, he added--
"'Well, never mind about that, sonnie. I understand your feelings.
Anyhow, I'm going to give you a free passage back to Frisco; and if you
think that 500 dollars will be of any use to you----'
"Though my pride was in revolt, I fought it down and took the money,
knowing that, if I did not take it, I should land in San Francisco
penniless--a contingency which it was desirable to avoid at any cost.
"And so my adventure ended--sad, yet leaving a trail of glorious memory
behind it. For I had made a revolution single-handed, and enjoyed from
twelve to three o'clock in the afternoon the dignity of President of a
Republic."