The presidential snapshot : $b or, The all-seeing eyeLebhar, Bertram
General
The presidential snapshot : $b or, The all-seeing eye
Lebhar, Bertram
Americans -- South America -- Fiction; Dime novels; Photographers -- Fiction; Political prisoners -- Fiction
“What do you wish, gentlemen? What is the meaning of this violence?”
the Camera Chap heard him demand, with great dignity.
“You are Doctor Gaspard Bonsal?”
“At your service, señor.”
“We have an order for your arrest,” came the startling announcement. “I
regret to say, señor, that you must go with us at once.”
The Camera Chap made an impulsive move toward the door, but Señora
Felix stopped him with an imploring gesture. “You can do nothing,” she
whispered, the tears streaming down her face. “I beg of you not to make
matters worse by interfering.”
“But what does it mean?” Hawley demanded. “Why are they arresting
that----”
“Listen!” the woman interrupted tensely.
“I am at your service, gentlemen,” they heard the venerable physician
say again. “But might I inquire the nature of the charge against me?”
“You are accused of aiding and abetting General Rodriguez to escape
from the arsenal prison,” came the grim reply. “If you are innocent,
doctor, you have no cause to fear. You will have a fair trial.”
“Very good, señor,” exclaimed the aged man, his voice trembling. “I am
ready to go with you.”
The Camera Chap, an expression of astonishment on his face, turned to
the señora. “Is it true?” he whispered.
She nodded, and, sinking into a chair, covered her face with her hands.
Then, suddenly, she jumped to her feet, and stood quivering like a
hunted animal as another voice reached them: “How about searching the
premises before we go, captain?”
The Camera Chap glanced almost instinctively toward the heavy portières
which draped the window. They did not offer a very promising chance of
concealment for himself and the señora, but they appeared to be the
best that the room offered. Fortunately, however, it did not come to
that. He and the woman exchanged a glance of congratulation as they
heard the man addressed as captain reply carelessly: “No; we need not
bother to search the house. We had no orders to do so. All we want is
our prisoner.”
“I am ready to accompany you, gentlemen,” said Doctor Bonsal.
CHAPTER XVIII. A NEW MENACE.
Mindful of the warning which Doctor Bonsal had given him, Hawley made
sure that none of the soldiers had remained behind to watch the house
before he ventured to leave the ill-starred physician’s residence. When
he was satisfied that the coast was clear, he and Señora Felix went
through the garden at the rear of the house, and out of a small gate,
thus making their departure as unobtrusively as possible.
As soon as they were outside, Hawley and the señora parted company, the
woman entering an automobile with a closed top which had been standing
in readiness for her on a quiet road a short distance from the garden
gate.
“Remember your promise! I shall expect to hear to-morrow that you have
sailed on the _Panama_,” were her parting words to him, and before he
could make any reply she was gone.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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