Rolling Stones Page: 31

A Ruler of MIen

"'I sent for you, Mr. Bowers, to let you know that you
can have your friend Mr. O'Connor now. Of course we
had to make a show of punishing him on account of his
attack on General Tumbalo. It is arranged that he shall
be released to-morrow night. You and he will be con-
veyed on board the fruit steamer Voyager, bound for New
York, which lies in the harbor. Your passage will be
arranged for.'
"'One n:oment, judge,' says I; 'that revolution -
"The judge lays back in his chair and howls.
"'Why,' says lie presently, 'that was all a little joke
fixed up by the boys around the court-room, and one or
two of our cut-ups, and a few clerks in the stores. The
town is bursting its sides with laughing. The boys
made themselves up to be conspirators, and they - what
you call it? - stick Sefior O'Connor for his money. It is
very funny.'
"'It was,' says I. 'I saw the joke all along. I'll take
another highball, if your Honor don't mind.'
"The next evening just at dark a couple of soldiers
brought O'Connor down to the beach, where I was waiting
under a cocoanut-tree.
"'Hist!' says I in his ear: 'Dona Isabel has arranged
our escape. Not a word!'
"They rowed us in a boat out to a little steamer
that smelled of table d'hate salad oil and bone phos-
phate.
"The great, mellow, tropical moon was rising as we
steamed away. O'Connor leaned on the taffrail or rear