CHAPTER VII.THE PRESIDENT SURPRISED.
It was the intention of the Presidential party to spend one day and night in Chihuahua, and to leave the following morning before eleven o’clock for Saltillo, where they would spend a few days visiting her large and famous educational institutions, of which the United States is justly proud.
But instead of carrying out the plan for the tour, he sent a message, saying his visit would be delayed, to the president of the most renowned of the ten schools, which had made the beautiful city of Saltillo, away up in the Sierra Madre mountains, five thousand feet above the sea level, the envy of all pedagogues all over the East and North. The hub of learning was no longer said to be in the old, puritanical town of Boston, as was credited to it a hundred and fifty years ago.
A strange shifting of scenes had taken place, not only in the fall of Boston from its educational pedestal, but in the shifting of the axis of the earth, changing the positions of the poles, and creating in different parts of the world a different climate from what had been in years gone by, as well as different animal, vegetable life and mineral deposits.
The great school, “For Hidden Thought,” of whichFrancisco de Urdiñola was president, was the institution of greatest note in Saltillo, and the only one of its kind in America. It was to the president of this University that the President of the United States sent a message, saying that the date of his arrival in Saltillo would be delayed.
President Mortingo had a short conversation with Governor Lehumada at the close of the banquet the previous evening, in which the President declared his intentions of becoming a “subject” the following day, to see if he could fathom the mysteries of the evening.
He made an appointment also to meet the child, Catalina Martinet, at the Governor’s home, at nine o’clock, after which meeting he would go to the studio of the scientist, Guillermo Gonzales.
As the President sped through the beautiful streets of Chihuahua, from the Mexican Annex, to the palatial home of Governor Lehumada, his thoughts travelled with surprising rapidity from one occurrence to another of the last evening.
He had never taken life seriously, and notwithstanding the fact that he had thought last night that the “Memory Fluid” possessed an uncanny element, he laughed to himself now, and declared the whole scene was an uproarious comedietta, in which he was about to present himself before the public as the buffoon. He chuckled at the thought of the prominence from a new point of view it would bring him, by submitting himself as a subject for the great scientists to further experiment upon. He had always been ambitious to shine before the public. He was chosen President of theUnited States, not because he was a great politician, or a man who had distinguished himself in the service of his country; quite the contrary. He came by chance, as it were, into the presidential chair. He had great wealth and good nature combined, and he allowed himself to beusedby his friends. It was a great plum he had secured by being good-natured, and his face constantly glowed with evident satisfaction.
The two great political parties had ceased to agree amongst themselves, and on the eve of the great national election a black horse had been run into the ring and won the race.
Each party was glad the other had not won the race, and each felt assured that theblack horsewould not prove a serious stumbling-block to the many projects each party hoped to accomplish by the election of a man from its own party.
Far beyond the most sanguine expectations of the people, he had proved a benefactor. His good-nature, coupled with his desire to do no one a wrong personally, and produce all the good possible to the nation, was a balm to the hurt minds of the two defeated parties.
All of these things Mr. Mortingo knew very well, and reflected over them now with much satisfaction. It was the pleasant things of life he was seeking, and he had his full share. He accepted all favors shown him, even those from persons whom he knew to be enemies, and whose object in showing him courtesies was for the sole purpose of gaining some political favor or social prestige. He smiled as he stepped from the carriage, and thought of the sensation the step he was about to take would make upon the people.
Governor Lehumada received him in his wonderful drawing-room, with the respect due his position, and at once presented the child, Catalina Martinet. She curtesied prettily and gave her tiny hand to the President. He kissed her bright face and asked her to sit on the chair placed by the one he was to occupy, and to excuse him one moment. Then he drew his arm through the arm of the Governor, and as they walked a few steps away, said: “Your Honor, does the child know I have come to see her?”
“She does not, sir; at least she does not know by being told. I have, however, a feeling that she divined you were coming, and that you would talk to her upon the subject of a past existence,” replied the Governor.
“I am sorry she suspects the object of my visit. I am afraid the mere fact of it will make me incredulous of her statements,” said the President. “However,” he continued, “what led you into the belief you have just stated?”
The Governor walked a few steps further away with his friend, and in a lower tone said: “The child has taken a great fancy to me, and notwithstanding the fact that I tried to persuade her not to call me ‘papa,’ she persists in so doing. She is a child a man in any position in life would be proud to claim as his own, yet being a bachelor I feel a certain timidity in being addressed as ‘papa.’ Now to answer your question, what led me to suspect that she knew you would call this morning and the object of your call as well? While I was taking my breakfast she ran into the room, and after throwing her arms around my neck and kissing mefondly, she exclaimed: ‘Dear papa, dear papa, the great man will be here presently; I will run to the house I used to have for a home, and get the philopena he gave me in the other life. I promised to keep it always, and I want to show him I still have it. Then he will remember.’
“‘Is the President coming to seeyou, Catalina?’ I asked.
“‘Dear papa, youknowhe is; may I go for the philopena now?’
“‘No, child,’ I replied, ‘not now; but if our President comes and wishes to see the philopena, you may go for it.’”
“Oh, thank you; thank you. Do let the sweet child go at once,” said the President.
“Do you want me?” cried Catalina, starting from her seat toward them, as they turned around to call her.
“We certainly do,” replied the Governor, as he caught the happy child in his arms. “We certainly do, do we not, President?”
The President looked at the two for a moment in mute astonishment, then replied: “We do want you, dear, but how strange!”
“I wear the philopena, President; you remember it, don’t you?”
The Governor looked at her questioningly, to which she replied:
“I slipped away, papa, just for a moment, to get it. I knew the President would want to see it;” with that she handed him a curious coin suspended from a small silver chain.
“What is it?” asked both men, as they examined it curiously.
Catalina looked serious as she replied: “He does not remember. It is speiss, a five-cent piece, you gave me for winning the second game of checkers I played after you taught me how. You said you would never see it again, for I would give it to the priest some day when I went to confess; playing checkers for a philopena.”
“This is an old coin,” said the President; “it is dated 1898.”
“And the day we played the game is cut on it also,” said Catalina.
“A date is on it—December the seventh. But who put it there?” asked the President.
“Why, you cut the letters on it, your Honor,” Catalina replied, “with a little pearl-handled knife. I have it also. You used many big words to me then, but I remember them all very well. Do you remember what you said the priest might do with the knife, if I were not a good girl?”
“You forget, child, the President does not remember; but tell us about the knife,” said the Governor.
“Do; I am all curiosity,” said the President.
“It is a big word you used,” said Catalina, “and if you do not remember, I will have to tell you what it means. You said if I were not a good girl, the priest would perform phlebotomy upon me.”
“We do not know—explain, child,” said Governor Lehumada.
“He meant, the priest would open a blood-vessel, and all of my blood would run out,” laughed the child.
“But were you so bad that I had to be constantly reminding you of the fact?” asked President Mortingo.
“I was not bad then,” said the child; “it was only after I knew of the disgrace of my birth that I got to be disagreeable and bad. It is now time for you to take ‘Memory Fluid’ from Señor Guillermo Gonzales. I will tell you about other things when you remember. I am now going to meet Helen Hinckley in the Alameda.” She shook hands with the President; kissed the Governor fondly, and with the air of a queen swept from the room.
“How strange,” said the President; “a child and a queen in one;” while Governor Lehumada, with a smile on his face, murmured: “Helen Hinckley, my long-lost love, found at last, at last. Would that I, too, could hasten to her.”
The President heard the Governor’s confession of love, but gave no sign that his secret had been betrayed. “With your permission, Governor, I will go at once to the studio of Señor Guillermo Gonzales. I wish to become a subject immediately, the child has enthused me very much; in fact, I never believed it possible for any one to arouse my curiosity to such an extent.”
At that moment Señor Guillermo Gonzales was shown into the drawing-room, and as he greeted the President, said: “To keep the matter of you becoming a subject very quiet, I came at a suggestion just received from the Governor, to administer the ‘Fluid’ here.”
“How considerate,” said President Mortingo. “I really felt a little delicacy in going to your laboratory.Let the experiments begin now, I pray you. I really am getting nervous over it. I hope I will not be affected, on my return to a conscious condition, as was poor Mrs. Grange last night.”
“Have no fears, President; it is not likely you committed any evil deeds in a life gone by for which you will now suffer remorse. Your presence in this life is no doubt due to the fact that you desired knowledge—desired to reach the highest plane, without any waste of years.”
“That is most likely,” said the Governor. “Friend Gonzales is quite right. To avoid any further delay, please follow me into my private study. As soon as the ‘Fluid’ is administered, I will leave you with Señors Gonzales and Murillo, until the period we desire is reached. Then I will return. A matter of great importance has come up recently, within the last hours, which I wish to attend to personally.”
“You are quite excusable, Governor, quite excusable,” replied the good-natured President. He thought he knew what the “important business” was that had recently come up, to which the Governor wished to give his personal attention.
His vein of humor produced a hearty laugh from the three men besides himself in the room when he received the small glass containing “Memory Fluid” in his hand, and holding it aloft, said: “I drink, oh, thou Great Revealer, to the health of all my present enemies and friends, to all friends and enemies I had in those lives I am supposed to have lived ages and ages ago! Oh, thou Muse, bring me Memory, that I may know myselfnow as I was then! Was I then a mule driver, or a bootblack in America; amozoin Mexico, or an Emperor of Germany?”
He sipped the tasteless liquid and lapsed into silence.
Guillermo Gonzales nodded to Governor Lehumada significantly, and the Governor at once made his exit.
He hurried to his dressing-room and began to make some changes in his toilet. Satisfied with himself from the reflection he saw in the mirror, he rang for the coach, and while waiting for it to be announced, exclaimed: “The greatest moment in my life has come! Dearest Helen, thou wilt be mine! You must! You shall! I have lived sadly through one existence searching for you, and several times during this life I have been on the very verge of despair because I could not find you—and I would have despaired, were it not that even in a past life I knew a power would be given to me to discover an element from Nature which would be instrumental in bringing you to my arms. The insincerity of humanity has, since the beginning of time, caused more heartaches and trouble than any other one thing. To the great Creator I certainly give thanks for the germ of sincerity he sowed in my breast, and the proper nutrition he placed there to make it grow. There, Juan says my coach is ready; I must hasten to meet my love.”
With a sweeping glance at his mirror, he hastened out of the room and down the long stairs. On nearing the drawing-room door, Juan said: “Your Honor, a señorita awaits you in the drawing-room.”
The Governor took the large white card from thesilver tray his man held out to him, and with a look of dismay upon his face, read aloud: “Miss Marriet Motuble.” “A very great disappointment, dear, dear Helen. When will I ever have another opportunity to see you? It is unjust for me to feel this way. I will enter at once, and not keep the señorita waiting. Juan, tell Miss Motuble I will be in at once.”
While Juan entered the drawing-room Governor Lehumada removed his gloves and hat, and was glad to have the opportunity to collect himself, and when Juan reappeared, he asked: “Do you see any signs of displeasure on my face?”
“No, your Honor; your face is as serene as the morning sky.”
“Thanks, Juan. It is another victory. Take my hat and gloves, and tell the coachman to go to the Alameda. The child, Catalina Martinet, is there; should she desire to use the conveyance, take her wherever she wishes to go. Tell him to say to her that I had started for her, and at the last moment was disappointed at being unable to go,” whispered Governor Lehumada, into the ears of his trusty man. Was all the long message sent to the child meant only to be delivered for her ears?
“Certainly not,” mentally remarked Juan. “I kind of have a suspicion that there is something more than ‘Memory Fluid’ bothering the Governor for several days; but then I am only Juan, and not a great Governor, author and scientist. I will experiment one day, if I can, and help to solve the great problem of life. I wonder if it is probable that the Governor hasfallen in love with some beautiful young woman? I will find out, if it can be done. I will from this moment camp on his tracks, and when I have a chance I willslipsome ‘Memory Fluid,’ for I has a notion in my old head that I lived before. I has a notion that Mr. Niksab and J. Ecarg, were known to me somewhere, long, long ago.” He smiled to himself as he went out to give the Governor’s orders.
On his return to the house he stationed himself conveniently near the drawing-room door, so close that every word uttered by the aggressive señorita was heard by him.
When Governor Lehumada entered the drawing-room, he felt very much like a schoolboy who had been punished for not wanting to enter the parlor and be pleasant to callers. He was ashamed of himself, and tried to make amends for his actions by being more gracious than was necessary.
Miss Motuble mistook his gallantry and great hospitality for demonstrations of love, and after greeting the object of her affections, she sank into a chair close by, much overcome with emotions. She believed she had won a conquest. She was unable for some minutes to speak. Her face became red and white by turns, her breast heaved with great convulsions, while her hand trembled so violently that she had no power over the fan she was trying to move.
The Governor saw the condition she was in, and from the bottom of his heart he pitied her. The object ofhisheart’s desire affected him much the same way when he saw her. “But I need no sympathy,” he argued tohimself, “for my love is reciprocated; my Helen is mine, and I am hers. It is the law of the inevitable. It could not be otherwise. Miss Motuble,” he continued, “is there any way in which I can serve you this morning? Can it be you are not well?”
The tone in which he addressed her, more than what he said, was the tonic Miss Motuble needed. She failed to hide her irritation, and sitting erect in a moment, her face, crimson with rage, said: “How can you serve me this morning? I need no assistance whatever, sir. I am neither in need of money or advice; on the other hand, I came to proffer certain valuable information I have recently obtained. I ferreted it out. I admit it cost me considerable time and expense, but I learned of the scorpion’s movements, as well as his entire pedigree. I have it all here—the written statements of many who knew him. He was not an opera singer in the life long past; he was a vocalist in a missionary choir, and he wafted his dulcet tones high and loud every Sunday for the edification of the congregation which, by the way, was very small. I know them all, the scorpions. Then to think I came here to tell you of my remembrances and the many written statements I have from others to aid you in your great experiments, and am approached by you as the aggressor, the one to whom a favor needs to be shown. No, Governor Lehumada; no, sir, I will not tolerate any such impudence even from you. I will not further state the object of my call. I now have the pleasure to bid you good morning.” She arose to her feet, and with one turn of her huge frame had swept past the Governor.
She had spoken so fast and so fiercely, after she came out of the half-crazed condition into which her great love and passion had thrown her, that the good Governor knew not what to do or what to say to quiet her. As she passed into the hall he called to her: “Miss Motuble, I pray you, my good young lady, to stay, if only for one moment. You do not understand me. I certainly am clumsy in my expressions. Dear miss, pardon me; if you have inferred a discourtesy by any remark I have made, pray, forgive me. You are a source of great wonder and delight to me, and carry a fund of valuable information.” He approached her, as she stood near Juan panting like a tiger at bay, and gently laying his hand upon her arm, said: “I am forgiven, am I not? I certainly never intentionally offend anyone, particularly a woman.”
She turned her face, full of shame and regret, to him, and with tears in her eyes, said: “Dearie, I am so lonely; you do care for me, don’t you? It is not true, as I suspected, that your whole love is centered in Helen Hinckley. Is it, dearie?”
With that she threw her massive arms around his neck with such great force, that his body swayed to and fro like a babe in the paws of a lion.
With her head on his shoulder, she sobbed: “Dear, dear Miguey, my dearie, forgive me for mistrusting you. I was frenzied with what I thought unrequited love. Great Revealer of Light, I thank you for making me see my mistake.” When her petition was ended she loosened her arms from around his neck. Governor Lehumada sank helplessly against the wall, and Juan sprang forward and exclaimed:
“Your Honor, the señorita has choked you.” He supported the Governor, and addressing Marriet Motuble, said: “You are accountable, miss, for the helpless condition of my master. You seem to remember too much.”
All the time he had spoken to her, his back was turned. Now, facing the place where she had stood, he said: “I take charge of the house, now that my master is unconscious, so, you git!” But to his great dismay she was gone.
He rang for help, and soon the Governor was lying comfortably in his own bed.