efore the other side
has time to re-corrupt it at a higher figure. In South America, thrice
armed is he who has his quarrel just, but six times he who gets his bribe
in fust. On the occasion of which I speak, however, a hitch was caused by
the fact of another party revolting against the revolutionists while they
were revolting against the revolutionary party which had just upset the
existing Government. Everything is very complicated in those parts. You
will remember that the Tango came from there.

"Well, the long and the short of it was that I was captured and condemned
to be shot. I need not go into my emotions at the time. Suffice it to say
that I was led out and placed with my back against an adobe wall. The
firing-party raised their rifles.

"It was a glorious morning. The sun was high in a cloudless sky. Everywhere
sounded the gay rattle of the rattle-snake and the mellow chirrup of the
hydrophobia-skunk and the gila monster. It vexed me to think that I was so
soon to leave so peaceful a scene.

"And then suddenly it flashed upon me that there had been a serious
mistake.

"'Wait!' I called.

"'What's the matter now?' asked the leader of the firing squad.

"'Matter?' I said. 'Look at the sun. The court-martial distinctly said that
I was to be shot at sunrise. Do you call this sunrise? It must be nearly
lunch-time.'

"'It's not our fault,' said the firing-party. 'We came to your cell all
right, but you wouldn't get up. You told us to leave it on the mat.'

"I did remember then having heard someone fussing about outside my cell
door.

"'That's neither here nor there,' I said firmly. 'It was your business to
shoot me at sunrise, and you haven't done it. I claim a re-trial on a
technicality.'

"Well, they stormed and blustered, but I was adamant; and in the end they
had to take me back to my cell to be tried again. I was condemned to be
shot at sunrise next morning, and they went to the trouble of giving me an
alarm clock and setting it for 3 A.M.

"But at about eleven o'clock that night there was another revolution. Some
revolutionaries revolted against the revolutionaries who had revolted
against the revolutionaries who had revolted against the Government, and,
having re-re-corrupted the standing army, they swept all before them, and
at about midnight I was set free. I recall that the new President kissed me
on both cheeks and called me the saviour of his country. Poor fellow, there
was another revolut