United States or Saint Pierre and Miquelon ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
I suppose he's really the most important figure in the Caracuna crisis and he hasn't even got here yet. Perhaps our Hochwaldian friends have captured him on the quiet. It would pay 'em, for if there is plague here, he'll certainly trail it down." "Oh, I'm tired of plague," announced Miss Polly. "Bring the others here and let's all go over to the plaza, where it's cool."
He had spoken vaguely to Sherwen of a restless condition of the local mind. Reports, it appeared, had been set afloat among the populace to the effect that an American sanitary officer had been bribed by the enemies of Caracuna to declare plague prevalent, in order to close the ports and strangle commerce.
"Officially, I have no existence. The United States of America is wiped off the map, so far as the sovereign Republic of Caracuna is concerned. Some of its politicians wouldn't be over-grieved if the local Americans underwent the same process. The British Minister would, I'm sure, sleep easier if you were all a thousand miles away from here."
"But why didn't you come up and look for me?" "Does one look for a sound?" "Please don't be so logical. It tires my poor little brain. You might at least have called." "That would have been like holding you up for payment of the bet, wouldn't it? I was waiting for you to speak." "Not good form in Caracuna. The senor should always speak first." "You began the other time," he pointed out.
Caracuna City goes under quarantine to-night, and Puerto del Norte to-morrow, as soon as proper official notification can be given." "Then plague has actually been found?" "Determined by bacteriological test this morning." "How do you know?" "I was present at the finding." "Who did it? Dr. Pruyn?" The other nodded. Sherwen whistled. "Better make ready to move, Mr. Brewster," he advised.
"How you are going to get out of here I really don't know," he said. "Why should we hurry?" inquired Miss Brewster. "I don't find Caracuna so uninteresting." "Never since I came here has it been so charming," said the legation representative, with a smiling bow. "But, much as your party adds to the landscape, I'm not at all sure that this city is the most healthful spot for you at present."
Below, she watched the motion of the bush-tops where the shrubbery was parted by the progress of his sturdy body down the long slope. One day passes much like another in Caracuna City. The sun rises blandly, grows hot and angry as it climbs the slippery polished vault of the heavens, and coasts down to its rest in a pleased and mild glow.
That signal released their activities and terminated the battle of the American Legation most ingloriously for the forces of Urgante. For the gilded youth of Caracuna bears a heavy cane of fashion, and carries a ready revolver, also, although not so admittedly as a matter of fashion. Furthermore, he has a profound contempt for the peon class; a contempt extending to life and limb.
The light is so harsh in these latitudes that it affects the vision a trifle, and every trifle counts in microscopy." "Does the microscope add charm to the beetle?" "Some day I'll show you, if you like. Just now it's the flea, the national bird of Caracuna." "The wicked flea?" "Nobody knows how wicked until he has studied him on his native heath."
If the wind wanted to blow his new panama into some lower treetop, compelling him to throw stones, perhaps to its permanent damage, in order to dislodge it, why, that was just one more cause of offense to pin to his indictment of irritation against the great island republic of Caracuna. Such is the temper one gets into after a year in the tropics.
Word Of The Day