“Go to my private study at once, and say to Señors Guillermo Gonzales and Julio Murillo to do me the favor to meet me here this moment, if they have the leisure. With dispatch, Juan, with dispatch.”
“Yes, your Honor,” replied Juan, as he hurried away.
Such a request had never been made to the scientists before, and without any delay they hurried to the Governor, curious to know the object of the call.
The door leading into the room was wide open, and as they entered, the great author of “Liquid from the Sun’s Rays” stood in the middle of the floor re-reading Marriet Motuble’s letter. He greeted them warmly, and without any delay said: “I have received a very strange letter—no stranger, however, than the person by whom it is written—the aggressive señorita Marriet Motuble.”
“Marriet Motuble!” exclaimed both men in a low voice.
“Your surprise cannot possibly be greater than mine,” replied the Governor. “Please reserve your surprise for what I will read you. In fact, I am inclined to believe most anything, if what I have read of this long letter be true. I am yet in ignorance of the nature of the remainder of the letter. Be seated, friends, and I will start at the beginning.”
The three great men sat down in a circle, and when the Governor had re-read the first part of the letter and various comments had been made, the Governor began reading where he had previously left off:
“I repeat that I, Marriet Motuble, this day at one o’clock will make an end of my present earthly existence. Farewell, farewell, my adored one, farewell. Although my great love for you was not reciprocated in this life, I will live again and again. In the next life I hope to have sufficient power to compel love to grow in your heart, in your great noble breast, for me—for me alone.
“My life is not lived upon the highest plane, for I long for revenge; for revenge upon the one you adore. Her name is upon your lips at this moment, and you breathe a prayer for her protection. Beware! if I have the power, her downfall will come shortly. She upon whom I wish for revenge to fall, is Helen Hinckley. And I am the one who adores you.
“Marriet Motuble.”