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triumph； 〃what did I tell you？〃
〃Hold your tongue！〃 said the young man at the carriage door。 There
was silence for a moment； while the men looked at the senator； as though
waiting for him to speak。
〃Where were you in prison； Mr。 Arkwright？〃 he asked。
〃First in the calaboose at Santa Clara for two months； and then in
Cabanas。 The Cubans who were taken when I was； were shot by the
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fusillade on different days during this last month。 Two of them； the
Ezetas； were father and son； and the Volunteer band played all the time the
execution was going on； so that the other prisoners might not hear them
cry 'Cuba Libre' when the order came to fire。 But we heard them。〃
The senator shivered slightly and pulled his fur collar up farther
around his face。 〃I'd like to talk with you；〃 he said； 〃if you have nothing
to do to…morrow。 I'd like to go into this thing thoroughly。 Congress
must be made to take some action。〃
The young man clasped his hands eagerly。 〃Ah； Mr。 Stanton； if you
would；〃 he cried； 〃if you would only give me an hour！ I could tell you so
much that you could use。 And you can believe what I say； sirit is not
necessary to lieGod knows the truth is bad enough。 I can give you
names and dates for everything I say。 Or I can do better than that； sir。 I
can take you there yourselfin three months I can show you all you need
to see； without danger to you in any way。 And they would not know me；
now that I have grown a beard； and I am a skeleton to what I was。
I can speak the language well； and I know just what you should see；
and then you could come back as one speaking with authority and not
have to say； 'I have read；' or 'have been told；' but you can say； 'These are
the things I have seen'and you could free Cuba。〃
The senator coughed and put the question aside for the moment with a
wave of the hand that held his cigar。 〃We will talk of that to…morrow also。
Come to lunch with me at one。 My apartments are in the Berkeley on
Fifth Avenue。 But aren't you afraid to go back there？〃 he asked curiously。
〃I should think you'd had enough of it。 And you've got a touch of fever；
haven't you？〃 He leaned forward and peered into the other's eyes。
〃It is only the prison fever；〃 the young man answered； 〃food and this
cold will drive that out of me。 And I must go back。 There is so much to
do there；〃 he added。 〃Ah； if I could tell them； as you can tell them； what
I feel here。〃 He struck his chest sharply with his hand； and on the instant
fell into a fit of coughing so violent that the young man at the carriage
door caught him around the waist； and one of the policemen supported
him from the other side。
〃You need a doctor；〃 said the senator kindly。 〃I'll ask mine to have a
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look at you。 Don't forget； then； at one o'clock to… morrow。 We will go
into this thing thoroughly。〃 He shook Arkwright warmly by the hand and
stooping stepped into the carriage。 The young man who had stood at the
door followed him and crowded back luxuriously against the cushions。
The footman swung himself up beside the driver； and said 〃Uptown
Delmonico's；〃 as he wrapped the fur rug around his legs； and with a salute
from the policemen and a scraping of hoofs on the slippery asphalt the
great man was gone。
〃That poor fellow needs a doctor；〃 he said as the carriage rolled up the
avenue； 〃and he needs an overcoat； and he needs food。 He needs about
almost everything； by the looks of him。〃
But the voice of the young man in the corner of the carriage objected
drowsily
〃On the contrary；〃 he said； 〃it seemed to me that he had the one thing
needful。〃
By one o'clock of the day following； Senator Stanton； having read the
reports of his speech in the morning papers； punctuated with 〃Cheers；〃
〃Tremendous enthusiasm〃 and more 〃Cheers；〃 was still in a willing frame
of mind toward Cuba and her self…appointed envoy； young Mr。 Arkwright。
Over night he had had doubts but that the young man's enthusiasm
would bore him on the morrow； but Mr。 Arkwright； when he appeared；
developed； on the contrary； a practical turn of mind which rendered his
suggestions both flattering and feasible。 He was still terribly in earnest；
but he was clever enough or serious enough to see that the motives which
appealed to him might not have sufficient force to move a successful
statesman into action。 So he placed before the senator only those
arguments and reasons which he guessed were the best adapted to secure
his interest and his help。 His proposal as he set it forth was simplicity
itself。
〃Here is a map of the island；〃 he said； 〃on it I have marked the places
you can visit in safety； and where you will meet the people you ought to
see。 If you leave New York at midnight you can reach Tampa on the
second day。 From Tampa we cross in another day to Havana。 There
you can visit the Americans imprisoned in Morro and Cabanas； and in the
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streets you can see the starving pacificos。 From Havana I shall take you
by rail to Jucaro； Matanzas； Santa Clara and Cienfuegos。 You will not be
able to see the insurgents in the fieldsit is not necessary that you should
but you can visit one of the sugar plantations and some of the insurgent
chiefs will run the forts by night and come in to talk with you。 I will
show you burning fields and houses； and starving men and women by the
thousands； and men and women dying of fevers。 You can see Cuban
prisoners shot by a firing squad and you can note how these rebels meet
death。 You can see all this in three weeks and be back in New York in a
month； as any one can see it who wishes to learn the truth。 Why； English
members of Parliament go