THE INSURGENCE of CHAN SANTA CRUZ

BOOK EIGHT: THE SECOND of the BOOKS of CHANGE

CHAPTER FORTY SIX

By Monday, it was apparent to José that the conspiracy was unraveling. He conversed, again, with Gaffigan, who insisted that Orozco had his instructions, and had chosen to escape of his own volition, mindless of the effect his actions would have on Huerta, Felix Diaz or any unnamed agents of the Programme. A spectacular Parisian funeral had been planned for don Porfirio, but none would be needed for Morgan... the blundering assassin who had failed in his duty was identified as Frank Holt, who had carelessly allowed certain pro-German letters to remain in his possession when apprehended. Although denying that he was part of a larger scheme, Holt admitted responsibility for the Capitol bombing and, further, declared that the plot "...came to me from on high!"

"Where did... do they find these people?" Gaffigan wondered aloud, after "Holt" was unmasked as Eric Muenter, a German national accused of poisoning his wife a decade ago. Orozco was reported in a dozen places on either side of the border, winning skirmishes at Ojinaga and Guadelupe that prevented Villa from sending reinforcements south to Zapata, who was running out of ammunition. The great massacre of Mexico City which, the American averred, would turn the hearts of the people against all of the revolutionists withered, and Gaffigan foresaw: "It'll be Carranza, again, no matter what the oil interests say. They'll just have to pay a little more for their privileges."

"Is that such a bad thing?" asked "Juan Aguila", "...for Mexico?"

"Mexico will not see a peso of increased revenue," Gaffigan predicted. "Nor, in the end, will that obstinate, irresponsible and painfully self-aggrandizing pseudo-Socialist. And, now, you have one last mission... and, after, the time will have come for us to go our separate ways, for there are further repercussions in the wings as a consequence of certain actions by inordinately stupid men. You are a resourceful fellow, and the Programme will always have its eye upon you," remarked the American, with what could have been interpreted as a menacing insinuation, had not José Macias other identities and secrets of his own. "In the fullness of time, progress and order will win out over childish individualism and hot-bloodedness."

And, on the following morning, Edward ("Eddie") Gasche... unmasked as Franz von Rintelen, of Germany... was deported. It was explained as one of the outgrowths of the Boy-Ed/von Papan fiasco... Rintelen, in fact, blamed the exposure of his mission on von Papen's jealousy over his achievements in the dark arts (although it is equally possible that his exposure came at the hands of Colonel José Orozco, Pascual's brother, angered because Huerta's patrons in the Vaterland would not ante up his bail, necessitating the untimely and inconvenient escape). In his memoir, "The Dark Invader", the erstwhile saboteur and spy declaimed: "Now that I was about to leave the shores of America, I felt like taking a carbolic bath."

The saboteur and failed assassin, Holt/Muenter, was found dead in his cell. A suicide note was also found, but the nature of death by a crushed skull... indicating a violent struggle... cast aspersions upon the determination of suicide, and rumors began to circulate that, before his capture, the German agent had planted explosives on American vessels running arms to Britain.

Also on the sixth of July, a Mass was held for the soul of Porfirio Diaz at the St. Honore-d'Eglau church in Paris. Francisco de la Barra, the guest of honor, spoke of plans to have the body shipped to America, where it would repose until such time as Mexico came to its senses and welcomed its father back with reverence and honor, as opposed to the opprobrium his reputation still evoked.

Victoriano Huerta angrily refused to post bond and was removed to a secure building at Fort Bliss. "I am enjoying my novel experience of being in jail in liberty-loving America on the very day you celebrate liberty and justice and independence," he raged. But his five associates were freed upon posting bonds of five thousand dollars... Ignacio Bravo was afforded that humiliation as passes for charity of having his bond waived on account of his age and health. The Felicista General Robles was arrested in San Antonio; other participants in an alleged Huerta-Orozco conspiracy were rounded up in New Orleans, and caches of arms and ammunition were discovered and confiscated.

Two days after the "suicide" of the Capitol bomber, a bomb exploded on the ammunition ship Minnehaha, off the coast of Halifax. Former President Roosevelt spoke up for war, urging Americans to remember the Lusitania, sunk two months previously. In Hoboken, New Jersey, a woman deserted and left destitute also committed suicide, hoping her daughter would get the proceeds of a thousand-dollar life insurance policy. The company refused to pay.

And, as Arturo Garcilazo was being carried, in his chair and toga, out to the diamond of doom, the Carrancista General Pablo Gonzales finally entered Mexico City, with Zapatistas streaming back to the mountains of Morelos. Villa, however, fought on... defeating Obregon at Aguascalientes and, after, at historic Queretaro and Leon, where the Sonoran General lost an arm, failed at a suicide attempt and, thereafter, had the limb pickled in a jar, which he would display to privileged visitors during his tenure, some years later, as President. Although within three hundred kilometers of the weary Carrancistas, Villa, himself, sped back to El Paso to lobby American officials to withhold... or at least delay... official recognition of the First Chief.

Quietly, in El Paso, a judge gaveled down the forfeiture of Pascual Orozco's $7,500 bond.

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