y life, you should withdraw
from us and desert us, you would have committed the crime of
lese-civilization; you would have slain in its flower the re-birth of
the spiritual and civic life of Castro.

"We do not believe you capable of such cowardice and such infamy, and
since we do not believe you capable of it, we beg you to come to
Castro Duro as soon as possible to direct the approaching municipal
elections.--Dr. Ortigosa, Antonio San Roman, Jose Camacho."

On reading this letter Caesar felt as if he had been struck with a whip.
Those men were correct; he had no right to retire from the fight.

This conviction supported him.

"I have to go to Castro," he said to Amparito.

"But didn't you say that...?"

"Yes, but it is impossible."

Amparito realized that her husband's decision was final, and she said:

"All right; let us go to Castro."

XVII. FIRST VICTORY

The Conservatives had come into power; the time to change the town
government was approaching. It was customary at Castro, as in all rural
districts in Spain, that in a period of Liberal administration the
majority of the councillors elected should be Liberal, and at a time of
Conservative government, they should be Conservative.

The former Liberal, Garcia Padilla, had gone over to the Conservative
camp, and one was now to see whether he would get his friends into the
Municipality so as to prepare for his own election as Deputy later.

It was the first time there was going to be a real election at Castro
Duro. Moncada's candidates were almost all persons of good position.
Dr. Ortigosa and a Socialist weaver figured among the candidates, as
representing the revolutionary tendency. The Liberals felt and showed an
unusual activity and anxiety. Caesar started a newspaper which he named
Liberty, Dr. Ortigosa was the soul of this paper, whose doctrines ran
from Liberal Monarchy to Anarchy, inclusive. As the election drew
nearer, the agitation increased.

In the two electoral headquarters established by Moncada's party, the
coming and going never stopped; some enthusiastic Moncadists came to
headquarters every fifteen minutes, to bring rumours going about and to
get news.

Don So-and-So had said this; Uncle What's-His-Name was thinking of doing
that; it was nothing but conferences and machinations. The painter had
painted for them gratis a big poster expressing cheers for Liberty,
for Moncada, Dr. Ortigosa, and the Liberal candidates. The cafe k