a stop there. The Army of the Revolution could hold them there but was unable to push back across the deep ravines of El Chaco, a flat, grassy plain where it wasn't cut by deep rivers. In the skies, there was an obvious reluctance on both sides to commit the few re- maining forces each side had to prolonged fighting or bombing sorties. Yet there had been no general uprising, nor even exten- sive sabatoge to assist the in- vaders, which must have been the most devastating blow of all to their ambitions.

In the capital, as elsewhere, the people were calm. There was even a determined air of 'bus- iness-as-usual' as the members of the Junta crossed the bomb-torn streets of the government sector of the capital to the special meeting to hear the first reports on the week-old 'border skir- mish,' as the neighboring dic- tatorships insisted on calling

Boca's invasion.

There were eleven official members of the Junta present in the conference room, well as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces. By now, the stagnation in the fighting was well known to everyone. That the lull gave time for recrimina- tion, revision of old alliances, and changes that would raise some and and lower others, was taken for granted. Even those like Irena Varga, in her most insulated position of power, must be aware of the mood of the people. Something new was being called for, it was evident to all, something to compensate for the lack of foresight of the nation's leaders leaders in pre- of the paring the defense as well as to answer for the callous in approach shown response to the bombing of the capital.

The major force in the Junta was the three official mem- bers of the armed forces, plus the two civilian, ex-Army men who had resigned to hold cabinet portfolios in Defense and Muni-

tions. Yet the single most impor- tant person in the Army faction was not a member of the Junta. He was General Ramon Aguilar y Cenho, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, who was present at the meeting to brief the Junta on 'the war.'

Ramon Aguilar was a man of black, flashing eyes and his temperament matchec his general air. He could brood for years over old scores, and such was his tenacity with worrisome problems, that he was feared by military and civilian members of the Junta alike. He sat at the lower end of the oaken table, technically the only person pre- sent not part of the Council, but, in fact, its prime mover at times, through his five 'proxy'

votes.

At the opposite end of the table was a single high-backed chair. Irena Varga was already seated there when the others arrived. She looked very thin since the bombing had begun, and clearly wasn't able to eat properly because of the wound to her throat. Her dark eyes, outlined in pale blue, and her lips, a glossy pink, were the only flashes of color in an other- wise drab gathering. She seemed unaware of the surreptitious glances of the men on either side of her. She kept her heavily madeup eyes downcast on the report prepared by Aguilar.

Irena had welcomed the dark-brown, silk blouse and grey skirt that Consuela had suggested for the 'business meeting.' "A girl, even one as pretty as you," said Consuela with a grim smile, "doesn't go about in these dresses all the time." She had indicated the silk, satin and brocade evening dresses that Esteban or 'Irena' as everyone called 'her' all the time -- had worn throughout the 'training' to become his sister.

"Shall we begin?" asked Salluca, looking down the table,

ironical smile twisting his lips as he sought Aguilar's permission to go ahead. The

Chief of Staff nodded wearily, quite aware the the incongruity of Salluca's referral to him, the only non-official member of the Junta.

"To save our President undue strain on her voice, she has assented to my conducting this meeting today." said Salluca, glancing about for any sign of objection or disagree-

ment.

On Irena's left, facing the Vice-President, were the three 'militants' in the Junta. Interior Minister Ernesto Figueroa was the most influential of the three. He always had an objection to every procedure. But today, he had none, not even looking up to acknowledge that Salluca had spoken. The little group of three separated Irena from the presence of Francisco Fuentes, the Foreign Minister, who faced the Army men who filled up the opposite row of chairs to where Salluca sat.

Francisco Fuentes was from the same 'barrio' of the capital as Irena and Esteban Varga. He was widely known to have been her lover for several years, and Esteban had often met him in

Irena's company before the Revolution. He had always had his arms draped about her, Este- ban remembered. He seemed to have liked to touch his sister, and, of course, Irena had never objected.

When Consuela had brought the femininely dressed Irena to the Junta's conference room that morning, she had stayed around long enough to keep Fuentes entertained and well away from 'her.' As she had expected, Figueroa had taken a chair Irena's the he had arrived, and

moment so had Salluca. Consuela knew that it had been long ago that Fuentes had loved Irena, but she saw no point in getting them any closer than necessary. The little rumor that had been started about Irena's "face-lift" and cosmetic surgery, hotly denied by Consuela she