The Argosy, August 1905 — page 15: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a a ee ss - ; f. . 3 to partake of the ~The sepaek giticted the food raven- ously, but having eaten the more solid portion, seemed in no hurry to depart. The wine was extremely good, and, that they might the more fully enjoy it, each rolled himself a cigarette and amused himself between regular sips of the liquor by blowing rings of smoke toward the ceiling. At the end of half an hour, Perote, who had remained without in a torment of doubt, ventured to glance into the room. It was very quiet except for the regular and heavy and clearly audible breathing. - The two cavalrymen, their red-and- green jackets open at the neck, were leaning forward upon the table, their heads resting upon their arms. The innkeeper felt the pressure of a hand upon his shoulder. ““Go out and lead the horses into a shed where they can safely remain until morning,” said the soft voice of Senor Urrea. When Perote had left the room and a noise without proved he was following instructions, the man who was in the confidence of Santa Anna approached the sleeping cavalrymen, felt rapidly through the clothing of each, . and, taking a knife from the table, slit with a quick stroke the lining of one of the red-and-green jackets. In another second he had transferred from the cut to a pocket of his own coat a carefully folded paper. When Perote returned from caring for the horses he found the house deserted except for the two soundly sleeping soldiers. Senor Urrea had vanished. Had the perplexed innkeeper re- turned at that moment to the shed within which he had fastened the horses, he might have been the greatly sur- prised eye-witness of a somewhat start- ling and unusual procedure. Senor Urrea was carefully placing a saddle on the back of one of the horses. Having fastened the girth, he next pro- duced a knife, bent down and deliber- ately hamstrung the remaining steed. he horse kieked and whinnied with ‘Beror Urrea passed out of a rear Fe of the shed, leading by the bridle the animal he had saddled. CHAPTER II. THE MARTYRDOM OF SENOR PEROTE. Ir was well past midnight when the first of the Mexican cavalrymen awoke from the stupor caused by the drugged wine. For several moments he stared stupidly around him, at a loss to com- prehend where he was or the meaning of the heavy feeling in his head. He put out his hand and touched the empty bean-pot; a second later he knocked the wine bottle off the table, and the crash served to bring him more thoroughly to his senses. Getting upon his feet, he began to swear lustily and call loudly for a light, and Perote, warned by the crash of the fallen bottle that he might expect something from his guests, appeared in the doorway holding a sputtering can- dle. “In God’s name!” cried he. “I thought you would sleep forever.” The soldier blinked stupidly; then, suddenly realizing something of what had taken place, the volume of his oaths redoubled. Snatching a huge silver watch from his pocket, he consulted the dial by the flickering candle light. The hands marked a quarter to one o'clock. “* May the devil fly away with you and all that is yours!* he cried. “ You have permitted us to sleep for six hours; we should have been in Chalco three hours ago.” He seized his companion by the shoul- der and shook ‘him violently. The second cavalryman opened his eves and stretehed himself slowly, whereupon the other, shook him the harder. “ Get up, Valeno!” cried he fiercely. “It is long past midnight. Do you for- get the courier waiting at Chalco? * Valeno gave a tremendous yawn. “ What courier?” he muttered, then checked himself suddenly and stared at Perote. “ Ab.” cried he, “now I remember; we were going ta Chalco path an order from Bante Anna.” —~ = comicbooks.com