The Argosy, August 1905 — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

-* himself of the brown robe and permit- ted it to fall upon the ground at his feet. Haddon controlled an emotion of sur- prise. Under the brown cassock the man wore about his waist a sash, and from the latter protruded the handle of a pistol. He glanced at the Texan. *“ Even the priests go armed,” said he. Bradley shrugged his _ shoulder, reached forward and took the pistol from the sash. “ What now, sir?” he asked. “Tt is necessary we bind him, else he would make straight for Chalco,” an- swered Haddon. He was thinking: “This man may prove more dangerous than we had reason to suppose; a war- like churchman is worse than an ordi- nary soldier.” Tt was evident that the priest was be- ginning to become more frightened as each moment passed. He looked wildly to the right and left. “Give me the pistol, then remove the sash and bind his hands,” said Haddon to the Texan. The latter obeyed quickly. His movements resembled nothing so much as those of a cat as he worked rapidly and silently. Before one could count thirty the captive’s hands were firmly secured behind his back. Having tied the knots to his satisfac- tion, the Texan did not wait for further orders, but went quickly to one of the horses and removed a stout rope which dangled from the pommel of the saddle. This rope he cut into two pieces and returned to the already helpless pris- oner. With every appearance of the keen- est satisfaction, he secured the priest’s ankles with one of the sections of rope; the other he wound about his bedy, beginning at the knees and ending around the man’s neck. It seemed an impossibility that the prisoner could struggle even a little, but should he he able to do go, each move- ment would so tighten the second rope that he would be in danger. of strangling THE ARGOSY. loom which had settled over the Tecate hills rendered all objects indistinct, but presently he seemed sat- isfied with his observation. ‘Yonder, some sixty paces from where we stand, there is a hollow be- tween two ridges of ground. He will be safe there for some hours, sir,” said he briefly. The priest, who could now use only his eves with freedom, tried desperately tospeak. The Texan stepped closer and peered into his face. “Tisten,” said he gravely. “It so happens that I was with those who per- ished in the Alamo. It was there I saw several priests who did not hesitate to fire on the handful of defenders. It was then I made a resolve: “Tirst, to kill Santa Anna, if ever the opportunity was afforded me; and, see- ondly, that a Mexican should die—a Mexican for every hour I passed at the bottom of the well into which I had fallen. “Jt, when we return in the morning, you have not stirred from the spot where we shall leave you, you may be spared, but if you have moved so much as a yard I will stick this knife between your ribs.” Tor a moment it seemed as if the man, standing bound and gagged at the foot of the cross, would faint. He closed his eyes and swayed so perceptibly that Iladdon made a movement to catch him in his arms. Then the eyes opened slowly and fixed themselves upon the face of the scowling Texan, or, rather, on so much of his face as was visible. There was that in these eyes which bordered on fear, unbelief, and hatred. The Texan shrugged his shoulders. “Let us put him where he may lie safely until morning, for it is time we were gone, sir,” said he quietly. For the moment he had taken the leadership - into his hands. With this brief speec he surrendered it again to the Vi ‘gin- jan. : pe Five minutes later the Amerieans © stood once more beside their hot the space at the foot of the cross vacant, and the brown ¢ a3 >» S 4-2 «