The Argosy, August 1905 — page 47: what you’re looking at

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

“It is hardly possible, but———” Santa Anna stopped and ground his heel into the matting which covered the floor and then continued in a terrible voice: “JT might even let the thing pass, in order that it did not become public, but —I was found by some of my own sol- diers—I, their general, was found bound and gagged, lying like a log of wood on the bare ground! Ten thousand devils! The whole army will know it by morn- ing! ” ‘He seemed to breathe with difficulty. The Texan pressed Haddon’s hand. “Something at least was accom- plished,” he whispered in a voice of the keenest satisfaction. ‘‘ There is not a prouder man in all Mexico than Santa Anna. You see how he takes it.” The Mexican commander began to roll a cigarette, then tore it to pieces and threw the pieces upon the floor. “You do not say anything,” cried he sharply. “ What can I say, your excellency? If there is anything a “Mother of God! And you are ac- counted the smartest officer in all my army. Even those dogs of Americanos tremble when your name is mentioned. I tell you, those devils were guerrilleros, and you are the leader of my guerrilleros. When you return to your men, listen; listen day and night; creep upon them at all hours. These two will talk to- gether—some time—then you can strike, as you strike against the Americanos from beyond the Rio Grande.” What the officer thought of this proposition was a problem, but he re- plied quietly. “1 will follow your excellency’s in- structions. If any among my men were guilty of that thing, I will do my best to find them. I will aa There came a sudden interruption from the other side of the room. A low knock sounded upon the panel of the door leading into the hal]. Santa Anna turned sharply, walked to the door and opened it. The figure of an orderly appeared in the aperture. “Well?” cried the general angrily. “ Why are we interrupted ? ” “TI have been commanded to report to your excellency without losing a mo- NTH RIDER. q@ ment—to report to your excellency that the prisoner confined in the stone house has made his escape!” A momentary silence filled the room, Santa Anna glared at the messenger like a wild beast of prey. “ Were my orders not obeyed?” he asked in a voice of awful calmness. “That the prisoner be fasiened by the neck to the ring in the wall? It was done, your excellency,” answered the orderly. “Then it is impessible that he should have escaped, unless——* Santa Anna paused and glared at the officer. “The ring was filed quite through, and broke,” said the latter in a trem- bling voice. “You would tell me that this miser- able prisoner has filed through a band of iron so easily? Who has been admitted to his cell—since sundown? ” “None save a priest who desired to administer consolation to a man cen- demned,” explained the orderly. “A priest? Who admitted him?” “The guard over the prisoner. It was not commanded a priest should not visit the chamber.” “And this priest—what was he like? ” The general’s face was now impassive as a mask. “ T do not know, your excellency. The guard is sa! “ There are several orders of church- men in Chaleo, but even in the dark each may be known by his habit. How was this one dressed?” demanded Santa Anna fiercely. The orderly hesitated. “The guard has but just recovered consciousness, but he murmured some- thing about a brown cassock,” he re- plied. Santa Anna stood as though rooted to the floor. A look of comprehension sprang into his face. * Mother of God!” he eried with sud- den fierceness. “ And the cassock which they took was brown. I am surrounded by traitors even in Chaleo! ” The officer who had been standing with his baek to the window, and who had listened silently to the conversation between the commander and the or- derly, spoke fer the first time. i