The Argosy, January 1907 — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

212 der, and we needed no information as to his wickedness. But we were profoundly impressed by the curious fate that had thus brought us together again. I thanked Heaven that we were more evenly matched now than when we last met. ‘Where is Sanchez?”’ I asked. The answer of the brigand prompt: “Tn hell.” Then he explained that shortly before his rescue by the cruiser Sanchez had been washed overboard by a heavy wave. “The fool should have held on,” José concluded. “ Without him I[ couldn't handle the yawl in the gale.” With that, he turned abruptly and - moved a little away from us, while Billy and I began a low-toned discussion of this freak of fortune and what it might mean to us and our hopes. Soon the boats returned with the final survivors of the cruiser, and immediately afterward the battle-ship steamed slowly south. From one of the seamen, who was good enough to chat with me, | learned that we would loiter near the coast until despatches were received. The insurgents had no mind to risk their ship under the guns of the harbor forts. At last the vessel anchored within half a mile of rugged coast without any single evidence of mankind in sight. Here we were to wait for news. It was about four o’clock in the after- noon, and Billy and I were considering an appeal for relief to the captain—the success of which we mightily doubted, since we had nothing but our word to prove our story—when we were surprised to hear José speaking. He had quietly approached within a half-yard of us without our hearing or seeing him. “T’ll take you back to the barranca,”’ he said softly and coolly. Billy and I said nothing. What was there to say? ‘The proposition was so undreamed of, so incredible, so contrary to any possibility that we could only sit in voiceless surprise, waiting for what might follow. After a sight pause the outlaw con- tinued, still in matter-of-fact tones: “It is but just. I have been punished for trying to steal you away to sell as slaves. Yes. I have lost Sanchez. I was THE ARGOSY. have lost my yawl. I do not wish to lose my life. So I offer to save you, that the saints may take pity on me.” He paused again that we might have an opportunity to appreciate the beauties of his repentance. | Billy turned and looked me in the eyes. In his I read total disbelief, and I know he read the same in mine. But José did not seem to notice our skeptical manner. It is likely that he did not expect us to believe him. “If you will give me your word of honor not to attempt anything against me while we are on the way, I will help you to escape. We will steal a boat and you will help me sail it back to the river. I should need your aid in sailing the boat.” Again he paused. I understood that in this need of our help lay the secret of his sudden charity toward us. Billy’s eyes met mine for the second time, and I saw “that he, too, ap- preciated now the motive of José’s conduct. “Do you agree?” the outlaw de- manded abruptly. | “ Tell us your plan,” I said. ‘No, not until you agree to go with me, and not to try to harm me. When we are back at the dbarranca we can go our separate ways. But you promise first. Otherwise I am silent.” “What will these folks do with us?” Billy asked. : “Oh, just shoot you, or put you at hard labor with the convicts.” José spoke authoritatively, and I was inclined to believe that he uttered the truth. Billy and I argued the matter pro and con in whispers while José waited im- patiently. The prospect before us was disheartening. It might be years, if ever, before we could make our escape. As yet José did not know that we had gone into the mountains in search of him. To give him a hint of our real quest would be to put him on his guard, and perhaps frustrate our aims for all time. If we fell in with the outlaw’s schemes, however, there was a chance of our returning to the barranca and con- tinuing our search for the money—a chance, too, of capturing the bandit. (E00) DOO AMG S (S@)