The Argosy, Vol. 61, No. 4 — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

596 After that I felt better, but impatient to hear from Wakler. At last the message came. When the padre visited me two days later he brought a note. It read as follows: Forp—Quinchincha will have a_ boat a mile below Choluteca, and will wait there till you come or till he drops dead. The only guide I can give you is an old white ruin, probably once a church, that stands on the road along the river. The Quicha will be opposite that. You may have to hunt because his boat will be hidden under an overhang. The tub still. floats. WAKLER. I returned the paper to the padre, and began to think some more. CHAPTER XI. DESPERATE MEASURES. I REMEMBERED that when I first reached the prison most of the soldiers were play- ing cards or sleeping. If this was so in the daytime, under the eyes of the a/caud, I reasoned that at night there would be a greater laxity of discipline and watchful- ness. My white-duck trousers—alas! no lon- ger white—were held up by a leather belt. I loosened this so it could be released any moment. I then took off my coat, removed my shirt, and put on my coat again, hiding my shirt under it. Then I took off a shoe. 3 I confess that when I heard the bolt shoot back as the guard brought my sup- per, my heart beat a lively tune against my ribs. But I was resolved either to walk out of that prison that night or hurry the shooting-party with or without Innors’s presence. For every hour was precious, and everything so far had turned out well. I was huddled as far away from the door as possible when the guard entered. He was nearly my own size. “ Pig of an Americano, who eats better food than the soldiers, here.” I turned, and in a crouching position reached out my left hand for the tray. He held it toward me with both hands, and was well bent over. THE ARGOSY. Before he could shout—almost before he knew it—I had leaped like a frog and brought the heel of my shoe down on his head with all the force I could muster. He staggered. I caught him by the throat, and rained blow after blow on his head. He dropped the tray, and tried to grope at me with his hands, but by shut- ting off his wind and pounding him with the heel, I soon had him unconscious. Then'I took my shirt, and stuffed as much as I could of it in his mouth till it was distended to the dimensions of a coffee-cup. Then, to hold the gag in_ place, I tied, as tightly as possible, the sleeves back of his head. The length permittéd me to wind them over his eyes, thus blindfold- ing him as well. I was in.no hurry. It was too early for me to leave the cell; and, as a. matter of fact, I had even then no well-defined plan of action after I did leave. But the mad- ness of desperation had seized me, and that night, I had determined, was to de- cide the fate of all. I removed the fellow’s uniform jacket, and then, with my belt wound round and round his wrists, buckled it so that his arms, pinioned behind him, were perfect- ly powerless. His wrists were swollen from the tight- ness of the strap, but a pig of an Ameri- can who is saving his own life and that of the girl he loves doesn’t think of such trifles.° Just then I was in the mood to take the life of every official in Choluteca. Laying the unconscious man on the floor, I removed his ‘trousers, and then, with his own belt, fastened his ankles in the same manner as I had his wrists. Then I proceeded leisurely to remove -my own clothing and array myself in his uniform. I did not take the trouble to dress him in my cast-offs. He wouldn’t freeze, and I had no time’ to think of his modesty, if he had any. I even went so far as to change shoes, or at least take off my remaining one and put on his. I found in one pocket a revolver of a well-known United States pattern, and in a pocket of the jacket a few cigarettes and: matches. The keys he carried were few in num- EO OO (©