The Argosy, Vol. 61, No. 4 — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

098 ‘““Gun-rooms and bedrooms for the officers. Mess-rooms for the soldiers.” “Then, we have finished? ” ‘Yes, senor.’ “Then, listen. I have given you your freedom, but I exact something from you. At the entrance there are about a dozen soldiers. The commanding officer sits in the doorway, half asleep. I want you in some way to silence all of them. I don’t care how you do. it, so long as you leave us a free passage. And when you get away, go to the north. Leave the south streets free and clear for us. Do you understand ? ” ‘Yes, anid thank you, sefor. Ill have it done.” He spoke in a low tone to the others, who clustered around him eagerly. They were the worst lot I had ever seen—but, as I have said, I was not fastidious. He gave a sign, and they moved off. ‘They did not make a sound even on the stone floor as they crept toward the en- trance. Nellie clung to me, shivering. “What is it, Bob?” she whispered. “Will they kill?” “IT don’t know,” I said grimly, “ and I don’t care.” Suddenly there was a roar of rage, mingled with terror, and a few shots. The shouts of savage victory I knew came from those I had set at liberty. Then, above the tumult, came a cry: “ All right, sefor.” Then all was still. ‘* Come,’ I directed. When we got to the entrance I saw the officer stretched on the floor and half his men lying about. As the escaped prison- ers had no arms, I supposed the men were merely stunned, but did not stop to learn. We hurried past them all. I could hear, at some distance, firing and shout- ing ; I knew the negro had made good. “This way,” I said, turning south. We did not need to hurry. The popu- lace that had been abroad had _ hurried after the fleeing prisoners, and the streets we traversed were almost deserted. CHAPTER XII. AMID THE BOOM OF GUNS. OncE beyond the town, on the road that ran by the river, I felt comparatively THE ARGOSY. safe. No one had seemed to pay us any particular attention. Nellie was weeping from sheer excite- ment. 1 feared Mrs. Innors would faint and Innors collapse. Hope, however. kept them both up. But little was said. It -was too breath- less a time for conversation. ‘““T want to see a big white ruin,” I to Nellie. A mile is nothing when you are taking a stroll. When you are fleeing from what would be certain death if you are caught, it is apparently endless. It seemed as though we would never get to where there was a ruin. “There!” exclaimed Nellie. ‘‘ What’s that?” : Out of the darkness rose a great white wall, with a broken sky-line, and another running from it at right angles. “The. ruin,” I said. ‘“ This way.” I turned toward the river. It was not far off, but we had to plunge through vines and shrubs. We reached the bank. ‘“Quinchincha?” I said softly. There was no answer. ‘* Quinchincha?’’ I said a little louder. “Here, se#or. Quick—I hear firing in the city. A gunboat will be after us soon. Hurry.” I helped them into the boat, while the old Quicha held it steady. By this time Innors and his wife were ready to drop. Her strength had given out supporting him, while I had almost carried Nellie. I helped the old chief with the oars. Not a word was said, while we sent the boat through the water at racing speed. There were no lights on the Puffer, but I saw the dull form in the gloom as we approached. “Hi!” called Quinchincha. “All right there?’ answered Wakler. 6e Yes.”’ “Glory be!) This way.” The Indian knew the ropes, and soon we were all on the deck of the Puffer. ‘No time to talk,” I said. ‘‘ Is she all right?” ‘‘She’s on top of the water, anyway,” answered Wakler. “Have you got steam up?” ‘ Betcher life.” ‘“T)o you know the way well enough to make La Union at night?” said CO OO (©