The Argosy, Vol. 83 No. 1 — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

DROPPING INTO MEXICO. “You will pardon me,” said he gravely, “Tf I leave you for a few minutes. I desire tu tell Senorita Pepita who it is that has so unexpectedly dropped down upon us; the child is unfamiliar with the human air- bird; it may interest her.”’ He went toward the houses, walking briskly. Robinson looked at Lieutenant Jones. “Do you know what is up?” said he grimly. ‘The old fellow is going to explain to that band of cut-throats that we’ve landed here to pay him a social call; he hopes that will quiet them, but I wouldn’t bet a plugged nickel on it. I met five of the bunch on my way to the house and as bad a lot as I ever tackled. Get at that motor, Jones, and let’s get away from here; the old man seems friendly, but he’s a Mexican. I wouldn’t trust one of them with a misfit key to a hall bedroom.” Jones turned to the motor. ‘‘And who’s this Senor Bilbao, anyway? You seem to have run across him before,” Robinson went on. “At West Point, and afterward in Wash- ington,” Jones explained. ‘“‘He was a sena- tor under Diaz, and finished out a dip- lomatic career in the Mexican embassy at the capital. He went up to the Point with a delegation, and his daughter was along; at the annual hop I saw considerable of her, and a little more the next fall when I was stationed in Washington, when the old man invited me to drop in on them should I ever happen to be in Mexico.” ‘Well, it seems here we are, right on the senor’s doorstep,” grunted Robinson. “He’s of the old school, of the Diaz régime, and is out of joint, I fancy, with the present conditions in his country,” Jones continued. “Bilbao is one of those Mexicans who has an excellent knowledge of the States, and realizes that we Amer- icans want to be on friendly terms with our neighbors. We have nothing to fear if he can control the situation.” “Tf he can,” Robinson growled. “A good many Mexicans are out of joint with pres- ent conditions, but I reckon they’re about one in a thousand. I doubt if this Senor 91 Bilbao would cut much figure if a band of Villistas should happen this way.” He looked off across the fields to the expanse of sand beyond, stretching in an unbroken desert to the range of mountains toward the south. And looking, he saw a horseman speeding away from the group of houses; a rider who was urging his mount with whip and spur. “That don’t look good to me, no matter what Bilbao’s sentiments may be. Get at that motor; is there anything I can do?” said he shortly. “Except stop your croaking,” Jones re- plied, and bent over the refractory ma- chinery once more. Five minutes passed, then ten; the horseman was now a long way off, a cloud of dust marking his course across the plain. The lieutenant looked up from the motor, his face bathed in perspiration, a frown puckering his brows. He pulled a lever, jerked it back and twisted a spark plug; a muffled report which degenerated into a feeble sputter rewarded the effort, then the sputter died away and there was silence. ‘““What’s the matter?” Robinson asked sharply. “I’m afraid,’”’ Jones answered, “‘we’re up against it; this comes from the government furnishing us with these one-horse aero- planes, though I thought I’d got this one in pretty fair running order.” “You mean we can’t get away?” “Tt begins to look like it, for a little, anyway,” his companion answered. The reporter looked at the stranded air- bird with an expression in which grimness predominated. “I presume your friend, the senor, has horses handy, and might be willing to lend us a couple?” he ventured. | “Probably,” Jones replied, “but you see 7 can’t leave government property stranded here in semi-hostile territory. I suppose you figure that we could put it in charge of the senor, go back and return with the necessary repair outfit?” “Ves,” said the other shortly, his face reddening; “you didn’t think I meant to bolt for good, did you?” Gomichook (E@