The Argosy, Vol. 83 No. 1 — page 102: what you’re looking at

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

92 THE “Tt can’t be worked, for it’s my business to stay here and either fix the thing up or guard it until I can send back to head- quarters; we haven’t so many aeroplanes lying around that we can afford to risk josing one.” He looked at his watch. “Tt will begin to get dark m a couple of hours; I’ll make another try, and if I can’t work it we'll have to accept the senor’s hospitality for one night anyway. In the ‘morning we might arrange for you to get a guide and ride back, when they could send another ’plane to help me out.” “T don’t propose to desert you in this devil’s kitchen, you can bank on that,” re- torted Robinson tersely, and there was a grimness in his tone which precluded ar- gument. Senor Bilbao was coming across the field; a few steps behind him walked a broad-shouldered Mexican who carried across one. arm a short-barreled carbine. As they approached Bilbao’s dark eyes looked at the aeroplane searchingly, then at Lieutenant Jones questioningly. The Americans looked in turn at the Mexican with the carbine and the expres- sion on their faces asked a question of the senor why had he brought with him an armed attendant? “Tt is Jose,” explained Bilbao shortly. “You, of course, understand that certain things have strained the relations between our countries; there are many who misun- derstand Americans. It is to be regretted —in the day of Diaz this would not have happened, nor would I need suffer this ‘ humiliation—that I must place an armed guard to protect the property of a guest while he enters my house to accept my hos- pitality.” The old Mexican’s eyes flashed angrily. “Tt is the peons,” ventured Robinson, “and we are in Villa’s territory.” “The senor understands,” replied Bil- bao. “It is the peons who I am not able to control. And Villa!” He made a vio- Jent gesture. ‘He is all powerful in the north and stops at nothing; he is in the mountains yonder, and a few hours’ hard ARGOSY. riding would bring his band upon us.. It is the humiliation to make the confession, that it is wiser you depart, mounting into the clouds from which you came. But first you must partake of the refreshment which my daughter has ordered to be prepared; in the meantime Jose, who is wholly trust- worthy, will see that no one troubles the aeroplane.”’ “Of course we understand that the horseman who rode toward the mountains has gone to inform the bandits of our presence here; we don’t want to get you mto trouble, sezor, but—” Robinson stopped and looked at Jones. “You see,” the lieutenant explained grimly, “we can’t get away to the border by the air route; the motor has broken down.” II. His back against the side of the stranded aeroplane, pipe-stem gripped be- tween his teeth, Robinson smoked in si- lence, looking out across the dreary stretch of sand now invisible in the darkness. The night was clear and a myriad stars dotted the vault above him; on the left the lights from the clustered buildings gleamed yellow through the blackness, but everywhere was appalling stillness, a nerve- racking solitude broken only by the heavy breathing of a sleeping man. For Jones, head pillowed on arm, was stretched upon the grass taking his forty winks before it should be his turn to act the sentinel. , For two hours the reporter had main- . tained his vigil, looking across the desert, listening for the- expected sound which might come from the direction of the hid- den range of mountains to the south. Should it come—the dull beat of hoofs in the darkness—he knew the situation must be a desperate one; neither he nor his companion cherished any delusions on that score. If they came, it would be Villistas to destroy the hated gringoes who had de- scended from the clouds. Two things had been decided before darkness fell, and they had taken up. their (eO) TOO AAG S (C@)