Argosy, Vol. 118, No. 2 — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

CROSSROADS. As it was, he was about to engage in a death struggle with an unknown power. He could not tell whether the white man would hire other men to fight his battle with him or make the attack alone. He did not know whether to look for many or for one. He did not know whether the stroke would come stealthily in the middle of night, with the silence of a crawling snake, or whether it would come in the middle of day, with terrible boldness, when the bright sun- light wrapped him in a sense of false se- curity. The brain of Onate reeled, and in his despair he reached automatically for his favorite flask of tequila and poured himself a stiff drink. The liquid fire warmed his throat, and at least took some of the chill from his heart. It became possible for him to think. Thoughts sprang full-grown into the brain of Onate. It was, indeed, the secret source of his power. He never had to fumble about in the dark, as many other men did. When a difficulty confronted him he generally saw straight into the heart of the matter and knew instantly when and where to strike. It happened now that he cast about in his mind to think what man would be sure to follow Dix Van Dyck in this war, and the first name that came to his lips was that of Joseph Van Dyck, the young brother, ir- far south Guadalupe. First Onate thought of him as a power to harm, and remembered a tall youth of sev- enteen, rather darkly handsome, and with gentle eyes far different from the cold glare of Dix Van Dyck. The elder brother was an anomaly even to his family. He was a throw-back toward the primitive, an atavism. Joseph Van Dyck followed the natural course of family blood. He made up in his gentleness for the grim ferocity and tiger-hearted playful- ness of his brother. Of him Onate thought as a menace, but the thought of Joseph Van Dyck ever raising a hand to fight except in the most desperate case of self-defense was amusing; it was absurd. Not a danger, then. Not a help to Dix Van Dyck? came the rapier thrust of inspiration. Then Not 305 a help to Dix Van Dyck, but a terrible ~ and compromising weakness. To reach the terrible elder brother was not in the power of the sheriff in spite of his men, and he knew it. He could not have purchased the services of Mexicans to follow the trail of this redoubtable man-Slayer. But the younger brother? There passed a trail of vague thoughts through the mind of Onate—rumors he had heard in Guada- lupe concerning a great love and tenderness which lay between the two brothers in spite of the differences between their natures. The rumors ran on to tell how the hard hand of Dix Van Dyck had warded the danger of the world from the shoulders of his young brother. There were a score of anecdotes which flashed now across the mind of Senor Onate, and now, in the full flush of his inspiration he leaped to his feet and shouted aloud, again, again, and again. Manuel ard Pedro at the same instant showed their dark faces at the door. Their master redoubled his laughter and jovially hurled a stool at their heads. ‘“T am safe,” cried Onate, and collapsed into his chair, “ I am safe, Manuel, Pedro, good boys, worthy lads. Bring me yonder flask. God ison my side. But wait! First go to the telephone and get my deputy at Guadalupe on the wire. Quick! Let every- thing wait for that!” They disappeared, and until his call came in he sat in his chair, alternately shivering violently, like one seized with a palsy, and then laughing inordinately and rolling his fat body about in the chair. When his time came the voice of José Remoso answered him on the end of the wire. ‘* José,” called the sheriff sharply, ‘ Se- nor Van Dyck is escaped from the jail; his pardon will be here at once from the governor. I am in danger.” In his astonishment the deputy swore; he had no other answer. : ‘““T must be protected,” went on the sheriff, “‘ against this devil. José Remoso, my friend, there are still members of Van Dyck’s family in Guadalupe.” “Tt is true,” said the deputy. “ Do you see?” EOMMICLOOOLX< (E@)