Argosy All-Story Weekly, August 9, 1924 — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

194 He did not fully comprehend the sig- nificance of the order until they were many miles on their way. What had changed the sentence? Some whim on the part of the commandant? These people were like that.. One never knew what to expect from ttem. Blessed instability! At the frontier the escort turned back, and Larry proceeded to Guatemala. His months of army life in the open, and the trials through which he had passed, had changed him from a careless boy to a seri- ous-minded man. Looking over his past life since he had come to the tropics, he was filled with revulsion. The old desires were gone forever. He would ask for his old position, and this time he knew there would be no going back to white eye and its accompanying evils. V. A YEAR had passed—a year of achieve- ment for Larry. He had won back the respect and confidence of his chief, who to-day had appointed him first assistant engineer for the company. He had been away from the city a few days, and only learned of his good fortune on his return. “ The new assistant!” he was thinking in his room that night. ‘“‘ Well, that sounds pretty good, coming from the man who once called me a weakling. What a fool I was! But alot of water has passed under the bridge since then.” His thoughts wandered to Carmencita. He wondered where she was. He had not seen her since he came back. Joe seemed to think she was in Honduras. He said she had left for there about the time the revolution was under way. It was about time Braulio was showing up now. Poor fellow, they had given him a year’s hard labor. As though in answer to his thoughts, a rap sounded on the door. At his curt, “Come in,” Braulio entered. Larry greeted him warmly. ‘When did you arrive, Braulio?” “Two days ago! But you were not here.” ‘No, I have been out of the city. Just got in this evening.” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ‘“ Patron, can you come to the hospital? Carmencita is asking for you.” “What! Carmencita here? she was in Honduras.” ‘“ She was. But after Colonel Flores cast her off she tried to return. I found her very ill in a little pueblo several days’ journey from here.” ‘“‘ Colonel Flores? with him?” ‘Do you not know, patron? It was she who obtained your pardon.” ‘““My pardon! Braulio, what are you saying?” ‘Yes, patron, she followed you. And that morning—there was no other way. She gave herself to him.” Larry sat immobile. Carmencita had saved him, even at the price— It seemed appalling—something too great to be un- derstood. “Will you come, patron? She is always calling for you.” Seizing his hat Larry rushed out. He hailed the first passing cab and drove direct to the hospital. He was shown into the room where a broken, faded Carmencita smiled wanly up at him. As the icy fingers of the frost king, touching the undeveloped buds, cause them to wither and die, so had death blighted the life of Carmencita’s baby, and in pass- ing, the shadow of his wing had fallen upon the mother. Carmencita was dying. He knelt by her side. He took her wasted hand in his own and raised it to his lips. A wonderful happiness lighted up her face. “Laree! Laree!” she cried. ‘“ You have come! I have prayed to the great saint to bring you. Is he not kind to un- happy Carmencita?” She held up the little picture of Lincoln. So she and Braulio had looked upon the picture as a saint! Larry had not the heart to disillusion her. “You left it in your room, Laree. It was all I had to remind me of you! He led me to you. Oh, Laree, the sound of those bugles that morning! How I prayed to the great saint to help me to save you! IT thought What had she to do Almost, almost it was too late. But—he could not resist me!”’ She was growing weaker. Excitement GOMIIGIOO S (CO) An