The Argosy, November 1908 — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

BY BULLET that meant so much to me, and to my great joy the little thing floated like a duck. I then blew on it to see which way a breeze would send it, and turned the rud- der a little bit to keep it going near the shore where Consuelo was. And then, with my heart beating, I put it in the stream and let it go. Providence sailed with that boat. It glided off, and then, caught by a little eddy, turned a little, but caught its bal- ance. It wasn’t a bad-looking little craft, considering how it was made. ~ When I was convinced that my boat would sail I climbed up again and went to the edge to watch its progress. There must have been a slight breeze blowing through the gorge, for to my delight the little boat kept steadily on. Consuelo was still strolling around the beach, and Hernandez and Bonilla had not come from the house. And the boat had to pass Consuelo before it reached the place where the peons were playing. I was too much interested in watching the boat to time its flight, but it did not seem a great while getting to Consuelo. She was not looking in its direction, and my heart sank. Would she turn in time? She was stooping down. She picked up something. She seemed about to throw a pebble into the lake. She stopped, with her hand poised. Then it dropped to her side. She stood staring at my venturesome craft, and then she turned and looked right toward our end of the lake. Even then I dared not show myself. It was enough that she saw it. Whether she suspected something or not I did not know. But she glanced toward the house, and then toward the peons. Then she began strolling along with the boat. It was constantly drawing nearer the shore, and she kept pace with it. And my delight almost made me shout when she took it from the water. I watched her as she read the message. Then I saw her tear it from the boat and tuck it in the bosom of her dress. Then she looked all around, and, see- ing no one, began digging with the toe of her shoe in the ground. “Huh!” said Billy Barefoot. 3 A PERSUASION. 609 The other two said nothing, but they nodded their heads vigorously, ‘To:night ?”’ I asked. “Yes, to-night.” That same night I was to have my bride. My heart thumped and pounded as it never had before. I felt that once I had Consuelo in my care I could not lose her. Oh, what a day that was! The after- noon, of course, was nearly spent by the time Consuelo received the letter. But the remaining hours seemed the length of centuries. I did not ask the old Moqui any ques- tions about his plans. All I knew and all I wanted to know then was that that night I was to meet Consuelo and Na- mona and conduct them to the cave. I ate a hearty supper and smoked and smoked. I needed no sleep. It was far from my thoughts. “We go,” said Billy about midnight. VOU go.” ‘“Good-by, old friend,” I said, taking his hand. “We come with horses.” were off. I had to be careful getting down the steps, for it was, fortunately, a dark night. When I reached the bottom I waited. I have not the slightest idea how long I waited for the attack. It seemed all night, but it was probably an hour. Then the crack of rifles told me the game was on. I could hear shouts and cries. Then there came rifle-shots, evidently from the lake shore. Now I was hot and cold with fear. What if, after all, Consuelo could not escape? What if the father and the lover suspected what the attack meant and held her back? Suppose a bullet struck her by acci- dent ? It seemed to me there were millions of things that could happen to frustrate my plan, after all. I peered out into the darkness. I could hear no footsteps. The rifle shooting was going on at a terrific rate, and the shouting was inces- sant. Suddenly—‘‘ John, where are you?” came to my ears, And they conmicloooks.corn