The Argosy, November 1908 — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

610 ‘“‘ Here,” I said, and in a moment I had her in my arms. ‘Wife of mine!” I cried. “Hurry,” she said—‘‘oh, in God’s name, hurry! They will kill me for this if they get me again.” “They'll never get you while I am alive,’ I told her. ‘‘ Where is Namona?”’ “Here, master,’”’ she said in the dark. “Then come. It is dark, I know,’ but it is safer than to have it light. The stream is not deep enough to drown in. Consuelo, you take my hand. Namona, take hold of Consuelo’s dress and hang on.” In this way I led them gingerly, slow- ly, and tenderly, along the gorge. Step by step I felt my way, for there was ample time. ‘There would scarcely be any pur- suit that night. “ How did it work?” I asked. happened?” “Oh,” said Consuelo, ‘‘when I saw that little boat I was startled. I won- dered who could be playing with boats, and thought that it must be some Indian boy. But I saw, when it got nearer, there was writing on the sail. And when I read it my heart almost stopped beating. “Then, when the attack came to-night, my father and Hernandez ran out of the house. I called Namona, and here we are. We had no fime to bring anything.” ‘“We need nothing,” I said. “ What you have will do till we reach home.” “Where are we going now?” asked Consuelo. “To a cave I discovered. There is food there, and if we are pursued I can hold it till the Moquis come to our re- lief.” ‘“How will you find it in the dark?” asked my wife. “T’m wondering that myself. Wait— I had a fire and cooked some bear meat. We'll find the cave all right.” And we went on in the total darkness. What CHAPTER XVIII. BY BULLET PERSUASION. I -was right about finding the spot where I had built the fire and roasted the bear meat. I caught the odor of the fire and meat, and then stopped. If I could smell it, so could wild THE ARGOSY. beasts, and there might be a dozen near the spot. ‘This was disconcerting. ‘““What is the matter?’’ asked Consu- - elo. “ Have you lost the way?”’ “No, but I’m going to make a light. There may be some kind of animal around that meat.” I didn’t know what to make a light of. I cursed myself for not thinking of that during the daytime and preparing torches. “Who has anything on that will burn?” I asked. “T have,” said Consuelo—'a lace mantilla.” ‘Can you spare it?” “I can spare anything for you.” I took it from her hand, and groped around till I found a stick. I wrapped the mantilla around that, and, taking my match-box from my pocket, soon had it blazing. The gorge made a wild, weird picture in the dancing flamelight, and I waved the torch around. There was no sound of anything moving, and I could see noth: ing. The light lasted till I had assisted the two women to the ledge and showed them into the cave, after I had explored it first. ‘““Make yourselves as comfortable as you can,” I said. “I am going to sit outside and keep watch.” “May I sit with you a while?” asked Consuelo. ‘“‘T should be happy to have you.” She came and sat beside me. We talked long and earnestly about the future, until Consuelo’s head rested on my shoulder, and she slept. I kept my vigil faithfully till the dawn, and nothing happened. But I knew that a chase would be made after the two women. z “Have I slept here all night?” asked Consuelo. “Not quite. It was almost morning, I fancy, when we got here. Now, what sort of place is that ring in the cliffs where you were? How do you get down ARETE Ls “Why, there is a path that winds up and around. It is difficult.” “Then your father would not think you had gone that way in the dark.” ‘He w ould be more likely to think of the gorge.” “Well, we’ll eat some bear meat, and COMMICOOOKS.COm