The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 3 — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

THE PHANTOM ARMY. - : “ger ‘Oh,’ I stammered at last, ‘‘ they told me of you in Zaragoza.”’ ‘That is a lie,’’ he cried angrily. ‘‘ This honest man begins well ; he tells me a lie.’’ ‘‘ Did you suppose that I would tell you the truth?’’ I asked. ‘‘Captain Falconer,’’ he exclaimed yery seriously, ‘‘a ue is a poor in- troduction to Lorenzo de la Cruz.’’ ‘Then let us have no lies, I came to you because a friend of yours. told me that you wished for help. What matter who the friend was. If he spoke well, and you seek swords, here is a man ready to serve you; a man who can find no other vocation in life but that of the soldier—a man who has yet the best part of his life to live. If your service is such as he may embark upon——’’ He hushed me with a gesture of his hand. ‘You lied to me,’’ he reiterated in peevish anger. ‘‘I do not want to hear you; I have no place for you.’’ And then, looking to the guide who had led me to the place, he said, ‘‘ Take this man away ! *’ He turned upon his heel and went over to the table again. If he had struck me, the insult could not have been greater. ‘Tio this day, I do not know what restrained my arm or kept me from answering him as I would have answered any other living man, ‘“ Prince,’’ I said, ‘“‘there is no need to take me away, nor is there any man in Torla who could do that for you.’’ He looked at me over his shoulder, and then spoke to the trooper at my elbow. “Will you not obey me?’’ he cried. ‘‘ Take that man away, and do not let ne see his face again !’’ The next moment we were out in the air again. ‘“Well,’’ I asked my guide, ‘‘ and what now ?”’ | ‘““Fyxcellency,’’ he said, ‘‘when the sun sets you will have ceased to live.’’ CHAPTER XI.—THE PRISON OF THE TORRENT. ‘“ WHEN the sun sets you will have ceased to live.’’ I stepped back and looked at the man. Was he, then, a farceur, too? Had some great jest been played upon me when I was sent to the mountains? The man’s face gave me ‘‘No’’ for an answer. I seemed to read pity written upon it. ‘““Come,’’ said I, ‘‘we have talked nonsense enough. If your master has no need of my services, who is to prevent my returning to —— 2” ‘We shall prevent you, excellency.’’ He put a whistle to his lips and blew it shrilly. The answer was worthy of the place. Scarce had the note done echoing in the hills before six men stood at the fellow’s side ; and in the hand of each there glistened the barrel of a pistol. ‘We shall prevent you, excellency,’’ he repeated, as he pointed to the grim figures around me. ‘‘ Lift but a hand and your last minute has come.”’ Eomichbooks (E(0)