Part 1 (1/2)
The Coast of Adventure
by Harold Bindloss
CHAPTER I
FATHER AGUSTIN'S SHEEP
High on the sun-scorched hillside above the steamy littoral of the Caribbean Sea the Spanish-Indian town of Rio Frio lay sweltering in the heat of afternoon The flat-topped, white houses surrounding the plaza reflected a dazzling glare, and the heat shi+-stones Flakes of plaster had fallen fros; a few of thee; for the town had been built when _conquistadores_ froed into the tropic forest to search for El Dorado Here and there dilapidated green lattices shaded upper s, and nearer the ground narrow openings were guarded by rusty iron bars; but some of the houses showed blank outer walls, and the plaza had rather an Eastern than an American look
Spain has set upon the New World the stamp the Moors impressed on her
At one end of the plaza stood the Cafe Four Nations, a low, open-sided roo it from the pavement It was filled with flies, which stuck in black clusters to the papers hanging from the tarnished lamps and crawled about the dusty tables The hot air was tainted with aniseed, picadura tobacco, and the curious musky smell which is a characteristic of ancient Spanish towns On the right-hand side of the square rose the twin towers of the church of San Sebastian Wide steps led up to the patch of shadohere a leather curtain left uncovered part of the door, and a niche above sheltered an iure ell rimly realistic
Opposite the cafe, the _calle Mercedes_ cut a cool, dark gap through the dazzling town On its outskirts, the hillside fell sharply to a wide, green level Beyond this a silver gleam indicated the sea
The cafe was in shadow, and at its inner end a nued, half asleep, in low cane chairs The hour of the siesta had slipped away, but it was not yet tiuardedly discussed politics, the leading inhabitants of Rio Frio had nothing else to do They were men with formal manners, a few dressed in rusty black, and some in white cotton, but all were not of pure European blood One or two, indeed, plainly showed their Negro descent; others the inal
Near the front pillars, a priest and two ustin wore a threadbare cassock and clunity, and his sharply cut features were of the Gothic type, which is not uncommon in Spain His accent was also clean Peninsular James Grahaue but recognizable staed and his red silk sash was obviously cheap He had steady gray eyes, and light hair, a rather prominent nose and a firm mouth He looked older than his thirty years
The lines on his forehead hinted at stern experience, and his alertness was partly er, and dressed with scrupulous neatness in duck, with slance quick but open, and his mouth sensitive; he had the look of an aristocratic Aesture as his thin, long-nailed hand moved across the board, and Grahalass before the priest, ”it is mate this time, _padre_ When you had made a few moves I foresaw defeat, but while the candle burns one plays out the gaustin replied in his fine Castilian ”The losing ga beaten does not hurt so rows used to it”
”Ah!” said the priest, ”that is the way to the greatest victory uest, and will not aht out, but perhaps so in finesse”
”I am afraid finesse is not a virtue of ustin studied hi of his reserve His glance got keen, and his eyes had a curious hawk-like look The priest could iine him as swift and deterood plotter
”For all that, it is a quality that is useful when one deals with the Latins, at Rio Frio, or elsewhere,” the priest said
”With apologies, _padre_, that is certainly true,” Walthew agreed
”So you have some business here? Perhaps, like the others, you seek a mineral concession”
”No Our host, Don Martin, is of course out of office and doesn't deal in them”
”He never will,” the priest said quietly ”The natural wealth of this country belongs to its people, but it is stolen froners”
”The foreigners pay for what they get”
”Yes,” said the priest; ”but where does the o? If it were spent on the developamblers and courtezans who benefit Those who hold office here fill their pockets from the public purse, and what is left when they are satisfied is needed to keep the Government in power”