Part 44 (1/2)
Walthew pulled up hisbeside Blanca, while Father Agustin and two others followed at soo you could hardly see the place against the background and now it glows as if it were lighted up inside,” he remarked ”Looks more like an enchanted palace than a collection of adobe houses One could iician had suddenly conjured it up”
”I'm afraid there's not much enchantment in Rio Frio,” Blanca answered
”It's very prosaic and rather dirty”
”Well, I don't know,” said Walthew, looking boldly at her ”I'e happened to laed man ever since You wouldn't expect a matter-of-fact American, as on the hunt forto act like Garibaldi, unless he was bewitched”
Blanca smiled prettily
”You have, at least, chosen to follow a great example, senor”
”I don't think I chose him,” Walthew returned dryly ”I'd have looked for soive up the part if you found it too hard for you”
”No; that's the trouble I wasn't free”
The girl knew that he was not talking at randoravity in his h he still wore the dirty bandage and was dusty and unkeht and intent, and his thin face was very resolute The faint sarded her so look
”Senor,” she said, ”it is better to ai; the effort counts, and it is a generous errand you go upon to-night But ill talk of so else Look; there is the house where I spent the only happy years I can remember, until her up, you can see the green gap of the _alameda_; beyond it the church of San Sebastian” She paused for a moment with a shi+ver ”The white line beneath it is the top of the _presidio_, where Goht fades quickly, and now, see--everything has gone”
The sun had sunk behind the cordillera, and the white town, changing suddenly to gray, ht as the shadows rolled up the hillside
”You ician has waved his wand and blotted it out”
”It will shi+ne again to-morrow,” Blanca answered in a quiet voice ”The shadows have long rested on this country of ours, but one looks for the dawn”
The others were close behind theed men with dark, determined faces had been picked up on the way, but it would excite suspicion if they entered Rio Frio in a body, and they had separated during the last hour Walthew did not knohat their orders were, but he thought they would act upon some plan already made if he failed to secure Grahame's release; and Blanca presently bore this conclusion out
”You will not be left unsupported, but it will be better if you can make Gomez set your comrade free without our help,” she said ”We do not wish to strike the first blow to-night, but if it is needful, the _presidio_ will be attacked Gomez's position is like ours: he is not quite ready to force a conflict You see how that strengthens your hand He cannot altogether trust his soldiers, and a shot would rouse the town” Her voice sounded rather strained as she concluded: ”But if you are careful, the shot will not be fired Goive way if you use htfully ”Still, I et my partner out”
Darkness fell before they reached Rio Frio, and Blanca stopped her mule on the outskirts of the town
”We must separate here,” she said ”I do not think the entrance is carefully guarded, because it is not Gomez's policy to admit that an attack is possible, but there may be spies, and a _rural_ or two on watch” She paused and held out her hand ”I wish you good fortune, senor, and I do not think your nerve will fail, but if the worst comes, ill not leave you in Go down, kissed her hand and then lifted his hat
”Until I see you again, senorita,” he said and quietly rode on
There was no ue and shadoith a faintout from it As he reached the first of the houses, a wave of heat, rising froh pavement, surrounded hihts behind the lattices, but a ray of brightness fell across the street a short distance in front As he crossed the illuminated strip a man in white uniform stepped forward and seized his bridle
”Who co hard at Walthew's face
”A er for the _secretario_”
”Pass, friend,” said the other, letting go the bridle