Adventure Magazine Cover, December 18, 1919 — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

70 Coronado handed him the three arrows. | “These are northern arrows,’ said Xicotl. ‘See, sewor, they are feathered with feathers that I know are from the sand-hill crane. We do not have it so far to the south. I have been in their country a little and I know. Also we make our arrows of longer wood than these. These are boys’ weapons com- pared with ours,” “That settles it then!’ Andres drove a heavy fist into the palm of the other hand. ‘Don Francisco, the girl has not run away. She has been ab- ducted.” Coronado looked at him sharply. “T think so too,” he said. “But why and by whom and where to?” . “How can we tell? We know that the red stallion of the governor was stolen or broke loose. We know that the girl disappeared the same night and that no one in the town of Culiacan saw her. - We know now that she has been carried off by Indians and taken to the north. It seems that the party of Indians which captured her were themselves attacked and killed and the girl carried off by the attackers.” “T will send word at once to Mendoza.” ORONADO stopped, his commands half uttered, for Andres laid a strong hand upon his arm. “You must do much more than that, senor! Much more!” “What then? What more can I do?” “We must pursue them. , Remember, Don Francisco, that a Spanish lady is at the mercy of savages who know no mercy.’ “What then, man? Two thousand men can never travel fast enough to catch a dozen naked scoundrels who travel with the fear of death at their heels. I say no! I have risked my whole fortune on this quest. My fortune and my honor are alike involved. Can I then afford to squander men and horses on ‘such an impossible search? I will send word to Mendoza and let him send out a party. I dare not do it. I say no!” “You dare not refuse. No cabailero of Spain dares refuse to succor a lady in distress.” “No, I do not. I refuse to play the part of a chivalrous fool when I have * senor,” Adventure the. welfare of two thousand men at stake.” Fray Marco strode forward, his eyes blazing but his face very calm. “Senor, I, a priest of the church, ask it. I tell thee thy duty, man! There was a man once who had an hundred sheep and one strayed from the fold.” “I know. I have heard it before. Shepherds are always half-witted folk! He left the fold to the wolves and—” Fray Marco and Andres stopped their ears at the blasphemy. “—-T tell you no! will not go i ‘Then is Don Andres a fool and so am I am not a fool. I I, a priest of the Lord, for doing as I know my Master would have me do “The King?” “The King of kings.” “Still you are wrong, Sir Priest, and Iam right. This search can not be made by a crazy priest and a love-sick 3 Andres stopped him at the word. “T am answerable to none but myself in such a matter. I go to search for her of course. What men can I take?” “Fools all! You are my scoutmaster and would you leave me?” “On such an errand, sefor, I would leave paradise without a qualm.” “You can take a few men with you, of course, if you are set upon it, but none the less it is a fool’s*errand and I wash my hands of it.” “Can I take Xicotl with me? He is the best of the trailers.” “Yes, if he is fool enough to go with you.” Andres spoke rapidly to Xicotl. The man’s face was a study. The taciturnity of the Indian gave place to surprize, then to amazement, and he looked Andres up and down. “To follow the men of the north into their own country is to play with death, he said; “I have seen them be- fore and I know.” “Then you are more than ever the man I seek. When we come back, Xicotl, the fairest ranch in all Sonora will be but a desert compared to the one that I prom- ise you, and for myself I promise you a Spanish horse and cattle. Will you go or must I go alone?” The man’s eyes sparkled. The last words had struck fire from the flint. Gomichooks (E©)