Adventure Magazine Cover, October 30, 1924 — page 46: what you’re looking at

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

36 Hampton cut short the chant. “What sort of place is the stronghold of Dias?” ‘Puerto Escondido? As the name says, senor don, it is a little hidden haven, inside a barren and rocky island. All around the haven is ancient desert. There is a long, deep valley with a rivulet, and a tiny harbor. Dias has ships which prey on the pearl fisheries or come down to these coasts and do other things.” ‘“‘A pirate haven?”’ “By no means, sefior; his two schooners hold the direct commission of Santa Ana.” ‘How can we get there from Panama? Are you willing to go with us?” Fl Hambre grinned. ‘Si, st, sefior! I go gladly. But to go is another matter—it is not a trip to make in a fishing boat. There is a schooner in port now, a Mexican schooner bound north to Acapulco and Mazatlan. Her captain hates all gringos and will take no passengers; but if he thinks you are wealthy Basques or Cubans who can pay, and me your servant, he will agree. He is to sail tomorrow night or the next day. Still, it is not a boat with a good reputation, senior.” Job Warlock chuckled, reading what was in Hampton’s thought. “Looks like the beards stay, matey! The world’s a good place, so hurray!”’ Hampton ignored him. ‘Very well, we go by that boat, El Hambre, if it can be managed. From Mazatlan we can get across the gulf easily enough. Now, have you any idea where we can find the Ameri- canos from whom Dias stole this money?” The Indian, who was now aglow with eagerness, shrugged. “Dios sabe, sefior! They are camped along the bay by the hundreds; already the hotels are crowded to the doors. One must search.” “Well, then, we shall search. Can we reach Panama without going by the main road?” ~ “Ves; by trail to the plantation Mendoza y Mueges, then by road to the city.” “Then I suggest this,’’ said Hampton de- cisively. ‘‘You lead us there first thing in the morning, and leave us. We’ve both been in Panama before, and know our way around. Then, after dark tomorrow night, you come along and join us. When my business is settled, we can see that Mexican Adventure skipper. Are you afraid to enter the city after dark?” FE] Hambre shrugged. “TI will risk it, sefores; besides, I can en- _ ter even if the gates are shut. I will do it, because we are amigos—but,” and here he looked at Hampton in a singular manner, “there is something you do not yet know.” “There’s a good deal I don’t know, but I mean to find out,” and Hampton laughed. “Well?” El Hambre began to fabricate a smoke, with meticulous care. He did not reply until he had scratched a sulphur-match and was puffing gently. A strange expres- sion lay in the regard that he fastened upon the two white men. “Yesterday,” he said, “a schooner ar- rived in Panama, landed a passenger, and went on to the south. It was one of the schooners belonging to Dias—he has two. Evidently that passenger came to meet Dias and did not know he had already arrived and gone north by his other schooner. That passenger is still in Panama City.” ‘Well, what of it?” asked Hampton. ‘“‘Who’s the passenger?”’ “A very beautiful woman,” said El Hambre, and smiled thinly. “A most beautiful and cruel woman, sefiores, with the heart of a tigre. It is said that her father was a wealthy merchant of Manila, and her mother a yellow woman—no one knows. It is through her that Dias is served by the yellow men—that is, they serve her, and hence serve him. That woman is more dangerous than many men.” “And she is is “Sefiora Dias.” The Indian spat in the sand. “Or, as men call her, Dofia Her- mana.” “Dona Hermana?” Job Warlock scowled puzzled. ‘That is no woman’s name. It means sister.” “St,” and El] Hambre showed his white teeth in a flashing smile. ‘Dofia Hermana del Diablo—Sister of the Devil.” “Oh!” said Hampton thoughtfully, and fell silent. He remembered what his broth- er had written about this woman, and won- dered if poor Eli were now slaving away to build a palace in Baja California for the wife of Dias. “Well,” he added presently, “we have nothing to do with her.”’ “But,” said El Hambre, “‘she is in Pana- ma, and she is a terrible woman. I am MICLOOOK CO in