Argosy All-Story Weekly, December 4, 1926 — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

oT4 “Tt is I, Senorita Perenzo,” she told the vaquero in an imperious tone. “I have come to see the prisoner. You may wait outside, muchacho.”’ ‘ Si, seforita,” the young fellow muttered with a submissive inclination of his head, obeying her command. Instantly all Rosita’s haughtiness dropped from her shoulders, like a mantle. She darted across the narrow room, drop- ping on her knees by Rusty’s bed. “Oh, my poor Rus-tee!” she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. “ All day have I been as one crazee from fear for you. How are you, amigo carissimo?”’ “A lot better’n I was just before you came,” and Rusty smiled fondly at her. The girl’s soft fingers, running tenderly through his hair, located the lump. She gave a gasp of horror. “Oh, my dear! Your poor head! What a shame eet ees that nobody has cared for you! My father ”—shuddering—‘ almost do I commit the vile sin of hating heem for thees. I didn’t dream how cruel, how heartless he was, my father, | “T have begged heem on my knees, but not one inch weel he yield. He swears by all the holy saints that since I cannot marry Don Enrique I must go for the rest of my life to the Convent of Our Lady. You—” Her voice choked in a sob, unable to de- liver the sinister message that Rusty had already received. His arm closed tightly around her slim waist. ‘Don’t think about that, Rosita,” he whispered. ‘“ We'll pull through all right. But, however did you get out?” “JT have bribed my maid,” she mur- mured, ‘‘ weeth a string of precious pearls, to let me away for only five minutes. All day till now have I been locked in my room, Rus-tee. I want a gun to breeng you, but eet ees impossible. Your Rosita is worthless, my Rus-tee; she cannot help -you in your trouble. Not one small little theeng can she do!”’ “ That’s all right, Rosita,” Rusty told her. “I’ve got everything all fixed. This guard will get me a gun and a horse for to-morrow night. Ill be ready to leave at nine o’clock.” ~ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. : The girl gazed at him in bewilderment. ‘““You have done all thees, Rus-tee; so soon, and when you were so badly hurt. Ah, but you are superb, my Rus-tee!” Pride and tenderness both gleamed through the tears in Rosita’s starry eyes as she looked at him. ‘“ How did you work thees miracles?” “ T’ll tell you that later. Listen to what I say. Can you slip out to-morrow night?” “Yes!” she whispered tensely. ‘‘ Where shall I meet you, Rus-tee?” “You know the little clump of trees close to the pits where they roasted the carcasses of steers yesterday?”’ | She nodded. “ll be there with the horse at nine. We'll strike for the border together, caris- sima,” “T understand. Now must I go, amigo mio, lest my father finds what has hap- pened. You can trust thees man who guards you?” “T think so. Adios, Rosita.” “Au revoir, Rus-tee. Do not fail your Rosita, who weel pray all through the night for you.” “IT won’t fail you,” Rusty promised grim- “Hell and high water can’t stop me.” Rosita slipped away as quietly as she had come, and the guard returned to duty. Rusty glanced sharply at the fellow, to see how he had taken this visit from his em- ployer’s daughter, finding no cause for alarm, “Let’s get this thing all settled,” said he. “You go off duty at midnight, and another man takes your place?” “That is so, sefior,” the vaquero as- sented. “When will you be back on the job here?” “* At noon to-morrow.” “Sure of that, are you? It’s pretty im- portant.” ‘““[T see no reason why not, senor. course, in this life no things are certain.” ‘ All right; we'll let it go at that. When you come you are to smuggle in to me a ly. Of pistol. An hour after dark you let me out | of here, leading me to a good horse. Then you are free to look out for yourself. Get the layout?” EOPMICLOO© Ss (Co)