Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 18, 1928 — page 105: what you’re looking at

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

FOR COUNTRY. Nelson’s inmost being seemed to flow to her who sat across from him, so quiet and so lovely. He looked upon her with a great yearning, and knew that he must have her, to guard, to cherish, to love. Power possessed him; he felt that it was impossible for her not to understand and respond to the enthroning prayer he poured from the depths of his heart. She was sur- passingly wonderful, glorified—too sacred to touch. His daring to worship her in all her beauty of mind and body seemed profanation. And Patria felt it all. As the pleading viclin wailed its mes- sage, and Stephen’s, she forgot the call of her country, the peril of her father, and that she was within the enemy’s lines on a business that awarded for discovery the penalty of shameful death. She became all woman and only Nelson mattered, after all. As though forced by a power greater than her will, she languorously turned until her dark eyes looked straight into his. Even after the last notes of the violin had died away in lingering beauty, they held each other’s gaze as though in an embrace. Harsh and grating, a challenge rang in the stillness: “ Halt! Who’s there?” Like the bursting of a bubble the Garden of Dreams vanished; the spell was broken. Nelson sprang to his feet, guardingly in > front of Patria. There was a brief scuffle and commotion at the edge of the plaza. “Come out of there, hombre,” a steely voice demanded. In 2 moment two members of the in- fantry patrol jerked a ragged object across the street and hauled it before Nelson in the light of the Portales. , “This Spig was dodgin’ around them palm-trees, watchin’ you, lootnant!” one of the soldiers reported. It was Rafael Simores. heart almost stopped beating. Simores stood sullenly between his cap- tors, his eyes fixed balefully upon the girl and the officer. He would not deign to speak. Jealousy raged within him and he deliberately was placing upon Patria ane onus of explanation, In the rude shock that tumbled her hap- And Patria’s 903 py dream-castles into pitiful ruin at her feet, Patria so hated Simores that her hatred was venomous in its intensity. He had been spying upon her! And she had bargained, pledged her word and _ herself. The girl shivered as though the night were arctic. The brief tension was abruptly broken by one of the sentries. With a yank upon Simores’s collar and a crisp “Come on with me, Spig,” he started toward the carcel. In spite of her mood it brought Patria back to her duty. Without Simores she would be without a messenger; and she owed him a certain loyalty. “ He is my servant, Juan,” she explained, appealing to Nelson. ‘‘ He was probably only waiting to see if I wanted anything more this evening.” “Oh, I see.” Nelson looked with more friendly eye upon the wretched peon. “ A faithful old family retainer, eh?” ““ Yes—yes, of course,” assented Patria hurriedly. ‘He is very—faithful.” Nelson briefly commended the men for their vigilance and explained to them that the fellow had only been trying to serve his mistress, and that he probably failed to understand the restrictions as to natives appearing on the street after hours. He directed them to release him and told Si- mores to get on homeward. The sentry hesitated. He eyed Nelson with the respect due to an officer, but seemed to have something on his mind. At last he blurted out: ‘Beg pardon, sir, but—the army’s in charge of the city now. This man would be picked up by patrcls twenty times be- tween here and where he lives. He ain’t got a Chinaman’s chance to get by!” Nelson saw the point at once, and nodded agreement with the opinion. He asked Simores where he lived. Sullenly the presumed peon told him. Nelson thought for a moment. ‘I’m going down that way myself in a few minutes. You can come with me,” he said. He turned to the sentries. “ It’s all right,” he added, “I am the naval aid attached to General Fenton’s staff. him go and I will take charge of him. * Let comicbooks