The Argosy, Vol. 76, No. 3 — page 212: what you’re looking at

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

682 man-hunt in progress, all spoke of a conspiracy to destroy her lover. He would go toward the lake un- armed to receive her answer. When Dick ran panting into her arms and she looked into his horror-swollen eyes, she told herself she had lured a brave man to his death. That she was innocent of evil inten- tion, that she would willingly have shed her own blood to save the man who was now all the world to her, went for nothing. The loss was be- yond the measure of consolation. And instinct warned her that the Santos incident had precipitated the crisis. She had heard much of the treacherous disposition of the average half-breed. But Dick’s answer re- kindled hope. She gathered that he had seen the fight at close quarters. If Marker had been killed or hurt he would surely have told her. Yet she dreaded to ask about Tom lest the answer sweep hope away from her. Outwardly composed, but pierced with anxiety in heart and mind, she accompanied Dick to the rear of the house, where the Filipino maid was cowering in a frenzy of terror. The brother and sister encouraged Paulina and cautioned her to slip quietly away with them. Dick leading, they moved_ swiftly through the wood behind the bungalow, made a swift circuit, and regained the trail a short distance from the constab- ulary barracks. The old stone building erected for the rurales of the Spanish days had been burned out some months before. A temporary barracks and prison had been put up hurriedly and the nearest bungalow leased for the officer in com- mand. ‘That was why Marker kept his official safe under his own roof. Dick found the native sentry asleep. Arousing the man with a thump in the ribs, he had the little garrison astir and under arms within a very few minutes. He spoke hurriedly and privately to the sergeant—an experienced and re- THE ARGOSY. liable soldier—and the loyalty and energy of Marker’s second in command was quickly evidenced. Dick was thankful that Edith did not understand the native dialect, and as glad that he could use it as freely as a native. His conversation with the sergeant was carried on in Tagalog so that he might tell what had hap- pened without betraying the truth to his sister until she was safe in the officer’s bungalow and the sergeant and a strong detachment could be spared striking a blow to avenge their mur- dered commander. The native officer left six men under Dick’s orders to protect Miss Edwards and the money in the safe. As soon as the column moved down the trail and sentries were stationed around Marker’s house, Dick put his arms around his sister and asked her to be very brave—he had something to tell her. He got no further. He felt her hands and cheeks grow cold as ice. Her eyes looked glassy. She lay a dead weight against him and col- lapsed as he helped her to a lounge. He sprinkled water on her face and did all he could to restore her, but she remained apparently dead in the si- lent house, the only sound from with- out an occasional rasping of a pebble under the foot or carbine of one of the sentries. Dick’ yearned to be with the ser- geant and his men to take toll from the fiends who had ambushed his brave friend and robbed his sister of the man she loved. He called Paulina to help him re- vive Edith, and when their united ef- forts failed to arouse her the boy’s distress was pitiful. Was he to lose sister and friend on this same black night? ‘He heard the sharp, even tread of the military quickstep. The constab- ulary were returning. He winced as he thought he would never again listen to Tom’s clear voice drilling and di- recting his men. COMicdoo S CO@