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Show I ii UNDh R PRbSSURt George Agnew Q A . . I IJ Agnev Chamberlain j CHAPTER Vlll-Continued 9 Joyce heard him but her attention was riveted on something else. The bear-like apparition she had mistaken mis-taken for Blackadder had undergone a strange transformation. Duffle bag and furs discarded, the slender figure of a young man in riding togs had emerged and was making a dash for the bridge. Joyce gasped shaken by an insane desire to laugh but the putTs of dust thrown up by bullets to the right and left of his flymg feet quickly sobered her. She scrambled down the spiral stairway, rushed to the outer zaguan and ordered or-dered its heavy bar lifted. None too soon, for as it slammed shut behind the fugitive several spent bullets buried themselves in its solid timbers. He was a young man, at the moment too breathless to speak, but his gray eyes were dancing and even his mussed dark hair gave an illusion of merriment. "So it's you," said Joyce slowly, trying to measure the meaning and consequences of his presence. "Yes," gasped Dirk, "and It's you too. Are are you all right?"- "Yes, thank you," said Joyce un-smilingly. un-smilingly. "You're sure?" he persisted, "I mean quite, quite all right?" He flushed at her frown. "Nothing's happened?" "Several things have happened," said Joyce dryly. "I hardly know what to do with you, Mr. Van Sut-tart." Sut-tart." "Why?" he asked flippantly. "Is the house crowded?" "Fairly," she answered, her cheeks coloring. "Unfortunately," she added gravely, "we already have more than a full complement of children." He was confused, conscious he was being shamed, yet wondering why. He had felt genuine ardor at setting out to make what Arnaldo termed a sentimental gesture. He had come to rescue her from the clutches of Dorado; she had rescued him. "It appears I'm not welcome. Are you suggesting I get out?" "That's the trouble," she said, frowning. "I can't ask you to go because you couldn't leave if you tried." "Oh, yes I can," said Dirk; "I'll show you." He turned quickly, dropped one end of the bar on the great gate, dragged it open only a foot and slipped through. His cheeks burned with anger. He knew she was right, knew it better than she. There was more than the combination of Dorado Do-rado and the wrecked roadster to keep him from leaving. His job the job so carelessly tossed him and so blithely taken on! He hadn't even nicked it; all he had done was to stand around while it swelled from a toy balloon into a blimp. But he was here and so was the job; consequently here was where he would have to stay. Joyce dashed ' after him. "Don't be a fool," she protested angrily. "This isn't the time or the place to show off." Dirk stopped and turned on her. "Go back," he ordered. "I'm not trying to show off and I'm not a child. I admit you're right on the rest of it. You can't throw me out and since my car is junk, thanks to your sharp-shooters, I can't possibly get away." "Then what are you doing?" asked Joyce, bewildered. "Why are we out here?" "I'm going to fetch my things," said Dirk sullenly, "but your being out here is just a piece of nonsense." non-sense." Abruptly Joyce became aware of silence. She looked up and around. Far to the east she caught sight of the pillar of dust, this time moving away. She led the way toward the bridge. "I've been in lots of countries." Dirk grumbled as they walked along, "but this is the first where everybody shoots before they ask who you are. By the way, did you know mine isn't the only car parked the other side of the glorified ditch?" To her amazement she heard herself her-self sav: "No. Where?" Why? Why had that lie sprung ready-made to her lips? Her brain bad had nothing to do with it; it hadn't had time. Now she paused in her stride, almost brought to a halt by memory of Pancho's flivver. She had forgotten about it. So there had been a way. after all. to send Van Suttart packing. They retrieved Dirk's basen.ee and presently returned laden with dufile bag, rille. coonskin coat, cap and gloves. Joyce watched Van Suttart with a curious expression as he replaced the bar on the great gate and then that of the zaguan. Reluctantly she led the way across the court and into the patio. He paused on its threshold and drew a long whistling breath. Luz came hurrying toward them, her dirk eves hard and qucstion-, qucstion-, Jovce gave her a ran.d oiv.er. Vull have to talk faster than Hat tor me to miss it." said Dirk, "lou told her to give me a room fai away from yours as po.o.e. "Yes, and you'll find it's about a quarter of a mile," said Joyce sharply. She was angry no longer at him but at herself. Why had she done this thing admitted an enemy when she could have let him go. She saw Maxie approaching. Hadn't he warned her? "Since we ourselves are our only friends whoever who-ever comes from without must be a foe." "Who's the poor devil of a blind man?" asked Dirk, cutting in on her thoughts. "It's Senor Maximiliano, the superintendent," su-perintendent," explained Joyce. "Maxie, let me introduce Mr. Dirk Van Suttart, second secretary of the American embassy." Don Jorge threw up his head as he held out his hand gropingly. "Ah, my apologies." "What for?" asked Dirk. "It was by my order you happened hap-pened to be greeted with bullets." Dirk was led around two sides of the balcony and then through a maze of corridors to a room whose f 7- t fit iilp: ft j Above Their Heads Arched the Low Heavens. single window looked down upon the walled enclosure of an abandoned threshing floor. It was confortable rather than luxurious. He shaved and washed but did not change, then he found his way back to the balcony. It was no place for a loafer. Hugging Hug-ging the rail he slipped down the stairs, intending to embark on a tour of discovery. As he passed the half-open door of what had once been Joyce's playroom he heard a low whinny. He entered and a moment mo-ment later was passing knowing fingers fin-gers over the heads, across the withers and down the legs of as fine a pair of hunters as he had ever handled. Where there were such horses there must be gear. He went out and walked along slowly, trusting his nose more than his eyes. No sooner did he emerge from the inner patio than the smell of leather led him to the tack room, and what a tack room! Harness, bridles, spare bits and stirrups; saddles of every description, hand - made, home - made and imported. Two English ones promptly caught his eye. He lifted their flaps, flexed the stirrup leathers and groaned. A methodical search unearthed a half gallon of neat's-foot oil and an unopened tin of saddle soap. With a sigh of satisfaction he threw off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves and went to work. Oblivious of the passing pass-ing hours he remained unaware of Joyce's approach. She stood watching watch-ing him with unbelieving eyes. Here was no coxcomb but an expert who knew exactly what he was about. "I'm sorry I called you names." "Eh? Oh, it's you. When?" "You know; that first day at the chancellery. "That was a long time ago," he said with a shake of his head as if to wake himself up. "You've certainly cer-tainly been stepping since then." "It does seem long," admitted Joyce, "but it's only a week. I'm curious. How did you get here and why did you come?" "Onicial business," said Dirk. "Instructions." "What instructions?" He dragged a flimsy from his hip pocket, unfolded it and studied the I penciled interlinings wilh a frown, i "I can't read it' all because it's marked confidential, but it says I'm ! instructed to locate you with all pes- sible dispatch, show every attention 1 including provision of funds ar.d ' guard without annoying you." While he spoke Joyce had drawn ' near. With a sure movement, a puli rather than a snatch, she possessed i herself of the paper ar.d stopped ! back n-.to the sunlight where s..e I could read it at her ease. she cxohunied. "I th::ht ?."! Prospective Pro-spective s-or--her! What h-.:s h-.e--s is it of h-s' Why sh. ;:.d ho he j.v "Oh. r.ot Lhi : ' Dcr..r::r.o:-.t of ?ta:e." "That's worse," said Joyce, her eyes flaring. "On what grounds?" Dirk thought desperately but fast. What was the club Arnaldo had used on Margarida? He remembered. "On the grounds you're a minir." Joyce's eyes traveled over him thoughtfully. "I came to tell you lunch is ready," she said at last. "While we're eating I'll decide whether to give you the run of the place on parole or have you locked up." Neither of them smiled. Her sincerity sin-cerity was so evident that what she said fell naturally on his ears and was accepted at face value. Lunch was not served in the formal form-al dining room but in a much smaller small-er apartment. Dirk sat on Joyce's right, Don Jorge Maximiliano on her left and they were served by a barefooted bare-footed procession of servants equal in number to the variety of dishes. One forgot Don Jorge was blind, so neatly did he handle himself. He talked in uncertain but precise English Eng-lish with an Oxford accent, inquiring inquir-ing what posts Dirk had occupied and apparently trying to project himself backward into happy and distant scenes. Silence fell. Dirk, reminded of the hunters, asked about them. "The last of a noble strain," said Don Jorge. "Dorado- kept them close at hand, but as things turned out not quite close enough. He alone rode them, a daily profanation." Dirk turned to Joyce. "Do you mind if I tend to them? They need grooming." "I'd love to. have them looked after," said Joyce, "but what about your parole?" "You have it. I give you my word I won't try to escape until you say I can go and perhaps not then." "Will you teach me to ride?" she bargained. "Certainly." He spoke with confidence. confi-dence. "I'll be ready to give you your first lesson in an hour." She rose from the table. "I'm not sure I can make it, but I'll try. We dine in this room at half past seven." . On his own responsibility he moved the hunters into two box stalls adjoining the tack room. One after the other he .curried and groomed them until their hides shone. They nudged him violently more 'than once, expressing gratitude grati-tude and hope. Dirk examined their feet; they had been freshly shod. As a finishing touch he oiled their hoofs and then had to make up his mind which he would saddle first. Among the campesinos about the stalls was Tobalito, a retainer. Dirk addressed ad-dressed him. "What are their names?" he asked. "The bay is Tronido and the sorrel sor-rel they call Rayo." "Thunder and Thunderbolt," translated Dirk. Every bridle in the tack room was-murderously was-murderously equipped and it took some time to discover a couple of discarded snaffle bits, polish and substitute them. Dirk undertook to ride the bay first. He was prepared for trouble but somewhat to his disappointment, dis-appointment, certainly to that of the crowd, there were no pyrotechnics. The animal recognized a master and his only show of insubordination was a quivering sidling toward the outer gate and freedom. Dirk walked, trotted and finally cantered him on a reach where the cobbles were bedded in chaff. He put his mate through the same meager exercise ex-ercise and found him equally amenable and spirited; nevertheless when Joyce appeared upon the scene there were no hunters in sight. In their place, ready saddled with the same gear, stood two rat-tail rat-tail country ponies. "What's the idea?" she asked, Bushing angrily. "Now don't be cross, please," begged Dirk. "You wouldn't expect to play a concerto at your first music mu-sic lesson, would you?" He looked her up and down admiringly. "If 1 I you don't ride, how do you happen to have the jodhpurs?" "I bought them as soon as I knew I was coming to Mexico," said Joyce. "You notice they haven't been worn." "We'll soon fix that," said Dirk and proceeded to hand out the ABCs of equitation. His patience matched her impatience impa-tience and finally conquered it through sheer endurance. He made her mount and dismount a dozen times reins, stirrup, pommel, then j spring. When she was all but exhausted ex-hausted they rode at a walk and finally at a trot. She looked longingly long-ingly toward the zaguan. "I wonder if it would be safe," she murmured, "just for a little way?" She spoke rapidly to Tobalito in Spanish. "Go ask Leonardo if there's any trouble in sight. We want to ride only as far as the bridge." Tobalito departed at a run, presently pres-ently emerged from the northeast bastion, waved his hand and proceeded pro-ceeded to drop the bar on the zaguan. zag-uan. A moment later she and Dirk passed through the outer gate and immediately she put her pony into a canter. True to her word they rode only as far as the bridge and turned. The next instant she wondered won-dered what had happened. The scrawny pony between her knees had made for the open gate as though shot from a catapult. She did not go with him. She landed, all sitting, with a jar that shook every tooth in her head. While she was still seeing stars Dirk was on his knees at her side. "Hurt?" he asked. "Don't be silly," she exclaimed angrily. "Of course I'm hurt." "Where?" "None of your business," she answered, an-swered, scrambling to her feet. She stalked before him. In silence they reached the gate, passed through the courts and the patio. She disappeared and he was not to see her again until dinner time. Having bathed and dressed in his one lounge suit he entered the dining din-ing room with some trepidation, but his fears were groundless since no woman can change everything she has on without changing her mood. He stared at her as if once more he were discovering the unknown, so different did she look in a fresh summer frock like a splash of flowers. flow-ers. The meal finished, the three of them sat for an hour of lazy talk, since on any hacienda time ceases with the setting of the sun. When at last she rose Don Jorge lifted his face toward her. "Shall I make the rounds, chica, or will you?" "I'll do it," said Joyce. "Perhaps you might show Mr. Van Suttart," said the blind man. "Since he is now our friend be could relieve us of the duty." Joyce hesitated, her eyes downcast. down-cast. "Very well. Mr. Van Suttart, Sut-tart, will you come?" Dirk followed her through tortuous tortu-ous passages, up a spiral stairway and out on the esplanade of the rectangular rec-tangular roof. At the four corners towered the bastions. Beneath their feet were flat tiles so thick and so deeply embedded they could have withstood a cannonade. As far as the eye could reach shimmered the pale gold of the prairie, broken only by the distant snowy pyre of the Nevado de Toluca. Above their heads arched the low heavens, dangling the lantern of the moon and pierced by the myriad dots of silvery stars. Beauty stopped them stopped their breath. They faced each other with a gasp. A moment hung between them a moment they must not lose. It was something visible, that had shape, round, translucent like a bubble and like a bubble it broke and was gone. Mind had triumphed over dreaming. "Come along; we've got to visit the four towers and it's quite a walk." (TO DE COyTlM F.D) |