Show under U d P pressure ss u r e by george agnew chamberlain 0 george agnew service chamberlain CHAPTER XV Continued 18 yank off bridle and saddle and turn him loose suddenly joyce began to sob what are you crying aboudi about theres simply nothing else todo oh its not thail cried joyce still weeping as she un buckled throat latch and girth its tro nado im im crying about tro nido dont said dirk please dont or have me so I 1 cant do a damn thing dont you suppose hell then he continued quietly joyce hold on a bit we may both have to ride rayo the batt erys run down 0 oh ill I 1 she gasped grief forgotten in the face of fresh disaster suddenly dirk started testing tearing out the front cushion here it Is thank god the crank get in joyce take the ih throttle and work the choke Hur burryl ryll he leaped out and in a moment was cranking with all his might no use not a spark then he began using reason and judgment giving joyce time enough to do the same they teased the motor teased it into a first gasp of life then more teasing then a roar so sudden so mighty that it ii seemed the old car would shake itself to pieces before joyce could shut hut off the throttle the backfiring was deafening more like a machine gun than a motor oh h dickt she screamed though he was already at her side 1 I cant make it stop chos a fool now he yelled at the top 0 of f his voice take your foot off the accelerator and pus push yourself over then he was at the wheel backing turning cautiously forbear for fear of the spikes of beads but finally straightening out on the toluca trail shifting into second and at last into high joyce turned kneeled on the seat and looked back the riders were closer now quite close some of them were already dismounting their carbines and running to kneel on the farther edge of the barranca never mind the bumps dirk she called over her shoulder give her gas and take everything that comes the shooting is about to start how tar far off are they asked dirk then and there joyce was waa stumped t u T ped for is there a woman alive wh who 0 knows by sight the difference between a hundred yards and a half a mile 1 I dont know she said 1 I the least idea of course you havel have he shouted impatiently how far Is it ten yards or a mile 1 I dont know said joyce im not being stubborn I 1 just dont know then she crl cried e d never mind here it comes 1 the first bullet struck jn in line but well behind the car it ricocheted and passed over them with I a screaming whine that was enough tor for dirk he opened the throttle wide and sent the flivver careening across the prairie making note of the direction he be would have to take to bring it back to the abandoned trail more bullets followed but nane none so 0 threatening as the first and presently there was silence joyce sat down and sank back sighing her relief 1 I guess were safe dirk we better nurse the tires a bit they must be pretty soft youre ing down how long has this soap box been parked in that gully let me see said joyce calca caleu la tingly Is it a year no it cant be ill give you a chance to figure it oui out for yourself your sett dirk howmann how many jeays have you been at la barran ca caa nine said dirk promptly then add three to that said joyce it s seem eem possible twe twelve a days less than two I 1 was away twelve years ive been back twelve days somehow it doen t make sense CHAPTER XVI at the first crossroads they were lucky enough to get gas and the poor old flivver faithful to the last limped into toluca a little before noon abandoning it in a side street to avoid unnecessary complications they walked to the san carlos and before long were feasting on crystal trout fresh from the lerma and certain equally famed accessories more than once they raised their eyes to look at each other across the table then dropped them tie be cause their hearts were too full of content for words but the moment the meal was over dirk said without without warning joyc will you marry me ive got to know t yes dirk when this afternoon As soon as we get to the city aoh oh why wait till then asked joyce but dirk was as in no playing mood Be because causo theres no american con coa sul InTo in toluca luca he answered gravely does there have to be a consul either that or some authorized officer from the tha embassy any preacher in good standing can do the tha trick but the presence of an american official as witness Is what makes it legal at home 1 I see said joyce slowly then she raised her eyes to his face ace dirk im yours ill do whatever you want me to he reached out to lay his hand on hers 1 I love you joyce and I 1 love you dirk Is that why we must hurry so think it would make us willing to wait he frowned you told me your reason tor for rushing to mexico city but I 1 think I 1 guessed it to attend to general onell onelia a said joyce also frowning 1 I thought so said dirk and why were going to marry today when you take on onelia or A person of your tour particular looks size and adorable bu build id the ambassador or any other small fry I 1 want a right nobody can dispute to be in the ring to sit in your corner she smiled again I 1 love you dirk going out in search of the finest car available he walked on air he was glad to be alive glad to be relieved of the strain of driving and to sit in the back with his bis arm around joyce both ot of them wrapped in the same rug arrived in the c city ity they drove straight to his little house and from her first glimpse of its exterior to the last long look within joyce was conscious of pleased wonder and a steadily increasing sense of well being here was a nurtured loveliness in bulks bulk individual to the core yet with arms held wide to all devotees of good taste she was happy in this house even pablo masking amazement all b but ut choking on suppressed joy at the return of his missing master seemed of its warp and woof what about a hot bath to start with asked dirk splendid she answered quickly then her ups lips drooped 1 I anything to put on dont worry said dirk search the world and you find a costume more becoming than what youre wearing to a person of 01 your particular looks size and adorable build silly head 1 1 I can furnish you a soft shirt tor for a blouse and by the time youre ready for or them the jodhpurs s will eddas have been brushed and press pressed as sweet as a flower he turned to pablo pablo this Is the senorita joyce sewell from whom you may take orders as coming from myself only more so give her into the charge of 0 paulina As for or the rest I 1 leave it to her since she talks spanish better than either of you dirk had not dismissed the hired car and without bothering to inform joyce or even waiting to wash his hands he started tor for the embassy proper passing the chancellery by the great iron gate was opened by a strange porter but the man on the door was an old fr friend lend good afternoon antonio buenas bienas tardes bardes don deecke cried antonio excitedly buenas bienas tardes bardes buenas bienas tar eardest tard dest esl Is the ambassador at home and awake si senor como come no tell him a mr van would like to see him be sure you give the message just jus t as I 1 say it 1 As they entered the vast living room the ambassador himself eberg emerged ed with a rush from his study stopped and stared well he gasped ill say you came on the runt his eyes moved up and down you changed those clothes since you left dirk glanced downward ruefully then looked up and grinned 1 I admit its pretty bad siro sir especially since I 1 come as a private citizen what do you mean I 1 fired you yet 1 I was merely anticipating said dirk looking around what are you hunting tor for two things A chair with a washable cover and a drink forgive me my boy sit anywhere you me like theres nobody to kick about it since im a grass wid ower from rom a week ago till the christmas holidays ill ring lor for your usual come on now noi w on your mind im here for or assistance sir I 1 want you to help me marry miss joyce sewell of la barr barranca anca this afternoon the ambassador collapsed into the nearest chair and groaned then they talked talked as only two men who possess an identical background can talk the rapid fire of questions and answers covered not only dirks absence but swept from such broad considerations as his ancestry tor for three generations back down to the trifling matter of his present private income in dollars and cents with salary omitted emitted yet there was no confusion when they got through there was nothing either of them know about the inner and outer workings of dirk van Sut tart lets see where we stand said the ambassador surn summing ming up you want to marry miss sewell well ashes certainly of age as far as that operation is concerned so stopping you by getting her stepmother to stop her is definitely out then you state you cant wait even to telephone your people because of the urgency of securing aid because what they say make any difference anyway and finally because probably in europe he scowled the first of those three reasons Is w hat S bothering me trouble heading headin g straight this way you worry on that score said dirk As a matter of fact sir miss sewell emphatically want the aid of this establishment lish ment she says she can get along a whole lot better without v it her idea is that ever since embassies have been run tor for trade and to hell with the trader become mere stumbling blocks to the pioneer also a constant pain an eye sore eh exclaimed the ambassador astonished then he asked with genuine solicitude are you sure ashes quite all there quite said dirk confidently the truth is sir im inclined to agree with her give her a chance and shell make a monkey out of onella onelia which is more than we have ever been able to do dirk im calling you dirk because I 1 want you to think ot of me as sitting here in place of your father in less than two weeks this girl has managed to do extraordinary things to your mind so much so that I 1 beg you not to trust it until youve taken advice from someone capable of judging her with impartial eyes 1 I agrie agree to that said dirk promptly what about yours do you think they would be impartial the ambassador frowned then smiled all ali I 1 can say Is id try my best to make them so when can you bring the paragon around dont think me impertinent but there time for that besides since she ha has nothing but riding clothes she might find it embarrassing 1 I take it youre inviting me to your house stated the ambassador yes sir said dirk and id be a lot more humble about it if you waived your ambassadorship to act as my father a bullseye bulls eye conceded the ambassador lets go thee the quicker the better do you mind if I 1 have a wash sit sir begged dirk 1 I have time later on help yourself you certainly need it and you know the way dirk washed all he could reach without undressing then paused long enough to do some important telephoning consequently several minutes elapsed before he found himself in the ambassadorial car and only then did he feel a first twinge of trepidation almost an hour had passed since he be had abandoned his prospective bride without warning how would she react to such cavalier treatment how to the surprise he was about to spring on her absurd as it might appear what joyce thought about anything seemed to him a lot more important than what the ambassador was going to think about joyce even so he be was in tor for a shock tor for the moment pablo opened the c closed door of the living room and stood back that his master and his masters chief might pass they crashed to in upon an astonish astonishing in g scene before them back to the h e door and with hands thrust in her breeches pockets stood joyce in an unmistakable posture of battle beyond a veritable lioness of a hatless woman not only in appearance but by virtue of her roar paced tho the room from side to side words were tumbling out of her in SI an unceasing and reverberating rever berating rumble yet joyces joycea voice accurately pitched could cut across it quite clearly without apparent forcing its no use margarida she was saying you can yelp all you like but youre here and youre going to stay try to get out and ill ride you down the block that why ive kept on these clothes joyce jo y ce please pl easel cried dirk in an agonized voice then he collected himself and faced the older woman Licen clada margarida fonseco may I 1 present his excellency the ambassador of the united states he laid his hand on joyces joycea shoulder as she turned chief he half gulped this is joyce joyce sewell sewel I 1 the th e ambassador found himself looking into as straight and blue a pair of eyes as he had ever seen eyes of a blue that at the moment was almost black he took a hand cool to the touch slender yet abaz angly firm and the next a current of 0 courage and the will to fight swept up the length of his a arm r in straight to his heart my dear he heard himself saying after quite a pause dont you think we might all sit down of course said joyce then hesitated looking doubtfully toward Mar margarida garlda at that moment pablo appeared at the door stood back and announced loudly general genera seb sebastiano a sti sanches y robles ex minister of war generall general cried the ambassador advancing with outstretched hand what brings you here of all places and people 1 I dont know said the general glancing around in a bewildered manner 1 I really dont excellency C I 1 came in answer to a mysterious mess message age from the young lady who caused us so much trouble brought about my downfall and thus established my reputation tor for all time as a prophet Is she here joyce stepped forward pros pres ente mi general she smiled but almost immediately turned sober if I 1 did you an injury im more than willing and ready to make amends general im going to tell you a story frequently I 1 shall have occasion to call upon Ma margarida garlda fonseca tor for confirmation whenever she denies a point you may take it she means the contrary let her face be my star witness I 1 defy her lips TO BE CONTINUED |