Show un under d er pr pressure assur by george agnew kriam 0 0 george agnew service chamberlain CHAPTER vl VIII C continued 0 9 joyce heard him but her attention was riveted on something else the bear like apparition she had mistaken 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 puffs of dust thrown up by bullets to the right ind and left of his flying feet quickly sobered her she scrambled down the spiral stairway rushed to the outer daguan and ordered 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 its you said joyce slowly trying to measure the meaning and consequences of his presence yes gasped dirk and its you too are are you all right yes thank you said joyce youre sure he persisted 1 I mean quite quite all right he flushed at her frown nothings happened several things t have happened said joyce dryly 1 I hardly know what to do with you mr van sut tart why he asked flippantly Is the house crowded fairly she answered her cheeks coloring unfortunately she added gravely 49 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 im not welcome are you suggesting I 1 get out the trouble she said frowning 1 I cant ask you to go because you leave if you tried oh yes I 1 can said dirk ill 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 and the wrecked roadster to keep him from leaving his job the job so carelessly tossed him and so blithely taken on he had 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 dont be a fool she protested angrily this the time or the place to show off dirk stopped and turned on her go back he ordered im not trying to show off and im not a child I 1 admit youre right on th the e rest of it you cant throw me out and since my car is junk thanks t to 0 your sharpshooters sharp shooters I 1 cant possibly get away then what are you doing asked joyce bewildered why are we out here im going to fetch my things said dirk sullenly but your being out here is just a piece of n nonsense on 11 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 ive 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 the only car parked the other side of the glorified ditch to her amazement she heard herself say no where why why had that lie sprung ready made to her lips her brair brain had had nothing to do with it it it had time now she paused in her stride almost brought to a halt by memory of flivver she had forgotten about it SO S there had been a way after all to t send van packing they retrieved dirks baggage and presently returned laden with duffle bag rifle coonskin coat cap and gloves joyce watched van with a curious expression as he replaced the bar on the great gate and then that of the daguan 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 dark eyes hard and questioning joyce gave her a rapid order have to talk faster than that for me to miss it said dirk you told her to give me a room as far away from yours as possible yes and find its 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 he warned her since we ourselves are our only friends whoever comes from without must be a foe chos the poor devil of a blind man asked dirk cutting in on her thoughts its senor maximiliano Maxi miliano the superintendent perin explained joyce maxie let me introduce mr dirk van Sut tart second secretary of the american embassy don jorge threw up his head as he held out his hand gropingly ali ah my apologies what for asked dirk it was by my order you happened 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 single window looked down upon the walled enclosure of an abandoned threshing floor it was comfortable 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 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 joyces joycea playroom he heard a low whinny he entered and a moment later was passing knowing fingers 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 galIon of foot oil acdan 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 hours he remained unaware unaware of joyces joycea approach she stood watching him with unbelieving eyes here was no cocco coxcomb mb but an expert who knew exactly what he was about im sorry I 1 called you names eh oh its 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 youve certainly been stepping since then it does seem long admitted joyce but its only a week im curious how did you get here and why did you come official business said dirk instructions what instructions he dragged a flimsy from his hip pocket unfolded it and studied the penciled interlinings inter linings with a frown 1 I cant read it all because its marked confidential but it says im instructed to locate you with all possible dispatch show every attention including provision of funds and guard without annoying you while he spoke joyce had drawn near with a sure movement a pull rather than a snatch she possessed herself of the paper and stepped back into the sunlight where she could read it at her ease so she exclaimed 1 I thought soi so prospective spec tive stepfather what business is it of his why should he be giving you instructions oh not mr blackadder the department of state worse said joyce her eyes flaring on what grounds dirk thought desperately but fast what was the club arnaldo had used on Mar margarida garlda he remembered on the grounds youre a minor joyces joycea eyes traveled over him thoughtfully 1 I came to tell you lunch is ready she said at last while were eating ill d decide whether to give you the run of the place on parole or have you locked up neither of them s smiled her sincerity 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 dining room but in a much smaller apartment dirk sat on joyces joycea right don jorge maximiliano Maxi miliano on her left and they were served by a barefooted procession of servants equal in number to the variety of dishes one forgot don jorge was blind so neatly did he handle himself he g 41 ms X 1 ji 1 1 M tf IN P above their heads arched th the low heavens tal talked ked in uncertain but precise english with an oxford accent inquiring 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 1 tend to them id love to have them looked after said joyce but what about your parole you have it I 1 give you my word I 1 wont try to escape until you say I 1 can go and perhaps not then will you teach me to ride she bargained certainly ile he spoke with confidence ill be ready to give you your first lesson in an hour she rose from the table im not sure I 1 can make it but ill 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 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 about the stalls was Tob alito a retainer dirk addressed him what are their names he asked the bay is and the sorrel they call rayo thunder and thunderbolt translated dirk every bridle in the tack room 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 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 arcise 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 rattail country ponies the idea she asked flushing angrily now dont be eross please begged dirk you yoc expect to play a concerto at your first music lesson would you he looked her up and down admiringly if you dont ride how do you happen to have the jodhpurs 1 I bought them as soon as I 1 knew I 1 was coming to mexico said joyce you notice they been worn well soon fix that said dirk and proceeded to hand out the A ABCs B Cs of equitation his patience matched her impatience and finally conquered it through sheer endurance he made her mount and dismount a dozen times reins stirrup pommel then spring when she was all but exhausted they rode at a walk and finally at a trot she looked longingly toward the daguan 1 I wonder if it would be safe she murmured just for a I 1 little ittle way she spoke rapidly to Tob alito in spanish go ask leonardo if theres any trouble in sight we want to ride only as far as the bridge Tob alito departed at a run presently emerged from the northeast bastion waved his hand and proceeded to drop the bar on the zag uan A moment later she and dirk passed through the outer gate and immediately she put her pony pond into a canter true to her word they rode only as far as the bridge and turned the next instant she wondered 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 0 with him she landed all sitti sitting ng 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 dont be silly she exclaimed angrily of course im hurt where none of your business she answered 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 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 the meal finished the three of them sat for an our c of f 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 1 make the rounds chica or will you ill do it said joyce perhaps you might show mr van Sut tart 11 said the blind man since he is now our friend he could relieve us of the duty joyce hesitated her eyes downcast very well mr van sut tart will you come dirk followed her through tortuous passages up a spiral stairway and out on the esplanade of the rectangular 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 0 of f silvery stars beauty stopped them stopped their breath they faced each other with a gasp A moment hung between them a moment they must no not t lose it was so something methin g visible that had shape round tra translucent ns lucent like a bubble and like a bubble it broke and was gone mind had tr triumphed 1 over dreaming come along weve got to visit the four towers and its quite a walk TO BE CONTINUED |