Show own I 1 L d e r lai e 0 george agnew cham chamberlain by george agnew chamberlain ass service SYNOPSIS joyce sewen sewell on the eve of her twentieth birthday rebels at her lot dependent on her detested stepmother irma and f lull ul of tragic memories of her mothers murder twelve nelve years before and her lathers fathers death six months ago irma irm a calls us in helm Blae blackadder kadder an admirer ca to help her persuade a joyce to marry rich young michael kirkpatrick mike sent up to joyce by irma and blackadder a demands a showdown on his proposal p osal and Is rejected reading her fathers papers joyce realizes that la barranca a mexican hacienda which her father had owned legally belongs to her later she receives a letter enclosing a warrant on the united states treasury tor for compensation for her mothers er murder at la barranca she confers confer with mr air bradley a banker and only re remaining m aaning friend of her fathers she co confides that she wants to make a secret journey to mex mexico co bradley arranges all details tor for her she departs by plane undetected dirk van Sut tart second secretary of the american embassy in mexico city gives joyce a chilly reception and rid she loses her temper she f finds a mexican woman lawyer margarida fonseca who bo takes her to general onilla right hand man to the mexican minister of war CHAPTER III continued 4 it got to do with me exercise your memory general era said margarida who confiscated fisca ted la barranca who holds it nowa now dorador Do he cried exactly what do you suggest general dorado says he merely seized abandoned property his tenure is based on salvage my suggestion is that you arrange to have him abandon the hacienda in his turn nothing easier ill have him shot the next time he shows his face in town ive been wanting to do it tor for years im afraid ive come at your siesta hour naturally general dorado must not be killed before the abandoned hacienda is definitely in possession of the rightful owner ah exclaimed onelia it if general dorado who now holds la barranca should be killed even if he should die a natural death his heirs would inherit they would have as good a case as he has now and our work would be all to do over again who wants the place not I 1 L margarida looked at him steadfastly 1 I wonder if you can see a picture if I 1 hold it up before your eyes she inquired try me said onelia testily heres the picture general and that youre not to appear in it at all goes without saying suppose some of your trustiest trust iest men attend to the eviction of dorado without killing him simply drive him and his following out and chase them into the hills simultaneously your men plant the girl and leave her the incident gets in the papers here and across the border the girl is young beautiful has perfect title as titles go and the courage of a bobcat to back it with do you begin to see anything of course I 1 see her getting herself killed and so do you probably but a mere incident perhaps a necessary incident it occur to you you might also see the ambassador from a country we both heartily detest up to his neck in boiling water and one or two ot of our own cabinet officers hanging to their toppling perches with nails and teeth I 1 used to think you had the brains ot of a great minister of war but im beginning to doubt it during her long speech onelia had been advancing toward her with a catlike tread now he placed a blunt finger under her chin tipped back her head and stood looking down into her unflinching eyes youve started something he rumbled and we two are going to finish it if I 1 betray you you can always get me shot at the market price but it if you betray me ill have you dragged by a frightened horse he stepped back shrugged his shoulders and sat down call in the girl when joyce entered nothing could have exceeded margaritas Marg aridas complacent air of accomplishment unless it was the generals urbanity all you ask is to be put in possession of la barranca Is that thai correct yes general I 1 was happy there ive never been happy since I 1 left the years of my childhood one moment senorita our plan contemplates presenting you with the hacienda and nothing more it is a dangerous plan extremely dangerous to you I 1 mean I 1 dont exaggerate when I 1 say the chances are ten to one meet your mothers fate the scheme is to filter a sufficient number ot of men within the walls ot of la barranca pick a quarrel at a given signal and then drive out general dorado who now holds the property it is essential that you be on the spot to take immediate possession on the spot mind you do you agree 1 I do said joyce but this general dorado he wont be killed will he no child certainly not im glad to reassure you on that point said onella onelia unctuously the question now arises as to who shau shall be your personal escort he touched a bell and the door opened almost instantly send sergeant buenaventura the soldier who presently entered the room immediately inspired joyce with confidence loyalty was written in every line ot of his face sit down pancho said onella onelia this is a social gathering besides you are now commencing a months furlough on full pay accompanied by a detail of eighteen men never by any chance are you to report to me what happens during your absence it wont be necessary since I 1 am about to tell you what you will do with every minute of your time he proceeded to give instructions so broad yet so complete to the last detail that joyce was moved to admiration mi ration understand pancho he concluded the shot that kills general dorado will surely kill you maim him it if you like but dont kill him it is understood ml mi general when do we start today it if you like said joyce if thaes impossible then tomorrow it will take three days at least to place my men he stated they must be sent singly and in advance attend to it at once ordered onelia As for you hold yourself in readiness and see you have the sort of car which will attract 4 two men alen were condescending to park their guns with their hats least attention you may go As sergeant buenaventura left the room the general turned to mar garlda we have overlooked an important point she said it is vital dorado should be in residence otherwise we would be committing a mere trespass I 1 instruct pancho to wait in that case until dorado returned 11 no weve got to find out about dorado and theres only one sure source of information where who adan arnaldo of el call that a source exploded onelia try to make it flow the trouble said margarida 1 I do it alone neither could you but the two of us in casual conversation el asked joyce intrigued by their manner A resort my dear said margarida A baite what you would call a night club oh please let me go too begged joyce it was odd the way their heads turned toward her as though moved by identical springs and equally strange that both faces should go through the same changes of expression their latin eyes were seeing her at el no girl of breeding could crash that door and keep her social standing and or not had nothing to do with it of 01 course joyce was unaware of any such deadline which only made it more amusing it might not be a bad idea remarked margarida at last not at all a bad idea agreed onelia As a matter of 0 fact act unless accompanied by both of you I 1 consider lor for a moment going myself ill send my car to pick you up shall we say at midnight too early by at least an hour said margarida make it one CHAPTER IV el occupied a triangle at the intersection of a side street with the calzada manuel A string ol of private rooms comprised its longer flank but on the shorter side there was a respectable entrance leading directly to the restaurant and dance floor the room was tan fan shaped and fairly large the orchestra was placed in the stem of 0 the fan which put the master of ceremonies the highly popular adon adan arnaldo at a distinct advantage since he could watch the entire assemblage without having to worry about anything behind his back the tables were in two banks one at the level of the floor the other raised and hugging the slant of the walls the wide outer fringe of the fan was given over to stage entrance hallway cloak room cooking and service departments general onelia met joyce and margarida in the foyer he was dressed in mufti and when margarida divesting herself of an ulster like overcoat displayed a dark tailored suit joyce felt a qualm as to her own lovely semi evening dress but immediately her attention was seized by something else at a murmured request from the checkroom check room girl two men were condescending to park their guns with their hats margarida cast a hurried and curious glance at joyces joycea face but found she need not worry joyce was given a seat with her back to the wall sensing the concentrated cent rated stare upon her she was troubled and looked around anxiously it must be her clothes but to her relief she saw a few people on the dance floor in evening dress and then discovered a party of men against the opposite wall all of whom were logged out in the full regalia of tails and white ties she wondered about them perceiving at once they were onlookers rather than participants evidently they had come to watch the fun perhaps in an effort to forget thedore the boredom of some diplomatic function at the thought she examined them more carefully and suddenly found herself gazing at long range into the eyes of dirk van Sut tart she looked away at once making no sign of recognition but not before she had caught the rapid change of expression in his face in an instant it had passed from surprise to wonder and from wonder to dismay tinged with aversion lie he was profoundly shocked A flush of anger stained her cheeks but at that moment adan arnaldo came to conelias On elias table to do homage to authority he was a handsome young man and lacked the sleek look which usually distinguishes the master of ceremonies of such a boute as el his minner manner as he greeted margarida whom he knew declared him a substantial partner as well acknowledging now an introduction to joyce he took her hand but without removing his eyes from the generals face well adan said the general 1 I dont doat have to ask you how things are going jam packed as usual not so bad admitted arnaldo the genius of this place remarked margarida consists in its diversity theres one clientele at midnight ht another at two and a third at tour four in the morning yes said arnaldo and it if we could close at one id be poorer but a lot happier he glanced at onelia its a long time since youve honored me quite true but im a busy man and ive taken to going to bed I 1 suppose the old are still on the job I 1 seen castellito diego borda general dorado or panchito panchita Pan chito aroyo 9 gen en since I 1 came here last that about covers the list it general said arnaldo laughingly 1 I compliment you on your memory so now how could I 1 forget any of that hock flock of fla no no not that corrected arrialdo arnaldo you remembered not to mention a single one ol of the dead Mar margarida garlda laughed youre worried adan chos on the rampage nowadays are you expecting dorado or is it only castellito arnaldo did not answer tell me she persisted who is the cause tonight of that little crease of worry on your brow general onelia said arnaldo as he rose to resume his duties onella scowled at the ambiguous distinction compliment insult threat or warning he could take his choice he sat in a moody silence paying no attention to his guests smoldering inside him was dull rage at arnaldo what had he meant he knew of the longstanding onelia dorado feud everybody did had he guessed at once that he and margarida were after information as to dorados donados Do rados whereabouts and plans in spite of her hosts neglect joyce was not bored she sipped her wine sparingly and let her eyes wander abruptly she sensed onelia had gone tense in every muscle and following the direction of his gaze she saw an individual in uniform accompanied compa comp nied by two bodyguards bodyguards erupt from a slight commotion in the entrance hall on her left never before had she seen a visage so striking so individual so different from the ordinary conception of a human face jet black hair close cropped came down in a sharp peak to within an inch of heavy eyebrows and where cheekbones should have protruded there were indentations causing the massive blue black jaw divided midway by the gash of full red lips to appear to slant outward feeling her eyes upon him the man stopped stared smiled and saluted gaily he was drunk and as he staggered toward the table hurriedly being placed for him at the edge of the dance floor arnaldo darted forward apparently to greet him but he took up his stand in a direct line between onelia and the new arrival joyce leaned toward margarida Mar ganda who is that man she whispered the officer who just came in general dorado murmured margarida almost inaudibly arnaldo chatting cheerfully with dorado took out a cigarette and tapped it on his wrist at the third tap the orchestra began to pack up its instruments and one ot of the four tiers of lights went out adan did his best to hold the attention of the recent arrival but when a second bank of lights was extinguished dorado awoke to realization of what was intended an odd hush fell on the room accompanied by an electric air of expectancy it was real something even the uninitiated could feel and joyces joycea knees began to tremble from excitement her evening bag slipped from her lap she leaned over quickly to pick it up and to her consternation caught the glint of a service revolver clapped against conelias On elias thigh her first impression was that it was quite still but as she rose she realized its muzzle had been moving slowly upward then she heard margarida whisper to him hoarsely dont be a fool or spoil everything leave it to adan and nothing will happen nothing at that instant dorado raised his own gun aloft butt end down and crashed it on the table so violently that plates knives and forks went flying musical he roared he pointed uncertainly at joyce with a wagging forefinger then waved it to include every woman in th the room musical TO BE CONTINUED |