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Web of the Golden Spider, The

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<h2>CHAPTER XVIII</h2> <h3>Blind Alleys</h3> For a moment he stood there staring, wondering if it could be only a dream that he had held her in his arms, that he had brought her up here, that she had lain upon this white bed which now mocked him with its emptiness. Then he took a step into the room, where he saw still the imprint of her head upon the pillow. He turned at this and ran into the hall, shouting her name. He was down the stairs in three bounds. The couch where he had left Sorez was also empty. The guard at the front door would not believe when told; but the proof lay in the absence of the guard in the rear. This door opened upon a small garden surrounded by a low wall. A gate led from this into a narrow street in the rear. If they were gone far they must have left in a carriage, for neither of them was strong enough to walk. With a feeling of more bitter hatred than he had ever felt against any man, he realized that Sorez must have been in part shamming. That he was weak and exhausted there could be no doubt; but it was equally clear now that he was by no means so weak as he had led Wilson to believe. Not even Stubbs could have 215 drawn Wilson from the house, had he suspected Sorez of being able to move from that couch within twelve hours. Wilson blamed himself for stupidity, for carelessness, for almost criminal negligence in thus leaving the girl. And yet one might as soon reckon on the dead coming to life, as for this dénouement. It was clear that he was dealing with no ordinary man, but he should have known this after the display of nerve he had witnessed as Sorez had climbed the stairs in his own house. He was a man with an iron will, with the ability to focus whatever energy remained within him upon a single objective. Through this Wilson gained a ray of hope; even if he found it impossible to locate him before, he knew that Sorez would press on to the lake of Guadiva. No power, no force less than death would serve to prevent him. Sooner or later Wilson would meet his man there. The present pity of it was that with the information he possessed, the secret of the parchment, he might possibly have prevented this journey and saved the girl much hardship. So his brain reasoned, but back of this was the throbbing ache that would not listen to reason. He wanted her again within his arms; he wanted again to look into her dark eyes, to feel again the warmth of her breath against his neck. He wanted, too, the sense of protecting and caring for her. He had meant to do so much; to find a comfortable lodging place for her until he could take her back; to forage food and clothing for her. A hundred things unsaid whirled 216 about in his brain; a hundred plans unfulfilled mocked him; a hundred needs unsatisfied. For a few precious moments he had held her in his arms,––a few moments when he craved years, and then he had lost her. Perhaps there was still a chance. His own head was too confused to form a plan at present. He determined to return to the palace and seek Stubbs. With the aid of two of Otaballo’s lieutenants he was able to locate Stubbs, who was assisting the General in an attempt to bring the mercenaries into some sort of order. These men finally worn out, he had succeeded in enticing into one of the big rooms where he had calmly turned the lock upon them. Wilson greeted Stubbs with the single exclamation: “They’ve gone again.” “What––the girl?” “Gone,” groaned Wilson. “But within the hour. I want you to help me find them.” “Like huntin’ fer a loose dory in th’ dark, ain’t it?” “Yes, but you’d hunt even for your dory, wouldn’t you?” “Right, m’ boy, an’ I ain’t suggestin’ thet yer change yer course, only––these seas are uncharted fer me. But how’d she git outern yer hands once yer had her?” “Oh, I was a fool, Stubbs. I thought she would sleep until night, and so came over here to let you know where I was. That would have been all right if I hadn’t stayed, but the Queen came and––she told you about Danbury?” <div>217</div> “Yes,” nodded Stubbs, “an’ I can’t figger out whether it’s right er wrong. At any rate, he’s taken care of fer a couple weeks. I found out she told the truth, and that the boat has gone. But about the girl––have you an idea where this pirate has taken her?” “No more than you have.” “He isn’t a stranger here, is he? Prob’ly has friends, eh?” “That’s so. I know he has. I saw some of his letters.” “Know who they are?” Wilson shook his head. “I suppose we might find that out from the General––he must know him, for the man was a surgeon or something in the armies here.” Two hours passed before they were able to reach the General, and then they had but a word with him. The girl had done his bidding and was now crowned Queen of Carlina. Every loyal citizen of Bogova was out, anxious to cheer himself hoarse before his neighbor. From the outlying districts the natives were pouring into the city as fast as they heard of the termination of hostilities. Otaballo had his hands full with prospect of more to do every hour. “Everyone in Bogova knows Sorez,” he answered. “If he had been in the city for the last year I should know more of his possible whereabouts than I do. He was a surgeon in the Republican armies here, but he took no active interest in the Republic. How little his arrest proves. In fact, I think he stands in disfavor, 218 owing to the trouble with the hill men, which they think started with him. I’ve even heard him accused of having stolen the image. But I don’t believe that or I’d arrest him myself. As it is, I’d like to have a talk with him. I can’t suggest where he is, but I’ll give you a couple of men who know him and know the city to help you.” “Good!” exclaimed Wilson. “In the meanwhile,” he said, turning to Stubbs, “I’m depending on you to keep those men in order. If they only had their pay–––” “They’ll get it as soon as we can reach Danbury. It was you who sent him away, General.” There was a note of resentment in Stubbs’ voice. He had not at all approved of this act. “I know, I know. But––I saved his life by it. As soon as things settle down a bit it will be safer for him. In the meanwhile, if we could get those men out of the city. To be frank, I’m afraid of them. Arlano might reach them and he could buy them with a few pieces of gold.” “I’m not denying that,” said Stubbs, “unless ye can give them more gold. As fer myself, I can’t promise ye nothin’. I’ve finished my cruise with the captain an’ done my best. If he was here, I’d stick by him still, but he ain’t, an’ I’ve gut other things in hand. Every mother’s son of the crew will git their pay fer their work so far, but further, I dunno. They done what they promised––took the city fer ye. Now if ye doesn’t watch ’em I reckon they’ll take it fer 219 themselves. As much as they can git in their pockets, anyhow.” “I don’t like that,” answered the General, darkly. “If you’ll look after them–––” “I wash my hands of them from now on,” broke in Stubbs. “Havin’ other duties.” “Other duties here?” asked Otaballo, instantly suspicious. “The findin’ of this gent Sorez bein’ one of ’em,” answered Stubbs. “An’ I guess we better be about it.” “It is for the sake of the girl,” explained Wilson. “The one you saw me bringing from the dungeon. Sorez kidnapped her from America, and now he has taken her again.” The General’s face brightened. “Ah, that is it!” He summoned a lieutenant and held a brief whispered conversation with him. “Gentlemen,” he concluded, turning to Wilson, “Lieutenant Ordaz––he will give you what assistance you need.” “An’ th’ same,” said Stubbs, in a whisper to Wilson as soon as they were upon the street again, “we’ll proceed to lose. I didn’t like th’ look in Oteerballo’s eye when he give us this ’ere travellin’ mate.” It was an easy enough task for Stubbs. At the end of three or four blocks he instructed Wilson to detach himself and go back to the last public house they had passed and there wait for him. This Wilson did, and in less than ten minutes Stubbs appeared alone. <div>220</div> “Sorry ter part comp’ny with the gent, but with him we wuz more likely ter find Oteerballo than Sorez. ’Nother thing, we has gotter do some plannin’ ’fore we begins work. ’Cause if I ain’t mistaken, we has a long chase ahead. In th’ fust place, how much gold is yer carryin’?” “Gold? Not a dollar.” “I thought ’bout thet amount. Next place, is yer papers safe?” Wilson felt of his pocket where they were tightly pinned in. “Couldn’t lose those without losing my coat.” “Might lose yer coat in this here city. Next, how ’bout weapins?” Wilson drew out the revolver which he had managed to keep through all the confusion. In addition to that he had some fifty cartridges loose in his pocket. “Good!” commented Stubbs. Then he took an inventory of his own resources. “In th’ fust place, I has some three hundred dollars in gold in this here leather belt ’bout my waist. Never had less in it since a ’sperience I had forty year ago. Fer weapins we is ’bout equal. Now I figgers this way; it will take us ’bout a week to learn what we has gotter learn ’bout the coast beyond those hills afore we takes chances on crossin’ ’em. We can git this information at th’ same time we is doin’ what we can to locate th’ girl, though I ain’t reckonin’ on seein’ her till we reaches th’ lake. We can pick up our outfit and our grub at th’ same time.” 221 Wilson broke in. “I don’t like the scheme, Stubbs. I want to get to work and find the girl before she gets over the hills. It’s too hard a trip for her––it might kill her. She’s weak now, but that brute wouldn’t care. If–––” “Slow! Slow, m’ son. Yer blood is hot, but sometimes th’ short course is th’ longest. If we wastes a week doin’ nothin’ but thet, we wastes another perhaps arter we had found they has started. If we makes ourselves sure of our course to th’ treasure, we makes sure of our course to th’ girl. Thet is th’ only sure thing, an’ when ye’ve gut big things at stake it’s better ter be sure than quick.” “I suppose you are right.” “’Nother thing, m’ son, ’cordin’ to my notions this ain’t goin’ ter be a partic’laly healthy place fer ’Mericans in a day er two. Now thet they have bamboozled the Queen (an’ she herself is as squar’ a little woman as ever lived) inter gittin’ Danbury outer th’ city, an’ now thet the fight is won fer ’em, an’ now thet th’ boys we brought is about ter raise hell (as they certainly is), Otaballo ain’t goneter be squeamish ’bout removin’ quiet like and safe everyone who bothers him. In three days we might not be able to git out long ’nuff to git tergether an outfit er ask any questions. There’s a whole lot ’bout thet map o’ yourn thet we wanter understan’ afore we starts, as I looks at it.” “There is some sense in that.” <div>222</div> “It’s a simple proposition; does ye want ter gamble on losin’ both chances fer th’ sake of savin’ a week, or does yer wanter make sure of one fer the double treasure––gold and girl?” “I’d give every penny of the treasure to get the girl in my grip once again.” “Ye’ve gotter git yer treasure fust afore ye can even do thet.” “I know it. I’m powerless as things are. If there is a treasure there and we can get it, we’ll have something to work with. If I had the money now, I’d have fifty men on his track, and I’d post a hundred along the trail to the lake to intercept him.” “If ye’d had the treasure, likely ’nuff ye wouldn’t have started. But ye ain’t gut it an’ ye is a long, long way from gettin’ it. But if ye don’t divide yer intrests, we is goin’ ter git it, an’ arter that we is goin’ ter git th’ girl, if she’s anywhere atop th’ earth.” “I believe you, Stubbs,” answered Wilson, with renewed enthusiasm. “And I believe that with you we can do it. We’ll make a bargain now; share and share alike every cent we find. Give me your hand on it.” Stubbs reached his big hand across the table and the two men shook. “Now,” he said, “we’ll have a bite to eat and a mouthful to drink and begin work.” During the next week they followed one faint clue after another, but none of them led to anything. Wilson managed to secure the names of many men 223 who knew Sorez well and succeeded in finding some of them; but to no purpose. He visited every hotel and tavern in the city, all the railroad and steamship offices, but received not a word of information that was of any service. The two had disappeared as effectually as though they had dropped from the earth. At the advice of Stubbs he kept out of sight as much as possible. The two had found a decent place to board and met here each night, again separating in the morning, each to pursue his own errands. Both men heard plenty of fresh stories concerning the treasure in the mountains. Rumors of this hidden gold had reached the grandfathers of the present generation and had since been handed down as fact. The story had been strongly enough believed to inspire several expeditions among the natives themselves within the last twenty years, and also among foreigners who traded here. But the information upon which they proceeded had always been of the vaguest so that it had come to be looked upon as a fool’s quest. The three hundred dollars was sufficient with careful buying to secure what the two men needed. Stubbs attended to all these details. They wished to make themselves as nearly as possible independent of the country, so that they could take any route which seemed to be advisable without the necessity of keeping near a base of supplies. So they purchased a large quantity of tinned goods; beef, condensed milk, and soup. Sugar, coffee, chocolate, flour, and salt 224 made up the burden of the remainder. They also took a supply of coca leaves, which is a native stimulant enabling one to withstand the strain of incredible hardships. Each of them secured a good Winchester. They were able to procure what ammunition they needed. A good hunting knife completed the armament of each. For clothing they wore on their feet stout mountain shoes and carried a lighter pair in their kits. They had khaki suits and flannel shirts, with wide Panama sombreros. At the last moment Stubbs thought to add two picks, a shovel, and a hundred feet or more of stout rope. Wilson had made a copy of the map with the directions, and each man wore it attached to a stout cord about his neck and beneath his clothing. It was in the early morning of August 21 that the two finally left Bogova, with a train of six burros loaded with provisions and supplies for a three months’ camping trip, and a native guide. <hr class='major' /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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