The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-02-15
Chapter 30
THE MESSAGE

| uG0SRoG HIGH above them were two win - dows, one on each adjacent wall. Frank guessed that this was either a corner room, or that the cell abutted upon courtyard. The window-openings were barred, as was the square orifce in the studded door.
 He approached the door and stud jed it. He lifted his fist and struck it.
 What are you trying to do?" asked Greene.
 "Get somebody here, and tell 'em we want water"
 "No good. tried that while you were bye bye
 Grahame unlaced a boot. If at 1 first you don't succeed" he said tugging at the heel, make some more noise."
 He pounded the door with his boot-heel After a period he heard a voice outside the door ask him in Spanish what he wanted.
 "Water!"
 The voice spat some reply, and they heard the mans soft footsteps retreating.
 Grahame redoubled his pound ing. Soon the voice spoke again and Grahame replied in voluble Span ish.
 What are you telling him?" Greene asked curiously.
 Telling i'm we'll die without food and water, and that he'll catch the devil if he lets us"
 The man without seemed to hesi- tate before replying. then. mutter- ing, shufIled away. Grahame smiled
 Bet you dime we get the water"
 The minutes sped away. An hour passed. The heat within the closed room was stifling. While the pain in his head diminished. Grahame doubted if he were capable of any great effort. His right arm and shoulder were worse than useless. he knew.
 There seemed scant chance of 1 making a break for freedom from this situation. It would take a miracle to alter their circumstances for the better. He wondered how long they would keep them here, and for what ultimate purpose.
 They seemed. these savage peo. pie. utterly ruthless about the lives of their male vic 'ms. His thoughts instinctiyely refused to dwell on Janice's fate. He knew too well what might happen to her.
 Many of the warriors had white | skins, sun-bronzed to be sure, bu, undoubtedly white. The eyes of some of them were blue, and their hair yellow.
 He thought, too. of Hollywood which by now had assumed the status almost of a heavenly abode to him.
 LIE WONDERED just why he had II walked out of Janice's house that night after she had so curtly refused him. He even wondered whether she had refused him, or whether the slap she had dealt him was rather the result of over-strung nerves.
 In any case. it was obvious that his action had been responsible for most of what had come since. For evidently if he had talked it out with Janice that night they might al least have come to some agreement that would have made it possible for him to continue with Myberg.
 And had he continued with My berg he would have been a member | Ol tAO COh Pony that udQ D6eD sen to Mexico, and thus would have been able to protect Janice at every step. Or at least to try to protect her.
 He would certainly never have permitted the company to advance blind into the most dangerous par of Mexico. He might very well have brought it 'nto the wilds, it is true but certainly not under the pro tection" of Ortega.
 "Hindsight is better than fore sight," he quoted grimly to himself as he looked about his cell.
 The whole debacle had been the result of girls slap-and man. stunned pride. The rancor of tho one had gone. but the consequences of the other remained.
 He wondered again at the fidelity of Juan, the chance that haC brought the boy to him, ant whether the youth was by nov safely out of the territory of tn, hIoodfhircfv suhlayadOs