The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-10-09
CHAPTER XIV

Curt left the bedroom door ajar
slightly, for better circulation of air
than he could get from the two-foot
1attice-work portion Of wall under
the ceiling. He stripped, showered,
and flung himself on the bed under
the mosquito bar. Outside, Emilio
hadn't moved, simply went on read
ing, smoke curling up past his
squirting left eye.
Curt had no intention of falling
asleep; he only wanted to outwait
his shadow. But he was so muscle
weary that he did succumb to cat
nap-with one ear on the alert.
The click of the outer door latch
brought him to. He glanced at the
luminous dial of his wrist watch.
Eight-twenty. He'd been doing for
nearly arf hour.
Quietly he left the bed and went
to the door, but remained out of
the wedge of light coming from the
porch. The door was wider ajar
than he'd left it. He grinned to
himself.
Because of the fan-shaped layout
of Tempujo, Curtis bungalow was
in plain view of the mess-hall, used
as clubhouse outside of meal
hours. He could see Emilio enter
the long, screen-front building. Sc
1ect a table where he had good
view of the lighted porch he'd just
left, and settle himself. He was
Joined at once by couple of natives
Curt recognized them as rodmen
under AL Random-and pack of
cards was produced. Curt grinned
again. That should tie up the
hombre.
He made quick time Of dressing.
A minute sufficed to pull on shorts,
breeches, shirt and socks, but it took
longer to lace up his high boots. He
slipped fiashlight into hip pock-
ct, buckled on his gun belt. He
thought of his hat. But he couldn't
step onto the open screened porch
without the risk of being seen, so
he did without it.
He had one further thought. He'd
like to make sure that no one en-
tered while he was gone and dis
covered his absence. Emilio had a
key. Lauriano Duro had key.
Curt skidded magazine across the
floor, landing it up against the screen
door as though it had so fallen.
No one could enter without dis
placing it, nor could anyone enter
and leave again, and replace the
magazine in just that position.
Quickly he unlocked the rear win
dow screen and swung to the
ground. Some hundred yards up
river from the dock were dozen
or more cayucas-wooden dugouts
belonging to natives in the compa-
ny's service. Carefully, taking adj
vantage of every black shadow, Curt
made his way to them.
He played his flash briefly, select
ed one, worked it's line over the
stake that held it to avoid trouble in
duplicating the knot on his return,
crawled in.
McInnis was waiting for him, slap
ping viciously at neck, arms, thighs.
He seized the nose of the dugout to
pull it onto the bank.
"Cripes, Curt" he complained, elf
you'd been any longer you'd have
found only bones. These rnosqui-
toes are big as hawks.
"Yeh," Curt said briefly. '.Been
noticing. Let's get away from the
bank and light up. It'll help some"
Presently, their pipes doing the work
of smudge pots. "Well, get the dope?"
eyes. But remember Mitchell,
Curt. His curiosity got the better of
him just before he was bumped off.
Mitch made a secret trip over here
one night, just as you're doing
now, and for the same reason. The
Old Man told me. Now, two are
better than one, pal, SO don't spill
till you cut me in on It'll"
Jerry" Curt exclaimed, there's
something rotten on the griddle over
therel can smell it but I can't
identity it. Look. You've heard
of Fora Mitchell's death, of course,
and Bill Henderson's.
ssAnd Mitch's killing wasn't
grudge work. Mitch knew some
thing that had him in a other, if
you can imagine him getting worked
up over anything. Monahan gives
me that much. But what was it?
Well, Mitch is gone, Zora's gone,
Bills gone, Monahan doesn't know
beans. That's why ] want the low
down on Montaya. There may be
a clue there"
He paused.
ibid you know Mitch had been
sabotaging the engineering work?
Slowing it down to such an extent
the whole tract would have been
washed out come next rainy season?
That wasn't like, Mitch. Why'd he
do that? It ties in somehow"
He supplied briefly facts McInnis
didn't know. About the bodyguard