The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-23
CHAPTER FIVE

up 10 the Black1ander. 'Wny 90
these m in come INTO my
plane?" he demanded in Spanish
Que va! Am l some cheap snug
gler of rifles or"
Cliff laid : restraining hand or
his friends shoulder. easy, Pab-
lc, old son. ne warned.
Put Pahlo's wrath had carried
him far beyond the dictates of
caution. He s h o k a tobacco
stained finger in Vicente's face.
Clumsy, heavy : hoofed donkeys,
they tramp on the wings, they
open up the hood. Do these NAL
carados take my plane for an OK
cart?"
Vicente's huge ri light hand
reached out, fastened in Pablo's
shirt, and effortlessly raised him
from the ground.
For your size you make much
noise" he growled, and a deep
laugh rolled among mis- riders.
AT sight of h e little pilot
souirming in midair, a wave of
anger swept Cliff, and forgetful of
mis- own need for caution, he took
a step forward.
Put MIN down." he said.
Only Vicents'z lips moved. 81
have still another hand. Shall l
lift you tool"
Cliffs eyes frightened. Put him
down."
They were standing within
arms length. Cliff saw Vicente
shift his weight slightly, saw the
huge hand move toward him,
while on the trail behind them the
Blackland riders sat their horses,
watching, tense W i tn expectancy.
For barely a heartbeat that silent
tableau endured, then suddenly it
was shattered. A figure swept past
Cliff, and Lilli, with small hands
clenched. frowned Up into
Vicente's face.
"Vin, you quit this" The slant
eyes were Swapping. "You stop
your bullyin', hear mel"
For a second there was no re-
Spouse, then to Cliffs astonish-
ment, a look of reluctant submits
sion came to Vincente's face, and
very slowly he put Pablo on the
ground.
More like an irate sparrow than
ever the outraged pilot straight
ened his tie, hut Vicente had Who'll
ly forgotten him; he turned to
Cliff. and once again the big
Blacklander's eyes we're flinty.
Come with me-" He mounted
his horse, and Cliff followed him
back to Wade's.
The place was sWarming. Horse
men, tanned and lean, crowded
the clearing-a strangely assorted
band, of all ages, some scarcely
more than boys, others grizzled
and wrinkled with years of tropi-
cal sun. Most of them seemed to
be American, but in some the
black eyes and high-archei noses
told of Spanish blood. They were
clustered in front of Wade's shack,
and now at Vicente's approach
they moved aside, and Cliff saw
Janet Norman in the doorway.
Vincente saw her too, and with
a quick exclamation he stopped
plainly the presence of a woman
came as an unexpected compllca-
ton. For a moment he gazed down
upon her, then said to Cliff, "You
and your wife"
But Janet interrupted him with
vehemence. I'm not his wife. I'm
Janet Norman. l."
"Norman!" Sharply Vicente
echoed the word in angry disbe-
lief, then, care you DR.. Roberto
Norman's da%ughter?"
eyes. OF course"
To Cliff it seemed that a look,
a flash of sudden comprehension,
passed ever the Blacklander's
face, and still holding her with
his eyes he murmured, so you
are Roberto Norman's daughter
did you know my father?"
Blood h a d surged to Janet's
IiiCChS, dllo SHE SpOh0 tHe WOrQS
as if speech had become difficult.
"Once-long ago" This time the
silence grew long, then at last he
asked, What do you want here.
senorita?"
Il am going to New Dixie"
Perplexed, like one dealing with
some unaccustomed problem, vi
cente dismounted and, walking a
few PAGES away, stood with his
back toward her, lost in specu-
lation. At last he turned. "Why
should I stop you? Go where you
wish. But this mar - he comes
with us. We do not want him in
the ~Blacklands."
The circle of riders had begun
closing about Cliff, but Janet
raised her hand.
"Wait!" She spoke the word
breathlessly, as if appalled, at her
own temerity. He is not going to
the Rlacklands - he is going to
New Dixie with me-"
Vicente frowned. "Why do you
lie to me, senorita? This man is
here to take rubber from the
Blacklands plantation"
"But first he must get permits
sion. 1t may be refused. 1t was