“Perhaps some day we will talk of them. Tell me this moment, what danger threatened these sons of my friends in the United States, and my own boy?”
“They were attacked at the fiesta by a lot of ruffians and came rolling into the kitchen of the Santa Maria just as I entered to speak to my manager. My first impulse was to have them kicked out.” As he spoke his eyes rested a moment on Jim, then he proceeded, “but I saw that they were not all of the same breed, so I had the scum booted and brought these boys home to you because I feel sure that the men who assaulted them would not be satisfied with the outcome of the combat.”
“That is indeed serious. Let us go to the portico where it is cool, and let me hear at once the facts. I beg of you, my dear Don, come with us, then I shall surely get the full particulars from these young people.” The three boys glanced at each other ruefully, but they followed the old gentlemen and were soon seated about a small table in the shade of great palm trees close by the pool with its tall fountain from which the water shot high, then dropped back on the glistening foliage. A servant brought iced drinks, and when they were comfortably settled, the host’s eyes sought his son’s with a question.
“I don’t understand it, Padre, I’d promised the Buddies that I would join them at the fiesta the minute I could get there, and I was much later than I expected to be. To save time, I hired a cab and had the man drive me around the further side because I thought I could reach the boys more directly. I paid the man and he went off, then I noticed another car coming along the road. There wasn’t anything special about that, only it seemed strange anyone should come to the festival by that route, but I dismissed the matter because I’d come by that route myself.”
“Yes?”
“The car was being driven very slowly as if the chauffeur expected to pick up someone he had not located. Then, as I hurried along, I saw two men coming rather quickly, supporting a third man between them. His feet rather dragged but not as if he was drunk and his hands, or one of them, was fumbling in the front of his coat. His hat was on the back of his head, which was moving from side to side, and just as they drew close, it was knocked off. One of the men bent and picked it up and then I caught a glance of the sick man’s face. It was very flushed, but his eyes looked as if he was perfectly aware of what was taking place. They put his hat on, the chauffeur blew his horn softly, and in a moment the three got into the car and it was driven away quickly.”
“Extraordinary!”
“I didn’t think much about that at the moment, then it dawned upon me that the man’s eyes were more fearful than ill. I paused at the spot where his hat dropped wondering if I should report the matter, then, right at my feet I saw a wallet. I supposed it belonged to the third man, so I picked it up, determined to hand it over to the police as soon as possible. Then I hurried to join our friends, and had just succeeded in finding their table and calling a greeting when a stranger touched my arm from behind and begged that I return the wallet which he was going to take to his sick friend.”
“That’s when we saw him,” Jim put in.
“Ordinarily I should have done so without a question, for the chap was gentlemanly enough, but the look in that man’s eyes sort of got me, so I told him I was not sure that I should. Immediately his face got ugly and he poked his fingers into my ribs and demanded that I hand it over at once and from right behind him jumped two huge fellows. One of them landed his fist on my jaw, then I believe the Flying Buddies came on with their engines wide open. I felt one of the men make a dive to my pocket, so I managed to roll over and keep my coat closed tightly. After that I felt as if I’d landed in a hive of mad bees and I couldn’t get up until the chief dragged me to my feet. One of the men accused me of stealing the wallet and demanded that I be searched, but the Don stepped in and took command. That’s all I know.”