“Yes, I do. I know he would.”
“The sailor fellow advised me to take you into town to the Santiago, till we sail. Suppose we do that? After all, it would be wiser. I’ll send Ramón up to Paco’s for the buggy. We should be in the Santiago by half-past eight.”
“It seems like running away. Besides, if we go, we shall be leaving Ramón and his wife, as well as that lunatic Lotta, to meet whatever trouble may be coming.”
“No trouble threatens them, apparently. But I will explain it to them: if they wish, they can come with us. All the same, Ramón is a fighter. He was with General Martinez, under Juarez, in Maximilian’s time; he will not be easily moved from here. I’ll go send Ramón to Paco’s; he must be back from the lodge by this time. I’ll ring.” He moved over to the mantel and pulled the bell.
“Of course,” he went on, “if we can’t have the buggy, we can walk. If I put on a sombrero and you a mantilla, we should pass for two greasers. We will each take a revolver, of course, but we aren’t likely to meet any bad characters before midnight.”
“I’m not so sure of that; but I’d rather meet them than stay here for these others.”
“The roads are safe enough. Colonel Mackenzie told me that there had been no serious crime for over three months. Las Palomas is reformed. Of course twenty years ago people disappeared every night.”
“Where?”
“The quicksand out at Melilla is supposed to hide a good many. Now we’ll just take our things for the night and be ready to start. Ramón is a long time answering that bell. I’ll ring again.” He rang again, then walked to the window and peered out into the darkness.
“You never told me about Hirsch,” he said.