AN ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION
The next morning Dan stood at the rail of the Tampico, gazing out over the quay to the distant walls of the city, over which hung a heavy saffron pall. The faint pat-a-pat-pat-pat of machine guns and the roar of heavier ordnance was incessant. At first he had been disposed to go out and participate in the fighting.
But second thought had altered his inclination. He had come to know something of the business methods of Mr. Howland and men like him; and while he had no doubt that his employer considered them legitimate, and could, if he had to, submit many strong reasons for various measures which capital seems to find it necessary to employ in its relations with Latin-American Governments, yet he decided that the wholesale slaughter then in progress had far better be left to those who were employed for that purpose.
How did he know but the men who had been fighting to capture the city and were now being shot down like sheep were not the real patriots, anxious to govern their own country in their way and not in the interests of foreign corporations? As for Rodriguez, he knew enough of him to—
Virginia Howland, coming up from behind, touched him on the arm, while her father, who followed her, placed his hand on Dan's shoulder.
"Captain," said the girl, "I am disappointed. I wagered a box of candy with father that you were already out fighting."
Dan, unable to suppress the thoughts which had filled his mind, smiled grimly.
"I don't think I have any desire to turn butcher," he said, with just a tinge of bitterness.
The girl flushed and regarded Dan for a moment with a curious expression, and then glanced at her father.
"Is it really—that?" she said.