"And the señorita?" asked Doctor Flores. "Can she go for us to San Antonio?"
"As the señor wishes," said that young woman. "But where shall I report on my return?"
"Back of my residence," said the doctor, "there is a small building opening into the alley. There are no windows. We will meet there."
After a long discussion of the details of the organization of the junta, this first gathering of the arch-conspirators broke up.
It was a week after this meeting in the Rio Grande that Archie Dobbs, special agent of the Department of Justice, assigned particularly to the Mexican border to look after violations of the neutrality laws, began to notice the frequency with which groups of Mexicans were to be seen engaged in earnest conversation in the streets of El Paso. About the Orndorff hotel there were in evidence groups of wealthy appearing grandees, such as own great ranches beyond the border. Idling about the Mexican saloons were many big-hatted vaqueros, such as make up the armies of any revolutionary movement when trouble starts across the line.
Dobbs went to see Juan Ortego. This young son of Chihuahua was one of the dependable men of Madero. Ortego was a member of the personal secret service of the new president and his station at El Paso was regarded as important as an outpost of trouble for the government.
"What is in the air?" asked the American special agent of Ortego.
"Revolution," said the Mexican.
"Whom have they got?"