Daughter of the Sun Page 5

  CHAPTER V

  HOW ONE NOT ACCUSTOMED TO TAKING ANOTHER MAN'S ORDERS RECEIVES THE COMMAND OF THE QUEEN LADY

  Had horse and rider been only a painting, immovable upon hung canvas,they would have drawn to themselves the enrapt eyes of mute, admiringartists. Endowed with the glorious attribute of pulsating life, theyfascinated. Kendric saw the white mare's neck arch, marked how thesatiny skin rippled, how the dainty ears tipped forward, how the largeintelligent eyes bespoke the proud spirit. He could fancy the mareprancing forth from the stables of an Eastern prince, the finest purebred Arabian of his stud, the royal favorite, the white queen-rose ofhis costly gardens. From the mare he looked to the rider, not so muchas a man may regard a woman but as he must pay tribute to animalperfection. He told himself that as a woman Zoraida Castelmardispleased him; that there was no place in his fancies for the boldeyes of an adventuress. But he deemed a man might look upon her asimpersonally as upon the white mare, giving credit where credit wasdue. It struck him then that all that was wrong with Zoraida Castelmarwas that she was an anachronism; that had he lived a thousand years agoand had she then, a barbaric queen, stepped before him, he would haveseen the superb beauty of her and would have gone no further. Beforenow he had felt that she was "foreign." That was on the border. Here,deep in Old Mexico, she still remained foreign. Rightly she belongedto another age, if not to another star.

  For the moment she sat smiling at him, her eyes dancing and yet maskingher ultimate thought. Triumph he had glimpsed and, as always, ashadowy hint of mockery. Suddenly she turned from him and put out hergauntleted hand to Barlow, flashing him another sort of smile, one thatmade Barlow's eyes brighten and brought a hotter flush to his tannedcheeks.

  "You have kept your promise with me," she said softly. "I shall notforget and you will not regret!" Even while she spoke her eyes driftedback to Kendric, laughing at him, taunting him.

  He looked sharply at Barlow. But he said nothing and Barlow, intentupon the girl, did not note his turned head.

  Zoraida turned imperiously upon Fernando Escobar. "These men are myguests," she said sharply, her tone filled with defiant warning."Remember that, _Senor el Capitan_. You will escort them to the housewhere my cousin will receive them. Until we meet at table, senoresall."

  From her neck hung a tiny whistle from a thin gold chain; she lifted itto her lips, blew a long clear note and with a last sidelong look atKendric touched her dainty spurs to her mare's sides and shot away.

  "You will follow me," said Escobar stiffly. "This way, _caballeros_."

  He pressed by them, dismissing his following with a glance, and rodethrough the wide arched gateway. Barlow turned in after him buthesitated when Kendric called coolly:

  "I have small hankering to accept the lady's hospitality, Barlow. Whyshould we establish ourselves here instead of going on about ourbusiness? By the lord, her invitation smacks to me too damned much ofoutright command!"

  "No use startin' anything, Jim," said Barlow. "Come ahead."

  At them both Escobar smiled contemptuously.

  "Look," he said, pointing toward the adobe. "Judge if it be wise tohesitate when _la senorita reina_ says enter."

  They saw graveled driveways and flower bordered walks under the oaks;blossoming, fragrant shrubs welcoming countless birds; an expanse ofvelvet lawn with a marble-rimmed pool and fountain. A beautifulgarden, empty one instant, then slowly filling as from about a farcorner of the house came a line of men. Young men, every one of them,fine-looking, dark-skinned fellows dressed after the extravagantfashion of the land which mothered them, with tall conical hats andslashed trousers, broad sashes and glistening boots. They came on likemilitary squads, silent, erect, eyes full ahead. Out in the drivewaythey halted, fifty of them. And like one man, they saluted.

  "Will you enter as a guest?" jeered Escobar.

  Kendric's anger flared up.

  "I'll tell you one thing, my fine friend Fernando Escobar," he saidhotly, "I don't like the cut of your sunny disposition. You and I arenot going to mix well, and you may as well know it from the start. Asfor this 'guest' business, just what do you mean?"

  Escobar shrugged elaborately and half veiled his insolent eyes with thelong lashes.

  "You mean," went on Kendric stubbornly, "your 'Queen Lady' as you callher, has instructed her rabble to bring us in, willy-nilly?"

  "Ai!" cried Escobar in mock surprise. "_El Americano_ reads the secretthought!"

  "Come ahead, Jim," urged Barlow anxiously. "Don't I tell you there isno sense startin' a rumpus? Suppose you weeded out half of 'em, theother half would get you right. And haven't we got enough ahead of uswithout goin' out of our way, lookin' for a row?"

  For answer Kendric gave his horse the spur and dashed through the gate.If a man had to tie into fifty of a hard-looking lot of devils likethose saturnine henchmen of Zoraida, it would at least be a scrimmageworth a man's going down in; but Barlow was right and there was nodoubt enough trouble coming without wandering afield for it.

  So, close behind Escobar, they rode under the oaks and to the house.Here was a quadrangle, flanked about with white columns; throughnumerous arches one saw oaken doors set into the thick walls of theshaded building. The three men dismounted; three of the men in thedriveway took the horses. Escobar stepped to the broad double doordirectly in front of them. As his spurred boot rang on the stone floorthe door opened and Ruiz Rios opened to them. He bowed deeply,courteously, his manner cordial, his eyes inscrutable.

  At his invitation they entered. He led them through a great,low-ceiled room where dim light hovered over luxurious appointments,across Oriental rugs and hardwood floors to a wide hallway. Down thisfor a long way, past a dozen doors at each hand and finally into asuite looking out into the gardens from a corner of the building. Asthey went in, two Mexican girls, young and pretty, with quick blackeyes and in white caps and aprons, came out. The girls dropped theireyes, curtsied and passed on, as silent as little ghosts.

  "Your rooms, senores," said Rios, standing aside for them. "When youare ready you will ring and a servant will show you to the _patio_,where I will be waiting for you. If there is anything forgotten, youhave but to ring and ask."

  He left them and hurried away, obviously glad to be done with them.They went in and closed the door and looked about them. Here were bigleather chairs, a mahogany table, cigars, smoking trays, cigarets, abottle of brandy and one of fine red wine standing forth hospitably.Through one door they saw an artistically and comfortably furnishedbedroom; through another a tiled, glisteningly white bath; beyond thebath the second bedroom.

  All this they marked at a glance. Then Kendric turned soberly to hiscompanion.

  "I've known you a good many years off and on, Twisty," he said bluntly,"for the sort of man to name pardner and friend. For half a dozenyears, however, I've seen little of you. What have those half-dozenyears done to you?"

  "What do you mean?" asked Barlow.

  "I mean that for a mate on a crazy expedition like this I want a man Ican tie to. That means a man that turns off every card from the top,straight as they come. A man that doesn't bury the ace. I haven'theld out anything on you. What have you held out on me?"

  Barlow looked troubled. He uncorked the brandy bottle and helpedhimself, sipping slowly.

  "You've got in mind what she said outside?" he asked.

  "Yes. That and other things."

  "If I had told you at the beginnin'," said Barlow, "that you and mewere comin' to a place, lookin' for treasure, that was right next doorto where Zoraida Castelmar lived, would you of come?"

  "No. I don't think I would."

  "Well, that's why I didn't tell you."

  "And you promised her--just what?"

  "That I'd be showin' up down this way. And that you'd be comin' alongwith me." He finished off his brandy and set his glass down hard.

  Kendric took a cigaret and wandered across the room, looking out intothe gardens. The string of men
who had appeared at Zoraida's whistle,were filing off around the house again, going toward the nearbyoutbuildings.

  "I'm not going to pump questions at you, Barlow," he said withoutturning. "What you do is up to you. Only, if you can't play the gamestraight with me, our trails fork for good and all. Now, let's get abath and see the dance through."

  Five minutes later Jim Kendric, splashing mightily in a roomy tub,began to sing under his breath. After all, matters were well enough.Life was not dull but infinitely profligate of promise. He fanciedthat Ruiz Rios was boiling inwardly with rage; the thought delightedhim. His old zest flooded back full tide into his veins. His voicerose higher, his lively tune quickened. Barlow's face brightened atthe sound and his lungs filled to a sigh of relief.

  Within half an hour a servant ushered them into the _patio_. There,under a grape arbor, their chairs drawn close up to the littlefountain, were Rios and Escobar, talking quietly. Both men rose asthey appeared, offering chairs. Both were all that was courteous andyet it needed no guessing to understand that their courtesy was butlike so much thin silken sheathing over steel; they were affable onlybecause of a command. And that command, Zoraida's.

  "As far as they are concerned," mused Kendric, "she is absolutely theQueen Lady. Wonder how she works it? Wouldn't judge either one ofthem an easy gent to handle."

  The conversation was markedly impersonal. They spoke of stock raising,of the best breeds of beef cattle, of what had been done withirrigation and of what Rios planned for another year. It became clearthat Zoraida was the sole owner of several thousand fair acres here andthat Ruiz Rios stood in the position of general manager to his cousin.That he envied her her possessions, that it galled him to be herunderling over these acres, was a fact which lay naked on top of manymere surmises. Once, with simulated carelessness, Escobar said:

  "The rancho would have been yours, had there been no will, is it notso, amigo Rios?" And Ruiz flashed an angry look at him, knowing thatthe man taunted him.

  "It is called the Rancho Montezuma, isn't it?" put in Kendric. "Whythat name, Rios?"

  "It is the old name," said Rios lightly. "That is all I know."

  When a servant announced dinner they went to an immense dining-roomwherein a prince might have taken his state meals. But Zoraida did notjoin them, sending word by one of the little Mexican maids that shewould not appear. It was significant that no reason was offered; fromthe instant that they had set foot down at the hacienda it was to beknown that here Zoraida did as she pleased and accounted to none. Twotall fellows, looking pure-bred Yaqui Indians, served perfectly, softvoiced, softer footed, stony eyed. During the meal Kendric fell intothe way of chatting with young Escobar, seeking to draw him out andfailing, while Barlow and Rios talked together, Rios regarding Barlowintently. When they rose from table Barlow accepted an invitation fromRios to look over the stables, while Kendric was led by Escobar back tothe _patio_. Even then Kendric had the suspicion that the intentionwas to separate him from his friend, but he saw nothing to be done. Hehardly looked for any sort of violence, and were such intended therewas scant need to waste time over such trifles as separating two menwho would have to stand against two score.

  "If you will pardon me a moment, senor?" said Escobar briefly.

  He left Kendric standing by the little fountain and disappeared. Onthe instant one of the little maids stole softly forward.

  "This way, senor," she said, looking at him curiously.

  "Where?" he demanded. "And why?"

  She smiled and shook her head.

  "It is commanded," she replied. "Will _el senor Americano_ be so kindas to follow?"

  He had asked why and got no answer. Now he demanded of himself, "Whynot?" He was playing the other fellow's game and might as well playstraight on until he saw what was what.

  "Lead on," he said. "I'm with you."