A. Merritt

“ Do what you want with Graydon. But save the girl for me. I’d be willing to make a bargain with you on that—give up a part of my share.”
“Oh, hell,” drawled Soames. “We’ve been together a good many years, Bill. There’s enough and plenty for the three of us. You can have the girl for nothing.”
Little flecks of red danced before Graydon’s eyes. With his hand stretched to tear open the tent flap and grapple with these two who could talk so callously and evilly of Suarra’s disposal, he checked himself. That was no way to help her. Unarmed, what could he do against these armed adventurers? ”

“ You can’t hypnotize a gun, Sterrett.”
“But they’re not Indians, Soames,” came Sterrett’s voice. “They’re whiter than you and me. What are they? And the girl—God—”
“What they are we’ll find out, never fear,” grunted the New Englander. “To hell with the girl—take her if you can get her. But I’d go through a dozen hells to get to the place where that stuff they’re carryin’ samples of comes from. Man—with what we could carry out on the burros and the llama and come back for—man, we could buy the world!” ”

“ So why not be reasonable?”
“What’s the use of going over all that again, Soames?” Graydon asked wearily. “I’ve told you everything. If you’re wise, you’ll let me loose, give me my guns and I’ll fight for you when the trouble comes. For trouble is coming man, sure—big trouble.” ”

“ All right, that settles you, Sterrett. Dancre! Danc’! Come here, quick!” he roared.
The Frenchman came running out of the tent.
“Tie him up,” Soames nodded toward Sterrett. “Another damned double-crosser in the camp. Gave him liquor. Got their heads together while we were inside. Tie him.”
“But Soames,” the Frenchman was hesitant, “if we have to fight the Indians it is not well to have half of us helpless, no. Perhaps Starrett he did nothing—”
“If we have to fight, two men will do as well as three,” said Soames. ”

“ Sterrett laughed, crazily; raised his wine filled goblet to his lips.
“Wait!” Dancre caught his wrist.
“Eat and drink, she said, eh? Eat, drink and be merry—for to-morrow we die, eh—is that it, Soames?”
The New Englander started, face once more dark with doubt.
“You think it’s poisoned?” he snarled.
“Maybe so—maybe no,” the little Frenchman shrugged. “But I think it better we say ‘After you’ to her.”
“They are afraid. They think it is—that you have—” Graydon stumbled.
“That I have put sleep—or death in it?” Suarra smiled. “And you?” she asked. ”

“ As though she had understood the words, Suarra struck in:
“There is nothing to fear. No harm will come to you from me. If there is any evil in store for you, you yourselves shall summon it—not us. I have come to show you the way to treasure. Only that. Come with me and you shall see where jewels like these”—she touched the gems meshed in her hair—“grow like flowers in a garden. You shall see the gold come streaming forth, living, from—” she hesitated ”

“ Then from the hamper she brought forth cups of gold and deep, boat shaped golden dishes, two tall ewers whose handles were slender carved dragons, their scales made, it seemed, from molten rubies. After them small golden withed baskets. She set the silver cloth with the dishes and the cups, she opened the little baskets. ”

“ Soames did not turn around, but his voice was deadly. “You’d better mind, Graydon. If a pinch comes—we’re takin’ no chances of a bullet in our backs. That’s why you got no guns. And if the pinch does come—well, we’ll take no chances on you anyway. Do you get me?”
Graydon shrugged his shoulders. In silence the packing was completed; the tent struck; the burros loaded.
Suarra stood awaiting them at the side of the white llama. Soames walked up to her, drew from its holster his automatic, balanced it in outstretched hand. ”

“ No—they’re damned anxious to get us away and they’re willin’ to let us get out with what we can to get us away. Poor boobs—they think if they give us what we want now we’ll slip right off and never come back. ”