t out."

Blaze was very grave when next he spoke. "Dave, this is bad--bad. I
can't understand what made her go. Why, she must have been out of her
head. But we've got to do something. We've got to burn the wires to
Washington--yes, and to Mexico City. We must get the government to send
soldiers after her. God! What have we got 'em for, anyhow?"

"Washington won't do anything. What can be done when there are
thousands of American women in the same danger? What steps can the
government take, with the fleet on its way to Vera Cruz, with the army
mobilizing, and with diplomatic relations suspended? Those Greasers are
filling their jails with our people--rounding 'em up for the day of the
big break--and the State Department knows it. No, Longorio saw it all
coming--he's no fool. He's got her; she's in there--trapped."

Blaze took the speaker by the shoulder and faced him about. "Look
here," said he, "I'm beginnin' to get wise to you. I believe
you're--the man in the case." When Dave nodded, he vented his amazement
in a long whistle. After a moment he asked, "Well, why did you want me
to come here alone, ahead of the others?"

"Because I want you to know the whole inside of this thing so that you
can get busy when I'm gone; because I want to borrow what money you
have--"

"What you aimin' to pull off?" Blaze inquired, suspiciously.

"I'm going to find her and bring her out."

"You? Why, Dave, you can't get through. This is a job for the soldiers."

But Dave hardly seemed to hear him. "You must start things moving at
once," he said, urgently. "Spread the news, get the story into the
papers, notify the authorities. Get every influence at work, from here
to headquarters; get your Senator and the Governor of the state at
work. Ellsworth will help you. And now give me your last dollar."

Blaze emptied his pockets, shaking his shaggy head the while. "La Feria
is a hundred and fifty miles in," he remonstrated.

"By rail from Pueblo, yes. But it's barely a hundred, straight from
here."

"You 'ain't got a chance, single-handed. You're crazy to try it."

The effect of these words was startling, for Dave laughed harshly.
"'Crazy' is the word," he agreed. "It's a job for a lunatic, and that's
me. Yes, I've got bad blood in me, Blaze--bad blood--and I'm taking it
back where I got it. But listen!" He turned a sick, colorless face to
his friend. "They'll whittle a cross for Longorio if I do get through."
He called to Montrosa,