The Trail of the Waving Palm (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1915 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVII FLIGHT CONSTANCE had slept little during the night which followed Bantry's arrest. She knew that her father would do all in his power to save him. But she realized, too, that many innocent men had met death in that land where passion rather than intellect governs the actions of its people. Listening to the discussion of the previous evening had not tended to reassure her, for she had heard shocking tales of the workings of Mexican legal machinery. And when she did occasionally succeed in falling asleep through the sheer weariness of worry all the horrors that had been recounted came back to her in terrifying and fantastic dreams. She was far from being her customary sprightly self when she appeared for breakfast. Her father had left the house hours before, Smitsu told her. She did not need to ask his errand. "There's no news?" she said. "No, Miss But please to have cheerfulness," Smitsu answered, as he pulled out her chair for her. "Mr. Thorne has intention to persuasion judge. I experience surprise if Mr. Bantry not out of jail to-day." He laughed, to reassure her, and to conceal his own uneasiness. "You know chivo 1" he inquired. She shook her head. Smitsu rubbed a thumb and forefinger together suggestively, as if he were holding a piece of money. "I donuo nice 'Merican word for that," he said. "Maybe you know--graft " "There's no nice word for it, Smitsu." "No?... Well, not nice thing, but many people like, all same.... I think make judge exceptional pleasure," he continued. "He want harina. Is Mex'can talk for what 'Merican call 'the lengthy green.'... You know?" Constance smiled, in spite of her downcast spirits. "Yes I know," she told him. "And I only hope you're right." She looked without interest at the dishes which Smitsu set before ...