CHAPTER XIII.
A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE.
It was a couple of hours later and the Broncho Rider Boys had just seenthe rurales ride away toward Presidio del Norte with their prisoners.The two hours had been spent in a vain endeavor to find Don Rafael,whose sudden disappearance and escape had taken away much of the successof the expedition. The boys had just made another examination of thecave, and were now grouped together on the water's edge, undecided whatshould be their next step.
"It is certainly the most mysterious affair I ever had anything to dowith," declared Donald, "and we have solved some pretty big mysteries."
"Right you are," said Adrian. "I thought the mystery of the Zunimedicine man was the biggest mystery we should ever have to unravel, butthis beats it."
"What was that?" asked Pedro, who was one of the company.
"It's most too long a story to tell now," replied Adrian, "but it wastold in print a few months ago by a friend of ours, Mr. Frank Fowler,who wrote it into a book under the title of 'The Broncho Rider BoysAlong the Border.' I'll send you a copy when we get back to the States.It was a mystery, all right, but we ferreted it out, hey, Don?"
"We sure did, and we must ferret this one out, too."
"The most mysterious part to me," said Billie, who up to this time hadstood apart thinking, "is not the disappearance of Don Rafael, but thedisappearance of Santiago. There is something unusual about him that Imust know."
"The captain didn't seem to care much about his disappearance," saidAdrian.
"I know he didn't, but he simply took him for another of the smugglers,while he believes that Don Rafael is the head of a new revolutionarymovement. I am sure that this is not so."
"What?" asked Don. "Don't you think Don Rafael is stirring up arevolution?"
"I meant I didn't think as the captain does about Santiago," explainedBillie.
"Oh! Well, what do you think about him?"
"I hardly know; but I don't believe he is a peon. I believe he is aneducated man and is here in disguise for some purpose."
"What makes you think that?" asked Pedro. "He seemed like a peon to me."
"That's because you did not get well acquainted with him. I did; for,when you are in as tight a place as we were right after the explosion,it doesn't take long to get acquainted."
"What did he do?" queried Adrian.
"That would be hard to tell. It would be easier to tell what he did notdo; but the thing that first attracted me was the way in which he caredfor Guadalupe."
"Speaking of Guadalupe," exclaimed Adrian, "I'd forgotten all about her!What became of her?"
"Don Antonio took her home long ago," replied Donald. Then to Billie:"Then what did Santiago do?"
"He just took charge of the both of us as though he owned us. He didn'teven appear nervous. You would have thought that he was in the habit ofbeing blown up. A peon wouldn't have done that! He would have thoughtonly of himself."
"That's so," declared Pedro; "I've seen them do it."
"Well, Santiago didn't. As soon as he had gained his feet after theexplosion knocked him down, he picked Guadalupe up in his arms, and,calling out to me to follow him, he dashed out into the cave. The placewas full of men, but they were for the most part busy getting into theboats. They evidently thought that the only attack they had to fear wasfrom the rear and were all hurrying to get out.
"Without stopping to speak to anyone, he turned toward the rear of thecave, stood still for a moment, as though looking for something on thewall, and then gave a sudden push with his hand. As though by magic theopening appeared through which you saw the three of us come and by whichDon Rafael escaped."
"Then why can't we find the place?" interrupted Adrian.
Billie shook his head slowly.
"That's part of the mystery," he finally said.
"Yes, and a big part," declared Donald. "If we could locate that door,we could find Don Rafael. Don't you think so, Billie?"
"I'm sure of it."
"Then let's find it!"
"I'll show it to you," said a soft voice, which came to them out of thesemi-darkness.
At the sound of the voice the boys turned hastily and grasped theirweapons.
"Don't be afraid," continued the voice. "No one is going to hurt you,"and out of the darkness stepped Santiago.
"I just said you were the greatest mystery," exclaimed Billie, as soonas he saw who the newcomer was, "and now I know it."
"Not a mystery," declared Santiago, "but a patriot."
"Which is even a greater curiosity in Mexico," declared Donald.
"I am afraid you are right," was the sad reply; "but there are still afew, and some day we will free Mexico from the rule of those who seeknothing but their own advancement."
"To which class does Don Rafael belong?" asked Adrian.
Santiago's usually mild face grew stern.
"To the wrong one, I fear. That is what I am trying to find out. I havebeen told he was a patriot. What I have seen today leads me to believethe opposite."
Pedro had listened eagerly to what Santiago had been saying, but withoutspeaking a word. Now he could contain himself no longer.
"He is a dog!" he exclaimed, "a would-be murderer and a thief. He knowsnot honor! He bites the hand that fed him, and he would now help toassassinate our good president, Francisco Madero!"
Santiago's eyes flashed. "Have a care," he said. "How do you know allthis?"
"My father is a trusted friend of President Madero. He knows that thepresident has at heart the good of all the people, not the rich alone.Don Rafael, as you call him, was a trusted servant of my father. Hebetrayed his trust, and has become the vilest of the vile. I can giveyou the proof!"
For several minutes Santiago remained silent, thinking deeply. When hespoke it was with determination.
"You say you can give me proof," he said. "You shall have theopportunity. Come!"
He quickly led the way to the place in the wall of the cave where theboys felt sure the secret door was hidden. With one foot he gave asliding push to a triangular stone in the floor, and a moment later thesecret opening was disclosed.
"No wonder," exclaimed Billie, "that we couldn't locate the door. Wenever thought that the key might be hidden in the floor. We onlysearched in the wall! What simpletons!"
Santiago smiled whimsically, but made no reply, as he led the waythrough the door.
"We will not need to close it now," he explained, "as there is no onehere whom we need fear."
He took from a niche in the rock a small lantern, which he was about tolight, when Donald drew from his pocket his electric searchlight.
"Take this," he said, handing it to Santiago. "It is much better."
Santiago took it in his hand and regarded it curiously.
"It is a strange instrument," he said. "Is it safe to use it?"
"Why not?" queried Donald in mild surprise.
"It looks like magic. It might bring ill luck."
"Oh, no," laughed Don. "Everyone uses them where we came from."
Santiago hesitated for a moment, and then said slowly: "It may be rightfor those who understand. For those who do not it is ill luck. Take itback. I dare not use it."
Slowly Donald returned the searchlight to his pocket, while Santiagofumbled with the lantern which he was trying to light.
As the blue flame of the match cast a flickering light about the place,suddenly from out the darkness there sprang a figure with uplifted hand,and hurled itself upon Santiago. There was a muttered oath, a blow, andthe figure darted through the still open door, and disappeared in theouter cave, while Santiago sank down upon the floor, murmuring tohimself:
"The magic light! The magic light! The ill luck has come!"
"It's Don Rafael! It's Don Rafael!" shouted Pedro. "Don't let himescape!"
He sprang after the fleeing figure, closely followed by Billie andAdrian, while Donald bent over the prostrate Santiago, examining hiswound by the light of his electric.
&nb
sp; A moment later there was a shot from without, but, while Donald stillbent over Santiago, trying to stop the flow of blood from a wound in hisshoulder, the others came back.
"Did you get him?" he asked.
"I didn't even wing him," was Billie's crestfallen reply. "He must beara charmed life. But I'll get him yet, if I have to stay in Mexico allsummer!"
Santiago raised his eyes, and a fierce smile played upon his lips, as hefixed his gaze upon Billie.
"Do you mean it, _senor_?" he asked.
"You bet I do!"
"Promise me!"
"Sure, if that will do you any good!" replied Billie lightly.
"Look out!" exclaimed Adrian. "That may mean more than you think!"
"I don't care what it means," declared Billie; "I've given my word, andI'll stick to it!"
Santiago reached out and took him feebly by the hand. "You will neverregret it," he said. "When you have made your promise good, come back tome for your reward."
And then the strange man swooned in Donald's arms.