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Updated: September 11, 2025
He climbed in without a word, and drove on toward where Santa Ysobel lies at the head of its broad valley, surrounded by the apricot, peach and prune orchards that are its wealth. We came into the fringes of the town in the obscurity of approaching night; a thick tulle fog had blown down on the north wind.
"When I phoned him just now, he hadn't heard a word about it. Seemed terribly upset." "Hadn't heard?" I echoed. "How was that?" "You know we saw him at Tait's last night. He took the Pacheco Pass road from San Francisco; drove straight to his ranch without hitting Santa Ysobel." I wanted another look at that man Edwards. I was to have it. Worth went on absently,
Then, as Worth swung into his seat, Barbara bent forward from behind my shoulder, the careless yellowish eyes that saw everything got a fair view of her, and with a sort of subdued crow, "Look who's here!" Capehart took hold of the upright to lean his square form in and say earnestly, "While you're in Santa Ysobel, don't forget that we got a spare room at our house."
Oh, hardly that. The girl I was to have married, and Bronson Vandeman the man she has married." I had wanted to get a more intimate line on the kid it seemed that here was a chance with a vengeance! "The rest of the bunch?" I suggested. He took a leisurely survey, and gave them three words: "Family and accomplices." "Santa Ysobel people, too, then. Folks you know well?" "Used to."
To our left the town roared and racketed as though it was afire. Nothing said between us till I grumbled out, "I wish I knew where Cummings was keeping Eddie Hughes." Barbara's voice beside me answered unexpectedly, "Here. In Santa Ysobel. Eddie was at Capehart's fifteen minutes before you got there; he came for Bill. A gasoline engine at the city hall had broken down."
Listen," his insistent over-stimulated voice went eagerly on, "The beauty of my scheme was that up to the very last move, there was nothing criminal in my leading this double life. You see as I got stronger and stronger here in Santa Ysobel, I bought a good machine, a speedster that could burn up the road.
He beat me me, Dolores Ysobel de Tejada! May his soul writhe in hell until I lave his accursed lips!" Her venomous fury was not shrill and vociferous; instead, it was cold and low-voiced, but Douglass breathed hard and Red clenched his lips, watching it. She sprang impulsively to her feet and tore violently at her bodice.
I used to scrimp and save off my salary at the bank to buy things for the place, to keep up the right scale of living for Bronson Vandeman, traveling agent for eastern manufacturers, not at home much in Santa Ysobel yet, but a man of fine family, rich prospects, and all sorts of a good fellow, settled in the place for the rest of his days." He turned suddenly and grinned at me.
And now why do you tell us this?" "So that you will kill him for a price." Red laughed harshly. "By Gawd! Madame Dolores Ysobel de Tajeda or Coogan, whatever yuah name is, I'd giv' a better price ef yuh was able to tuhn yuhself into a man fer a couple o' minnits. What d'yuh take us fer, greasers?"
By the time I'd finished out in front, getting my prisoner off to the lock-up, sending Eddie Hughes, with Capehart and the other helpers he'd picked up to guard the Vandeman bungalow, handed over to the Santa Ysobel police the matter of finding Fong Ling, and turned back to see how Barbara was getting on, the music sounded once more, the rhythmic movement of many feet.
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