Crossed Trails in Mexico / Mexican Mystery Stories #3

ointed to the sign ahead:

. "It's plain to see we're out in

ll when she makes forty or fifty. But even if she could go faster, Florence wouldn

'Why the great rush? There's plenty of time!' If I were driving, now-" Jo Ann nodded her mop of unruly

much on looks and that she shakes till she deserves the name of Jitters-but she's

us: to Mexico! All the way to t

wonder if we'll run into as thrilling adventures as

ways getting out of one mystery on

nd murmured, "Miss Prudence'll keep me on my good behavior this time. Even if some tremendo

souri am I," Peggy

t it? We're both four or five pounds heavier. School's agreed with Carlitos, too." Jo Ann leaned forward to smil

ad been too busy viewing the scenery to talk, but at Jo Ann's words he opene

tand the most commonplace phrases, yet when they stopped to think that he had spoken Spanish alt

an foreman, and shortly afterwards Mrs. Eldridge had died from the combined effects of shock and pneumonia, leaving the tiny Carlitos in the care of a poor ignorant Indian nurse. The foreman, who had taken possession of the mine, then tried to kidnap Carlitos, the rightful heir. Alarmed at this threatened danger, the nurse had fled across the mountains wit

rlitos to Mississippi and was accompanying them the rest of the way to Mexico. Miss Prudence's never-ceasing astonishment a

excited exclamation: "We come t

ouston. We've made much better time than I

ou drew Miss Prudence for your roommate tonight. I heard her say she always

e, too. It'll be specially good for you to get up early. As Miss Pru

imace. "But I don't want to

giggles. A moment later she added, "We really ought to get an early star

our later, they drove straigh

nge hotels," remarked Peggy,

girls wait here while I go in and look around. One can't be too partic

eggy dropped ba

she'll let Florence and us take the le

aw Miss Prudence returning,

t briskly to them. "I've

so rapidly that Peggy declared afterwards that she wouldn't

which baggage he was to carry in, Miss Prudence po

to put in, "Jo says she's going

ve the one next to his. All of you hurry and get cleaned up, now, so we can get something to eat right a

anged swift glances

ce acts as if we were still in rompers. Putting us to bed as soon as we've eate

g but outwardly calm, the girls were mars

nd remarked with a teasing smile, "You'll h

d in the same breath. Florence added,

oor down as it is now, so you can hear my first tap." Jo Ann indicated the top section of

nks that night when she heard a voice saying in her e

pressed a groan and turned over for another nap, only

to mumble a sle

stood blinking sleepily at Miss Prudence in her blue kimono and thinking h

ls and Carlitos before you start to dress. Both Peggy and Florence

I can dress. I'll wake them then." Thoroughly roused at last, Jo Ann thrust he

h the screened panel of the door directly across the hall. Her heart gave a sudden frighte

tion in his voice. It was not the broken trembling voice of a coward. It had been firm, strong, even though he was sure he was in grave danger. He must

r his next words. "I was hot on their trail," the voice went on, "b

man wearing a broad-brimmed tan felt hat stepped out. On seeing Jo Ann he halted and shot a piercing glan

y rude to eavesdrop that way. What must that man think

man, after hesitating a fraction of a second,