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〃At Santiago； if an official was to be persuaded to consent to some unprecedented seizure of the streets； or a diplomat invoked for the assistance of the Army or the Navy； it was the experience and good judgment of Dick Davis that controlled the task。 In the field there were his helpful suggestions of work and make up to the actors； and on the boat and train and in hotel and camp the lady members met in him an easy courtesy and understanding at once fraternal and impersonal。
〃The element that he could not put into the account and which is particularly pertinent to this page； is the author of ‘Soldiers of Fortune' as he revealed himself to me both with intention and unconsciously in the presence of the familiar scenes。
〃For three weeks； with the exception of one or two occasions when some local dignitary captured the revisiting lion； he and I spent our evenings together at a cafe table overlooking ‘The Great Square；' which he sketches so deftly in its atmosphere when Clay and the Langhams and Stuart dine there。 At one end of the plaza the President's band was playing native waltzes that came throbbing through the trees and beating softly above the rustling skirts and clinking spurs of the senoritas and officers sweeping by in two opposite circles around the edges of the tessellated pavements。 Above the palms around the square arose the dim； white facade of the Cathedral； with the bronze statue of Anduella the liberator of Olancho； who answered with his upraised arm and cocked hat the cheers of an imaginary populace。
〃Twenty years had gone by since Dick had received the impression that wrote those lines； and now sometimes after dinner half a long cigar would burn out as he mused over the picture and the dreams that had gone between。 From one long silence he said： ‘I think I'll come back here this winter and bring Mrs。 Davis with mestay a couple of months。' What a fine compliment to a wife to have the thought of her and that plan emerge from that deep and romantic background。
〃The picture people began their film with a showing of the ‘mountains which jutted out into the ocean and suggested roughly the five knuckles of a giant's hand clenched and lying flat upon the surface of the water。' That formation of the sea wall is just outside of Santiago。 ‘The waves tunnelled their way easily enough until they ran up against those five mountains and then they had to fall back。' How natural for one of us to be unimpressed by such a feature of the landscape and yet how characteristic of Dick Davis to see the elemental fight that it recorded and get the hint for the whole of the engineering struggle that is so much of his book。
〃We went over those mountains together； where two decades before he had planted his banner of romance。 We visited the mines and the railroads and everywhere found some superintendent or foreman or engineer who remembered Davis。 He had guessed at nothing。 Everywhere he had overlaid the facts with adventure and with beauty； but he had been on sure footing all the time。 His prototype of MacWilliams was dead。 Together we visited the wooden cross with which the miners had marked his grave。
CHAPTER XIX VERA CRUZ AND THE GREAT WAR
Late in April； 1914； when war between the United States and Mexico seemed inevitable Richard once more left the peace and content of Crossroads and started for Vera Cruz； arriving there on April 29。 He had arranged to act as correspondent for a syndicate of newspapers； and as he had for long been opposed to the administration's policy of 〃watchful waiting〃 was greatly disappointed on his arrival at the border to learn of the President's plan of mediation。 He wrote to his wife：
CRUZ； April 24； 1914。 DEAREST ONE：
We left today at 5。30。 It was a splendid scene； except for the children crying； and the wives of the officers and enlisted men trying not to cry。 I got a stateroom to myself。 With the electric fan on and the airport open； it is about as cool as a blast furnace。 But I was given a seat on the left of General Funston； who is commanding this brigade； and the other officers at the table are all good fellows。 As long as I was going； I certainly had luck in getting away as sharply as I did。 One day's delay would have made me miss this transport； which will be the first to land troops。
April 25th。
A dreadnaught joined us today； the Louisiana。 I wirelessed the Admiral asking permission to send a press despatch via his battleship； and he was polite in reply； but firm。 He said 〃No。〃 There are four transports and three torpedo boats and the battleship。 We go very slowly； because we must keep up with one of the troop ships with broken engines。 At night it is very pretty seeing the ships in line； and the torpedo boats winking their signals at each other。 I am writing all the time or reading up things about the army I forget and getting the new dope。 Also I am brushing up my Spanish。 Jack London is on board； and three other correspondents； two of whom I have met on other trips； and one 〃cub〃 correspondent。 He was sitting beside London and me busily turning out copy； and I asked him what he found to write about。 He said； 〃Well； maybe I see things you fellows don't see。〃 What he meant was that what was old to us was new to him； but he got guyed unmercifully。
April 27； 1914。
The censor reads all I write； and so do some half…dozen Mexican cable clerks and 60 （sixty） correspondents。 So when I cable 〃love；〃 it MEANS devotion； adoration； and worship； loyalty； fidelity and truth； wanting you； needing you； unhappy for you。 It means ALL that。
RICHARD。
VERA CRUZ； April 30； 1914。
This heathumid and moistwould sweat water out of a chilled steel safe； so imagine what it does to me with all the awful winter's accumulation of fat。 I hate to say it； but I LIKE these Mexicansmuch better than Cubans； or Central Americans。 They are human； kindly； it is only the politicians and bandits like Villa who give them a bad name。 But； though they ought to hate us； whenever I stop to ask my way they invite me to come in and have 〃coffee〃 and say； 〃My house is yours； senor；〃 which certainly is kind after people have taken your town away from you and given you another flag and knocked your head off if you did not salute it。 I now have a fine room。 The Navy moved out today and I got the room of the paymaster。 It faces the plaza and the cathedral。 I burned a candle there today for our soon meeting。 The priests all had run away； so I had to hunt up the candle； and pay the money into the box marked for that purpose； but the Lord does not run away； and He will see we soon meet。
May 2nd。
Yesterday I went out on the train that brings in refugees and saw the Mexicans。 They had on three thousand cartridges； much hair； hats as high as church steeples； and lots of dirt。 The Selig Moving Picture folks took many pictures of us and several 〃stills；〃 in which the war correspondent was shown giving cigarettes to the brigands。 Also； I had a wonderful bath in the ocean off the aviation camp。 I borrowed a suit from one of the aviators； and splashed and swam around for an hour。 My！ it was good。 It reminded me of my dear Bessie； because the last