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The Lost Road； etc。
by Richard Harding Davis
THE NOVELS AND STORIES OF
RICHARD HARDING DAVIS
TO
MY WIFE
Contains：
THE LOST ROAD
THE MIRACLE OF LAS PALMAS
EVIL TO HIM WHO EVIL THINKS
THE MEN OF ZANZIBAR
THE LONG ARM
THE GOD OF COINCIDENCE
THE BURIED TREASURE OF COBRE
THE BOY SCOUT
SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE
THE DESERTER
AN INTRODUCTION BY
JOHN T。 McCUTCHEON
WITH DAVIS IN VERA CRUZ； BRUSSELS； AND SALONIKA
In common with many others who have been with Richard Harding
Davis as correspondents； I find it difficult to realize that he
has covered his last story and that he will not be seen again
with the men who follow the war game； rushing to distant places
upon which the spotlight of news interest suddenly centres。
It seems a sort of bitter irony that he who had covered so many
big events of world importance in the past twenty years should
be abruptly torn away in the midst of the greatest event of
them all； while the story is still unfinished and its outcome
undetermined。 If there is a compensating thought； it lies in the
reflection that he had a life of almost unparalleled fulness；
crowded to the brim； up to the last moment； with those
experiences and achievements which he particularly aspired to
have。 He left while the tide was at its flood； and while he still
held supreme his place as the best reporter in his country。 He
escaped the bitterness of seeing the ebb set in； when the youth
to which he clung had slipped away； and when he would have to sit
impatient in the audience； while younger men were in the thick of
great； world…stirring dramas on the stage。
This would have been a real tragedy in 〃Dick〃 Davis's case； for；
while his body would have aged； it is doubtful if his spirit ever
would have lost its youthful freshness or boyish enthusiasm。
It was my privilege to see a good deal of Davis in the last two
years。
He arrived in Vera Cruz among the first of the sixty or seventy
correspondents who flocked to that news centre when the situation
was so full of sensational possibilities。 It was a time when the
American newspaper…reading public was eager for thrills； and the
ingenuity and resourcefulness of the correspondents in Vera Cruz
were tried to the uttermost to supply the demand。
In the face of the fiercest competition it fell to Davis's lot to
land the biggest story of those days of marking time。
The story 〃broke〃 when it became known that Davis； Medill
McCormick； and Frederick Palmer had gone through the Mexican
lines in an effort to reach Mexico City。 Davis and McCormick；
with letters to the Brazilian and British ministers； got through
and reached the capital on the strength of those letters； but
Palmer； having only an American passport； was turned back。
After an ominous silence which furnished American newspapers with
a lively period of suspense； the two men returned safely with
wonderful stories of their experiences while under arrest in the
hands of the Mexican authorities。 McCormick； in recently speaking
of Davis at that time； said that； 〃as a correspondent in
difficult and dangerous situations； he was incomparablecheerful；
ingenious； and undiscouraged。 When the time came to choose
between safety and leaving his companion he stuck by his fellow
captive even though； as they both said； a firing…squad and a blank
wall were by no means a remote possibility。〃
This Mexico City adventure was a spectacular achievement
which gave Davis and McCormick a distinction which no other
correspondents of all the ambitious and able corps had managed to
attain。
Davis usually 〃hunted〃 alone。 He depended entirely upon his own
ingenuity and wonderful instinct for news situations。 He had the
energy and enthusiasm of a beginner； with the experience and
training of a veteran。 His interest in things remained as keen
as though he had not been years at a game which often leaves a
man jaded and blase。 His acquaintanceship in the American army
and navy was wide； and for this reason； as well as for the
prestige which his fame and position as a national character gave
him； he found it easy to establish valuable connections in the
channels from which news emanates。 And yet； in spite of the fact
that he was 〃on his own〃 instead of having a working partnership
with other men； he was generous in helping at times when he was
able to do so。
Davis was a conspicuous figure in Vera Cruz； as he inevitably had
been in all such situations。 Wherever he went； he was pointed
out。 His distinction of appearance； together with a distinction
in dress； which； whether from habit or policy； was a valuable
asset in his work； made him a marked man。 He dressed and looked
the 〃war correspondent；〃 such a one as he would describe in one
of his stories。 He fulfilled the popular ideal of what a member
of that fascinating profession should look like。 His code of life
and habits was as fixed as that of the Briton who takes his
habits and customs and games and tea wherever he goes； no matter
how benighted or remote the spot may be。
He was just as loyal to his code as is the Briton。 He carried his
bath…tub； his immaculate linen； his evening clothes； his war
equipmentin which he had the pride of a connoisseurwherever
he went； and； what is more； he had the courage to use the evening
clothes at times when their use was conspicuous。 He was the only
man who wore a dinner coat in Vera Cruz； and each night； at his
particular table in the crowded 〃Portales；〃 at the Hotel
Diligencia； he was to be seen； as fresh and clean as though he
were in a New York or London restaurant。
Each day he was up early to take the train out to the 〃gap；〃
across which came arrivals from Mexico City。 Sometimes a good
〃story〃 would come down； as when the long…heralded and long…
expected arrival of Consul Silliman gave a first…page 〃feature〃
to all the American papers。
In the afternoon he would play water polo over at the navy
aviation camp； and always at a certain time of the day his
〃striker〃 would bring him his horse and for an hour or more he
would ride out along the beach roads within the American lines。
After the first few days it was difficult to extract real thrills
from the Vera Cruz situation； but we used to ride out to El Tejar
with the cavalry patrol and imagine that we might be fired on at
some point in the long ride through unoccupied territory； or else
go out to the 〃front；〃 at Legarto； where a little American force
occupied a sun…baked row of freight…cars； surrounded by malarial
swamps。 From the top of the railroad water…tank； we could look
across to the Mexican outposts a mile or so away。 It was not very
exciting； and what thrills we got lay chiefly in our imagination。
Before my acquaintanceship with Davis at Vera Cruz I had not
known him well。 Our trails didn't cross while I was in Japan in
the Japanese…Russian War； and in the Transvaal I missed him by a
few days； but in Vera Cruz I had many enjoyable opportunities of
becoming well acquainted with him。
The privilege was a pleasant one； for it served to dispel a
preconceived and not an entirely favorable impression of his
character。 For years I had heard stories about Richard Harding
Davisstories which emphasized an egotism and self…assertiveness
which； if they ever existed； had happily ceased to be obtrusive
by the time I got to know him。
He was a different Davis from the Davis whom I had expected to
find； and I can imagine no more charming and delightful companion
than he was in Vera Cruz。 There was no evidence of those
qualities which I feared to find； and his attitude was one of
unfailing kindness； considerateness； and generosity。
In the many talks I had with him； I was always struck by his
evident devotion to a fixed code of personal conduct。 In his writings
he was the interpreter of chivalrous； well…bred youth； and his heroes
were young； clean…thinking college men； heroic big…game hunters；
war correspondents； and idealized men about town； who always did
the noble thing； disdaining the unworthy in act or motive。 It seemed
to me that he was modelling his own life； perhaps unconsciously；
after the favored types which his imagination had created for his
stories。 In a certain sense he was living a life of make…believe；
wherein he was the hero of the story； and in which he was bound
by his ideals always to act as he would have the hero of his
story act。 It was a quality which only one could have who had
preserved a fresh youthfulness of outlook in spite of the
hardening processes of maturity。
His power of observation was extraordinarily keen； and he not
only had the rare gift of sensing the vital elements of a
situation； but also had； to an unrivalled degree； the ability to
describe them vividly。 I don't know how many of those men at Verz
Cruz tried to describe the kaleidoscopic life of the city during
the American occupation； but I know that Davis's story was far
and away the most faithful and satisfying picture。 The story was
photographic； even to the sounds and smells。
The last I saw of him in Vera Cruz was when； on the Utah； he
steamed past the flagship Wyoming； upon which I was quartered；
a