The San Francisco call., 1908-09-20

as he wished to dance and sing, ther
mount his horse, and after final stir
rup cup. ride away.
At this late hour about 80 of tn,
guests were still making merry They
were about as cosmopolitan a crowt
as could be found anywhere-slim
scarlet Tipped Spanish girls, whose fail
compilations showed that there still rar
in their veins a strain of the old Cas-.
tilian BLOOD stout, muddy skinned
coarse haired Mexicans, with an admix-
ture of Indian in them: straight
browed, hawk nosed Chilenos, ready
and skillful with the knife: a few raw
boned, loose jointed Yankees just back
from the mines on their way thither
couple of Cockney English sailors
who had deserted from their ship al
San Francisco and who asked all com
ers from the north If the Jenny Lind
and the marquis of Q. had yet pulled
anchor, and the inevitable Irishman
driven from his native isle by that love
for alien and adventurous shores which
takes him to the newest and farthest
lands
The company had been at ii all day
some indeed had lain down, wrapped in
/, their serapes, caught a few hours
sleep, then gotten up and joined in the
festivities with renewed energies The
group had now formed a circle around
young girl of Is and a man, both
spaniards, who were dancing in the
middle of the floor
Suddenly the door was pushed open
and stranger strode in. He wes rich
ly dressed in Mexican costume solid
silver. buttons decorated his calzonazos
from hip to knee, a silver mounted re-
volver was stuck in his pink sash, sill
Yer spurs dangled at his heels and a
ma Il.
was carried on his arm.
This man was Felipe Hernandez. the
notorious Mexican desperate, grave,
cunning and ferocious. He would go
OF periodically into the mountains and
always return richly dressed and with
an abundance of money in his pocket
1t was rumored that he had hidden
mines somewhere or found nuggets in
stream known to him alone but the
majority of people in the pueblo he
lieved that he came across his gold in
a less innocent manner
Ills sudden arrival that night caused
surprise and CONSERVATION, for 1t was
we'll known that there was bad blood
between him and the host. Henry Pee
was one of the few witnesses who had
mad the temerity to testify against him
when ne was on trial for murder few
months before. Felipe had threatened
to avenge himself for this testimony
and the memory of a Mexican is long
Tonight, however, he made no hostile
move.
After the arrival of Hernandez the
m1rth was not so spontaneous or the
laughter so unrestrained. Wherever he
moved glances in which admiration.
fear and repulsion were mingled fol-
lowed him. His personality cowed the
entire room About. half an hour after
the arrival of the desperate. John Bee
the son. In order to relieve the tension
among the company, suggested that
Hernandez sing a song, for 1t was we'll
known that he had mellow tenor
voice.
The Mexican at once consented and
followed the boy into another room to
get guitar. As he was going out he
made sign to Gonzalez, his Mexican
servant, who quietly slipped out. un-
hitched the horses and held them in
readiness
The room into which they went was
corner one in the front OF the house
and had two windows, one facing the
front and the other the side. A lamp
was burning in it when the two en-
tered.
Here is a guitar" said John Bee.
and he picked up the instrument from
a chair and started out.
Wait" said Hernandez. let me see
1t a moment"
Bee handed him the guitar. and he
said suddenly, with an affected air of
surprise: