The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-07-08

am now a Mexican citizen, like your
self"
"You!" screamed Aragon, his eyes
bullying with establishment; and then,
finding himself tricked, he turned sud-
denly upon one of his r%etainers and
struck him with his whip. ,
"Son of a goat" he stormed. "Pig!
Is this the way you obey my orders?"
But though he raved and scolded, he
had gone too far, and there was no
putting the blame on his servant In
his desire to humiliate the hated grin
COS he.had thrown down all his guards,
and even De Lancey saw all too clear
ly what his intentions in the matter
had been.
Spare your cursing. Senior Aragon,"
he said, land after this" he added,
you can save your pretty words, too
for somebody else. We shall re-
main here and hold our property"
"Ha! You Americans!" exclaimed
Aragon, as he chewed bitterly on his
defeat. you will rob US of every
thing-even our government. So you
are a Mexican citizen. Ell? You must
value this barren mine very highly to
give up the protection of your govern
ment. But perhaps you are acquainted
with a man named Kruger" he
sneered.
HE would sell his honor any time
to defraud a Mexican of his rights,
and I doubt not 1t was he who, sent
you here. Yes, I have known it from
the first-but I will fool him yet!
$50 you are a Mexican citizen, Senior
De Lancey? Bien, then you shall pay
the full price of your citizenship. Be-
fore our law you are now no more than
that poor pelado, Mendez. You cannot
appeal now to your consul at Gads-
del-you are only a Mexican! Very
WE'LL" N....
He shrugged his shoulders and
smiled significantly.
NO." retorted De Lancey angrily;
you are right cannot appeal to my
government! But let me tell you some
thing, Senior Mexicano! An American
needs no government to protect him
he has his gun, and that is enough"
YES added Bud, who had caught
the drift of the last, land he has his
friends, too; don't forget that!" He
strobe yer toward Aragon and men
aced him with a threatening finger.
IF anything happens to my friend"
he Kissed, you will have me to whip!
And now, senor," he added, speaking
in the idiom of the country, go with
God-and do not come back!"
"Pah!% spat back Aragon, his hate
for the pushing foreigner showing in
every glance; 9" will beat you yet!
And I pray God the revoltosos come
this way, if they take the full half of
my cattle-so long al they get you
two!"
Yvery WE'LL" nodded Bud as Aragon
| and his men turned away, but be
careful you do not send any!"
Good" he continued, smiling grim
ly at the pallid Phil; now we got him
where we want him-out In the open.
And I'll just remember them four pail
sanos he had with him-they're his
handy men, the boys with nerve-and
don't never let one of 'em catch you
out after dark"
De Lancey sat down on a rock and
wiped his face.
Heavens. Bud" he groaned, 81
never would have believed it of him
/ thought he was on the square. But
it tust goes to prove the old saying
every Mexican has got a streak of vel
low in him somewhere. All you've
&c o do is to trust him long enough
anu you'll find it out. Well, we're hep
to Mr.. Aragon, all right"
81 v seen one of these polite,
palavering Mexicans yet" observed
Bud sagely, that wasn't crooked. And
this teller Aragon is mean, to boot.
But that's a game" he added, that
two can play at. l don't know how you
feel, Phil, but We been kinder creeping
and slipping around 10 long that I'm
all cramped up inside. Never suffered
more in my life than the last sixty
days-being polite to that damn Next
can. Now it's our turn. Are you
gamer" D..
Count me in" cried De Lancey,
rising from his rock. whats the
play?"
"Well, we'll go into town pretty
soon," grinned Bud, land If l run
across old Aragon, or any one Of them
four bad Mexicans, I'm going to make
a show. And as for that big brindle
dog of his-well, he's sure going to get
roped and drug If he don't mend
his ways. Come on, let's ketch up our
horses and go in for a little time!",
"Il go you'll" agreed Phil with en-
thusiasm, and half an hour later, each
on his favorite horse. they were clat-
tering down the canyon. At the turn
of the trail, where 1t swung into the
Aragon lane, Bud took down his rope
and smiled in anticipation.
"You go on ahead" he said, shaking