Mexico Missouri message., 1914-07-23
CHAPTER VII.

Inere are doubtless many philan-
thropists In the Back Bay regions OF
Boston who would consider the whip
saving of Cruz Mendez a very repre-
hensible act. And one hundred dol.
lars Mex was certainly a very small
reward for tho service that he was to
perform.
But Bud and Phil we're not travelling
for any particular uplift society, and
one hundred pesos was lot Of money
to Cruz Mendez. More than that, II
they had offered him a thousand dol
lars for the same service he would
have got avaricious and demanded ten
thousand.
He came to the hotel very early the
next morning and fingered around an
hour or so, waiting for the American
gentleman to arise and tell him his
fate. hundred dollars would buy
everything that he could think of, in
GLIDING a quantity of mescal. His
throat dried at the thought Of 1t.
Then the gentlemen appeared and
asked him many questions-whether
he was married according to law,
whether his wife would sign the pa
pers with him, and IL he believed in
a hereafter for those who played false
with Americans. Having answered all
these In the affirmative, he was taken
to the agente mineral, and, after sign
ing his name-his one feat in penman-
ship-to several imposing documents,
he was given the precious permit.
Then there was another trip to the
grounds with surveyor, to make re-
port that the claim was actually va
cant, and Mendez went back to his
normal duties as q packer.
In return for this service as a dunn
my locator. and to keep him under
their eye, the Americans engaged Ell
Tuerto. the one-eyed, to pack out a
few tools and supplies for them; and
then, to keep him busy, they employed
him further to build a stone house.
All these activities were, of course,
not lost on Don Cipriano Aragon y
Tres Palacios, since. by a crafty ar
rangement of fences, he had made It
impossible for anyone to reach the
lower country without passing through
the crooked street of Old Fortuna.
During the first and the second trip
of the strange Americans he kept
within his dignity. hoping perhaps
that they would stop at his store,
where they could be engaged in con-
versation; but upon their return from
a third trip. after Cruz Mendez had
gone through with their supplies, he
cast his proud Spanish reserve to the
winds and waylaid them on the street.
"Buenas tardes, senores," he salut-
ed. as they rode past his store, and
then, seeing that they did not break
their gait, he held up his hand for
them to stop.
Excuse me, gentlemen" he said,
speaking genially but with an affected
Spanish lisp. II have seen you ride
past several times-are you working
for the big company up at New For
tuna?
mo, senor," answered De Lancey
courteously, I'VE are working for our
selves"
Good" responded Aragon with ia
therly approval; st is better 30. And
are you looking at mines?"
YES" said De Lancey non-commit-
tally; I'VE are looking at mines"
That is good, too" observed Ara
gon; land wish you well, but since
you are strangers to this country and
perhaps do not know the people as
we'll as some. desire to warn you
against that one-eyed man, Cruz Men
dez. with whom | have seen you rid
ing. He Is a worthless fellow-a very
pela'o Mexican. one who has nothing
and yet he Is always seeking TO i'm
pose upon strangers by selling them
old mines which have no value.
Il have no desire to speak Ill OF my
neighbors, but since he has moved
into the brush house up the river l
have lost several fine little pigs; and
his eye, as / know, was torn from his
head as he was chasing another mans
COW. have not suffered him on my
ranch for years, for he is such q thief.
and yet he has the effrontery to rerre-
sent himself to strangers as a poor but
honest man. hope that he has not
imposed upon you In any way?"
No; not at all, thank YOU" respond
I'd De Lancey. as Bud raised his
bride reins TO go. I'VE hired him
to pack out our tools and supplies and
he has done 1t very reasonably. But
many thanks. sir. for your warning.
Adios!"
He touched his hat and waved his
hand In parting, and Bud grinned as
he settled down to trot.
You can't help palavering EN-, can
you. Phil?" he said. mo matter what
you think about EN-, you got to be
polite, haven't you? Well, that's the
way you get drawn in-next time you
go By now the old man will pump you
dry--you see. No. sir. the only way
to get along with these Mexicans ia
not to have a thing to do with 'em.
No savvy'-that's my motto!"
Well 'muchas gracias' ia mine" alb