The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-07-01
CHAPTER VIII.

There are some people in this world
with whom it seems impossible to quar-
rel. notably the parents of attractive
daughters
Perhaps, If Gracia Aragon had not
been watching him from the window
Philip De Lancey would not have been
quite so cordial with her father-at
least, that was what Hooker thought.
and he was so badly peeved at the
way things had gone that he said it,
too.
Then, Of course, they quarreled, and,
n thing leading to another, Phil told
Bud he had a very low way of speak
ing. Bud replied that, whatever his
deficiencies Of speech might be, he
was not fool enough to be drawn in
by a skirt, and Phil rebuked him again.
Then, with a s%cornful grunt, Bud
) Hooker rode on in silence and they
said nc more about it.
1t was a gay life that they led at
night for the Fortuna hotel was filed
with men Of their kind, since all the
staid married men had either moved
across the line with their families or
were under orders to come straight
home.
In the daytime the hotel was nearly
deserted, for every man in town was
working for the company; bat in the
evening, when they gathered around
the massive stove, it was a merry COM
pany indeed.
There were college men, full Of good
stories and stories not so good, world
wanderers and adventures with such
tales of the East and West as never
have been written In books. But not a
college boy could match stories with
Phil De Lancey, and few wanderers
there were who could tell him any
thing new about Mexico. Also, when
it came to popular songs, he knew
both the words and the tune. So he
vas much in demand, and Don Juan
passed many drinks across the bar be-
cause of him. "
In all such festivities the two pard-
ners stayed together; Bud, with a
broad, indulgent grin, listening to the
end, and Phil, his eyes alight with
liquor and good cheer, talking and
laughing far into the night.
Outside the winter winds were still
cold and the MeXicans went wrapped
to the eyebrows; but within the merry
company was slow to quit, and Phil,
making up for the lonely months
when he had entirely lacked an audi
ence, sat long in the seat Of honor and
was always the last to go.
But on the evening after their spat
Bud sat off to one side, and even Pills
sprightly and ventriloquistic converse
ton with Observation-Disclosures
called forth only a tleeting smile.
Bud was thinking, and when en-
gagged in that arduous occupation even
the saucy little girl behind the door
could not beguile him.
But, after he had studied it all out,
and come to a definite conclusion, he
did not deliver an ultimatum. The old,
good-natured smile simply came back
to his rugged face; he rolled a cigar
cite; and then for the rest of the evet
ming he lay back and enjoyed the
show. Only in the morning, when
they went out to the corral to get their
horses, he carried his war-bag- with
him and, after throwing the saddle on
to Copper Bottom, he did the same for
their spare mount.
"What are you going to pack out
Bud?" inquired Phil, and Bud slapped
his canvas-covered bed for an answer,
Then, with a heave, he snaked it out
of the harnessroom where it had been
stored and slung it deftly across the
pack-saddle. a
why, what's the natter" said De
Lancey, when they were on their way;
don't you like the hotel?" IS
Hotels fine," conceded Bud, but !
reckon I'd better camp out at the
mine. Want to keep my eye on that
Mexican of ours"
Jaw, he's all right" protested Phil.
Sure" said Bud; Il amt afraid
he'll steal something-but he might
take a notion to quit the COUNTY, -
-L ~ - 49,