Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-10-23

Gracia shuddered, signing YEARLY.
Then. as If his words had hurt her.
she covered her face and wept-
What did you tell that mani 2" she
asked at last.
'W'y-what mann" inquired Hook
er, astonished. Amt you going to
eat?"
moi" she cried, gazing out at him
through her tears. mot until l know
what you said. Did you tell that In
dian toto kill him?"
She broke down suddenly in a At of
sobbing. and Hooker wiped his brow.
IVY mol" he protested. Sure not!
What made you think that?"
"Why-you rode over and spoke to
him-and he looked at me-and then
he-killed himi"
She gave way to a paroxysm Of grief
at this, and Bud looked around him,
wondering. That she was weak and
hungry he knew. but what was this
she was saying?
II reckon I don't understand what
you're driving at" he said at last.
wish you'd eat something-youn feel
better"
mo, I won't eati" she declared. sit.
ting up and frowning. mr. Hooker"
she went on very miserably, what did
you mean this morning when you
laughed! I said l hated poor Manuel
and you said-well. what you did
and you laughed Did you think-oh,
you couldn't have-that / really want
ed him killed."
"W'y, sure noti" cried Hooker
heartily. Il knowed you vas fooling!
Didn't I laugh at your Say, what kind
Of a Teller do you think l am, anyway?
Dye think I'd get an Indian to do my
killing?"
"Oh, then didn't your" she cried.
suddenly Frightening up. you know,
you talk so rough sometimes-and
never do know what you mean! You
said you guessed you'd have to kill
him for me, you know, and-oh, it was
too awful l must be getting foolish.
I'm so tired out, but-what did you
tell that Indian?"
Bud glanced at her sharply for a
moment and then decided to humor
her. Perhaps, if he could get her
quieted, she would stop talking and
begin to eat.
HE asked me who was after u.s." he
said, and | told him it was Del Rey."
"Yes. and what did he say them"
"He didn't say nothing-jest lined
out for the pass"
And didn't you say you wanted
him-killed?"
mol" burst out Bud, half angrily.
Haven't l told you once? ! did not!
That Indian had reasons of his own,
believe inches got a scar along his
ribs where Del Rey shot him with a
six-shooterl And, furthermore" he
added. as her face cleared at this ex-
PLANTATION of the mystery, you'd better
try to take me at my word for the rest
| of this trip! Looks to me like you've
been associating with these Mexicans
| too much!"
why, what do you mean?" she de-
manded CURLY.
II mean this" answered Hooker, be
ing as we're on the subject again.
| Ever since I've knowed you you've
been talking about brave men and
| all that; and more'n n you've limited
that / wasn't brave because / wouldn't
fight
.Fd just like to tell you, to put
your mind at rest, that M father was
a sergeant IN the Texas rangers and no
hundred Mexicans was ever able to
make him crawl. He served for ten
years on the Texas border and never
turned his back to no man-let alone
a Mex. | was brought up by him to
be peaceable and quiet, but don't you
never think, because l run away from
Manuel del Rey, that l was afraid to
face him"
He paused and regarded her intent
ly, and her eyes fell before his.
You must excuse me-" she said,
looking wistfully away, Il did mott
did not understand. And 30 the poor
Yaqui was only avenging an injury?'
she went on, reaching out one slender
hand toward the food. "Ah, I can I'M
derstand 1t now-he looked SO savage
and fierce. But"-she paused again.
set back by a sudden thought-"didnt
you know he would kill him?"
Yes, ma'am," answered Hooker
quietly. II did"
-Then-then why didn't you"
'That was between them two" he
replied doggedly. Del Rey shot him
once when he was wounded and left
him for dead. He must have killed
some Of his people. too; his wife meb-
be. for all ! know. He never would
talk about 1t, but he come back to get
his revenge. don't shoot no man
from cover myself, but that amt it.
It was between them two"
And your" she suggested. IF you
had fought Del Rey?"