The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1914-08-15

L
| fooled there. Aud he knows we're
right after It, the way, we're driving
this cut in. Our permit is good-he
hasn't tried to buffalo Mendez-and
it's a cinch he can't denounce the
claim himself
! Maybe he figures on letting US do
all the work and pay all the denounce-
ment fees and then spring something
Scare i'm up or buy i'm on, and have
him transfer the title to him. That's
the way ne worked Kruger"
well. say urged Phil. Tets go
: ahead with our announcement before
he starts something Besides. the
warm weather is coming on now, and
! If we don't get move on we're likely
to get run out by the revoltosos.'
Nope" said Bud; 81 don't put this
into Mendez's hands until know he's
our man-and if ever do go ahead III
keep him under my six-shooter until
the last paper is signed, believe me. 1
know we're in bad somewhere. but
hurrying up won't help none.
Now 1 tell you what well do-yOu
go to the mining agent and get copies
Of all our papers and send them up to
that Gadsden lawyer. I'm going to go
down and board with Mendez and see
if I can read his heart"
So they separated, and while Phil
stayed in town to look over the rec
ords Bud ate his beans and tortiilas
with the Mendez family.
They were happy little family,
comfortably installed in the stone
house that Mendez had built, and rap
idly getting fat on three full meals a
! day. From his tent farther up the
canyon Bud could look down and
watch the children at play and see the
comely Indian wife as she cooked by
the open fire.
Certainly no one could be more in
nocent and contented than she was.
and FL Tuerto was all bows and pro-
testations Of gratitude. And yet, you
never can tell.
Bud had moved out of the new house
to furnish quarters for FL Tuerto and
had favored him in every way; but
this same consideration might easily
be misinterpreted, for the Mexicans
are slow to understand kindness.
So, while on the one hand he had
treated them generously, he had al
|
tempted to presume. But now, with
Phil in town for a few days, he took
his meals with Maria, who was too
awed to say a word. and made friends
with the dogs and the children
The way to the dogs heart was easy,
almost direct, and he finally won the
attention Of little Pancho and Josefa
with a well-worn Sunday supplement
This gaudy institution, with It's spicy
stories and startling illustrations, had
penetrated even to the Wilds Of Sonora
and every Sunday as regularly as the
paper came Bud sat down and had his
laugh over the funny page.
. But to Pancho, who was six years
old and curious, this same highly col
ored sheet was mystery Of mysteries
and when he saw the big American
laughing he crept up and looked at II
wistfully.
Mira said Bud, laying his finger
upon the Sinking visage Of one Of the
comic characters, Took, and will tel
you the story"
And so, with laborious care, he
translated the colored fun, while the
little MendeZes sQuirmed with excite
ment and leaped with JOY. Even the
simple souls of FL TuertO and Maria
wer moved by the comicas, and Men
deg became so interested that he
learned the words by heart, the better
to explain them to others.
But as for Mexican treachery, BUD
could find none of it. In fact, finding
: them so simple-hearted and good-na
tured. he became half ashamed Of hi:
> early suspicious and waited for the
return of Phil to explain Don Cipri
T amos complaeency.
. But the next Sunday, as Bud Ia!
reading in his tent, the mystery SOLVED
itself. Cruz Mendez came up from thu
b house, hat in hand and an apOlogeti'
a smile on his face, and after the Gus
+ tomary roundabout remarks he asket
a the boss as a favor If he would LEM
him the page of comic pictures.
= "Seguro!" assented Bud, rolling owe
r and fumbling for the funny sheet
p then, falling to find it instantly, he in
a quired: What do you want it for?''
d "Ah, to show to my boy!" explaine,
n Ell Tuerto, his one eye lighting up wit
q, pride.
a 'rWho-Pancho?"
r "Ah, no, senor," answered Mende
= simply, my boy in La Fortuna, tn
IA one you have not seen"
d Bud stopped fumbling for the pape
d and sat up suddenly. Here was a ne7
light on their faithful servitor, and on
Is that might easily take away from hi
a value as a dummy locator.
~ "Oh!" he said, and then: "Ho'
h many children have you. Cruz?"
" Cruz smiled deprecatingly, as pa
Id ents will, and turned away.
IL by which woman ?'' he inquired, an
oi- Bud became suddenly very calm, fea
lit ing the worst. For If Cruz was NJ
b. legally married to Maria, he could NJ
transfer the mining claim.
as by all Of Them" he said quietly.
Id Five in ALL" returned Cruz-"thre
by Maria, as you mow-two by n
1t, first woman-and one other. 1 do n
be count him.
be We'll, you one-eyed old reprobate
nd muttered Bud in his throat, but
a passed it OF and returned smiling
the charge.
to Where does your boy live now