Gilpin observer., 1914-11-12
hard for nie?"

3
81 know nothing of your errand. But
this / do know. 1 have done nothing
for which l can be arrested, and IL any
man tries to make me Join the army"
he heoked his thumb into his belt and
regarded the captain fxedly.
"Ah. very WELL" said Del Rey, jerk
ing his waxed mustachios, Il will not
press the matter. But / understand
from one Of my men, senior, that you
are harboring dangerous criminal
here-the same man. perhaps. whom /
saw running up the canyon?"
He smiled meaningly' at this, but
Bud was swift to defend his Yaqui.
mo. senor," he replied, "I have no
such criminal. / have a Mexican work
ing for me who is one of the best
miners in Sonora. and that is all
know about him"
"A Mexican?" repeated Del Rey,
arching his eyebrows. Excuse me,
sir, but it is my business to know
every man In this district, and he is
nc. Mexican, but a Yaqui. Moreover,
he is a fugitive and an outlaw, and IL
he had not been enlisted with the fed
erals should have arrested him when
he passed through Fortuna. So warn
you. sir. not to hide him, or you will
be liable to the law"
I'm not hiding him." protested
Hooker scornfully I'm Just hiring
him as a miner. and any time you want
him you can come and get him. He's
up in the rocks there somewhere
now"
Sol" exclaimed the captain, glanc-
ing uneasily at the hillside. Il did not
think-but many thanks. senor. an
other time will do as we'll"
He reined his horse away as he
spoke and, with a jerk of the head to
Aragon, rode rapidly down the can
yon. Aragon fingered to retrieve his
fallen gun-belt and then, seeming to
think better of his desire to speak, he
made single vindictive gesture and
set spurs to his champing horse.
1t was mrely fling Of the hand, as
spontaneous as a sigh or a frown, but
in it Hooker read the last evaporation
of the Spaniard and his declaration of
war to the knife. He barred his strong
teeth in reply and hissed out a blight
ing curse. and then Aragon was gone.
That evening. as the darkness came
on and the canyon became hushed and
still Bud built big fire and stood be-
fore it, his rugged form silhouetted
against the flames. And soon, as quiet
as a fox, the Yaqui appeared from the
gloom.
Did he come for me?" he asked.
advancing warily into the freight,
that captain"
YES" answered Bud, "and for me,
too. But you must have known him
before, Amigo-he seems to be afraid
of you"
A smile of satisfaction passed over
the swarthy face of the Indian at this.
and then the lines became grim again.
His eyes glowed with the light Of some
great purpose. and for the first time
since he had been with Bud he drew
aside the veil from his past.
Yes" he said. nodding significantly.
the rural Is afraid. He knows l have
come to kill him.
He squatted by the fire and poured
out a cup of coffee, still brooding over
his thoughts-then. with a swift ges-
ture, he laid open his shirt and pointed
to scar along the ribs.
"He shot me there" he said.
And so you have come to kill him ?"
YES" answered Amigo; "but not
now. Tomorrow | go to my people
l must take them my money first
Have you got a wife," asked Hook
reserve.
NO" grumbled Amiga. shaking his
head sadly, mo wife,
"oh. you take your money to your
father and mother"
NO. No father-no mother-nadie!"
He threw up his open hands to sig
nifty that all we're gone. and Hooker
said no more. For three months and
more he had worked alongside this
giant, silent Yaqui and only once had
he sensed his past. That was when
Amigo had torn his shirt in lifting,
and across the ripping muscles OF his
back there had beep shown the long
white vale OF a whip.
1t was the mark Of his former
slavery when. with the rest OF his peo-
pie, he had been deported to the hene-
quen fields of Yucatan and fiogged by
the overseer's lash-and Amigo was
ashamed of 1t. But now that he was
about to go, Bud made bold to ask him
one more question. to set his mind at
rest.
Perhaps this captain killed your
people?"
mo. senor." answered Amigo quiet.
ly; they died"
He spoke the words simply, but
there was something in his voice that
brought up images OF the past-of
peaceful Yaquis, seized at every ranch
In Sonora on a certain night; OF long
marches overland, prodded on by
ri.r .e a