Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1914-10-15
CHAPTER XXI.

CHRF Ell MI.
On the morning after they had
laughed at the comic paper and decid-
ed that all the world was fair, Hooker
and Amigo were squatting by the fire
and eating a man's-size breakfast,
The creek, swollen by yesterdays
~torrential rain, had settled to a rivu-
let. The wind had not risen and the
sun was just over the hill when, with
a rush and a scramble, Amigo threw
down his cup and was off in a flash for
the rocks.
A moment later two men rode down
the canyon, and then two more, and
two more. 1t was a column Of men,
all armed with rifles, and they cast
envious eyes at Copper Bottom as they
halted before the camp. AS for Bud,
he saluted ~gTavely, for he knew them
for what they were.
These were the lost forces of Ber-
nardo Bravo and Salazar, Rojas and
the other bandit chiefs, and they
marched, as he well knew, upon For
tuna, They marched quietly, and the
great whistle had not blown.
1t would make a rich prize, Fortuna,
If they could take it by surprise! The
ransom for the Spanish haciendados
alone would amount to thousands Of
dollars, and the mine-owners could
afford to pay anything in order to save
their works.
A box of dynamite under the giant
co%ncentrator and the money would be
produced at once, and yet the scoun-
drels halted at a one-man camp to
steal a single horse.
A flicker Of scorn passed over Hook
er's face as the leader came dashing
up, but the Texan greeted him with a
slow smile.
'Buenos dias, general" he said;
you have many men"
Enough" observed the general"
hurriedly, "but some in the rear are
on foot. AS | suppose you are in sym
pathy with our great cause, / will ask
you for that horse. OF course, l will
give you a receipt"
He fetched ont a blank-book as he
spoke and motioned to a ragged beg
gar at his heels. Bud checked the
mans rush with a look.
One moment!" he said, and as the
soldier turned back his general glanced
up sharply.
Only this. Senior General" an
swered Bud. you are welcome to
anything have-food, blankets, mon
ey-but | cannot give you that horse"
But, s%enor!" protested the general,
regarding him with arrogant pig eyes
that giinted wickedly, this poor sol
tdier's feet are sore. Surely you would
mot make him walk. Only name your
price and will give you a receipt for
him, but my man must have the
horse"
There vas a pause and men began
TO disrlount and move in closer. At
a word from their commander any
one of them would draw and kill him,
as Hooker very well knew, but his
love for Copper Bottom made him OBJ
durate.
If the man is lame," he said, II
will give him another horse-but he
cannot have this sorrel."
He stepped quickly over to the cor
Tal and turned with his back to the
gate, while the commander spat out
orders in Spanish and armed men
came running.
"Senor,' he said, advancing brusque-
1y upon the defiant Hooker, Il must
trouble you for that pistol"
mo, senor!" answered the cowboy,
keeping his hand upon his gun, mot
to you nor no man-and I'll never give
1t up to a Mexican!"
"Carai!" exclaimed the officer impa-
tiently, you are an Americano-no?'
Not only that" rumbled Bud, draw
ing himself up in his pride, Il am a
Tejano also, and il any man touches
that horse I'll kill him!"
His voice trembled with anger, but
his hand was steady and the Mexicans
did not deceive themselves.
"Ha, Tin Tejano!" murmured the
men sho stood about, and one Or two
who had started to climb the fence
thought better Of il and dropped back
to the grodnd.
Bud knew the fate Of several men
whohad proclaimed themselves Ameri
leans Ia the nsurrectos-boastfull
done, il was said to be the quickest
way there was Of drawing a Mexican
bullet. But to be a Texan was differ
ent--somehow the very name suggest
ed trouble to their minds and an Ala
mo fight to the death. Hooker saw
that he had made an impression, ant
ne was not slow to follow it up. \
III you need . horse, " heasaid X
the general, Tlet your man go UP thai
arroyo and he viii flnd one hobbled or
the fat. Then give me your rnceipt
for two hundred dollars gold and
will contribute d saddle"
Il was q reasonable concession. un
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