The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-07-02
CHAPTER Xxx.

In a country where witnesses TO a
crime are imprisoned along with the
principals and kept more or less in.
definitely In jail. a man thinks twice
before he reports 70 the police.
with four dead Mexicans TO the
Yaqui's account. and Del Rey In
charge OF the district. Hooker followed
his second thouRht-he said nothing,
aud took his chances on being arrest.
cd for murder Until far into the night
Amigo busted himself along the hill
side. and when the sun rose not q sign
remained to tell the story OF the fight.
Men. horses, saddles and guns-all
had disappeared. And, after packing a
little food In a sack, Amigo disap-
peared also. with a grim smile in prom.
Use OF return.
The sun rose round and hot, the
same as usual. the south wind came
up and blew into O bellying mass OF
clouds. which dashed back with the nc.
customed rain and when all the earth
was washe" clean and fresh the last
trace OF the struggle was gone. Only
by the burns on his hands was Hooker
aware OF the fight and OF the ~treachery
which had reared its head against him
like a snake which has been warmed
and fed.
Nowhere but Ia Mexico. whore the
low pelado classes have made such
deeds a subtlety. could the man be
found to dissimulate like that false
assassin.!n.chief. TO pause suddenly
In a 2%rotracted speech. swing over and
pick up a gun. and halt his victim for
the shooting by the preparatory click
OF the lock-that indeed called for a
brand OF cunning rarely found In the
United States.
There was n thing about tAe affair
that vaguely haunted HoOk2r-whS
was Il that a man 80 cunning as that
had failed 10 load his gun? Twice. and
with everything In his favor, he had
raised his rife TO fire: and both times
II hat snapped In his hands. Certainly
he must have been inept at arms-or
accustomed to single-shot guns.
The reputed magic OF the swlft-hr.
ing rifles evidently had been his undo.
ing, but where had he got his new
gun? And who was he. anyway? With
those two battling questions Bud wres.
tied as he sat beside his door, and at
evening his answer came.
The sun was swinging low and he
was collecting wood down the gulch
for a fire when, with a sudden thud OF
hoOfs, a horseman rounded the point
and came abruptly to a halt. II was
Aragon. and he was spying on the
camp.
For n full minute he scanned the
house, tent and mine with a look so
snaky aud sinister that Bud could read
his heart like a book. Here was tho
man who had sent the assassins, and
he had come 10 view their work.
Very slowly Buds hand orepi
toward his siN-shoOter but, slight AZ
vas the motion. Aragon caught Il and
sat frozen in his place. Then with an
inarticulate cry, he fell fiat on hig
horses neck and went squirting out
OF sight.
The answer 10 Rud's questions waf
very easy now. The Mexican who had
led the attempt on his life was one
OF AraEon's bad mon n OF the foui
gunner whom Hcoker had looked
over so carefully when they came q
drive him iron. the mine. and AragoI
had fitted him out with new arms q
make the result more sure. But Will
that question answered there came NJ
another and another until, In a sud
den clarity Of vision, Bud saw through
the hellish plot and beheld himself
the master
AS man 10 man, Aragon would nol
dare 10 face linn now. for he knew
that ne merlted death. by his SIS
approach. by the look in his eyes anC
the dlsmay OF his frenzied retreat
he had acknowledged more suTel,
than BY words his guilty knowledge
OF the raid. Coming TO n camp where
he expected C. find all dead and still
he had found himself face to face
with the very nan he had sought tc
XIII. How, then, had the American
escaped destruction. and what hae
occurred TO his menG
Perhaps, IN his Ignorance, Aragor
was raging at his hirelings becaus'
they had shirked their task; perhaps
not knowing that they were dead, h'
was waiting IN a fever OF impatlenc'
for them 10 accomplish the deed. How
ever Il was. Bud saw that he held the
high card. and ne was not slow TO act
In the morning he saddled Copper
Bottom. who had been confined 10 the
corral for weeks, and vent gallopinl
into town. There no fingered abouI
the hotel until be saw his man and
started boldly toward him. Surprise
alarm and pitiful fear chased them
selves across Aragon's face as h'
stood. but Bud walked proudly By.
Good morning, senorl" was an Bud
said. but the look In his eyes wal