The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1914-09-19
CHAPTER XVII.

There was world Of Mexicans In
the plaza when Hooker rode down
through the town. Never, it seemed to
him, had he seen so many or liked
them less.
To the handful of Americans who
remained to man the mill and mine,
they were easily a hundred to one;
and though their eyes were wide with
ear of the imminent rebels, they had
an evil way of staring at him which
he did not relish.
Even at the hotel, where the Span
| ish-Mexican aristocracy was massed
ten deep, he sensed the same feeling
of yelled hostility and wondered vague
" what it might portend. If Philip De
Lancey, for making love to a girl, was
drafted into the army, what would
| happen to him If these people should
ever break loose? And did they have
the courage to do their worst?
He fingered around the door for
while, hoping to meet Don Juan or
| some American who would tell him
| the news; then, Disguised with every
thing, he flung away and left them to
themselves. Fortuna was not a white
| mans country-he could see that with
out diagram-but at the same time
he intended to hold his mine until he
could hear from Phil.
Let the tides of instruction come
/ and go, let the red-faggers take the
| town and the federals take it back
again-at the end he would still be
found at the Eagle Tail, unless Phil
received his title to the mine.
AS for Aragon, whose fine Italian
| hand he perceived behind the sudden
taking OF OF Phil, let him make what
| trades he would with the rurales and
Manuel del Rey, even to the giving Of
his daughters hand; but if, taking ad-
vantage Of the unsettled times, he
dared to try to steal their mine, then
/ there would be war to the knife.
1t is a fine, comforting thing to be
single-minded and Of one purpose. All
| the rest of life is simplihed and or
dered then, and man knows when to
raise his hand and when to hold it
back
In his letter Phil had said nothing
about their mine, but he was a Mexi-
can citizen still. and the mine was in
his name. Bud was his pardner and
free to hold it in his stead; and that
but work it for a stake. Then, when
the tide was passed and all made GER
tain, they could turn it over to Kruger
and quit the accursed country.
AS for the girl, Bud decided that
she could take care OF herself without
any assistance from him, and dis
missed her from his mind.
Back at the mine he found Amigo
guarding camp from the hilltop, and
after telling him the gist of his trou-
bles, the two of them went to work
Every day, while one Of them dug out
the ore. the other crushed and washed
it and watched as he horned out the
gold. Their rifles they kept beside
them and pistols In their belts; and
every time Mexican dropped into
camp, as one did now and then in the
general unrest, he felt the silent men
ace Of arms In readiness and continued
on his way.
For week they Iabored on together
grim, watchful. expectant-then, at
the break OF day, they heard a distant
rattle of arms, like the tearing OF q
cloth, and knew that the battle was
on
The great whistle at Fortuna opened
, with its full, bass roar, and Amigo
, snatched up his gun and went Looping
: down the canyon, drawn irresisdblJ
. by the sound Of conflict Bud fingered
climbing higher and higher to get 8
! view OF the country. But his young
: blood clamored for action too. and
/ soon he was mounted and gone.
The fighting was not at the Ameri
/ can town. but down the valley by Old
Fortuna. and as Hooker galIoped OF
; toward the sound Of the firing he no
ticed that it was on the move. Al
/, ready the cowardly rebels were re
: treating-the volunteers from Forums
: were hurryfng to get closer to them
the rurales we're riding TO flank them.
{ and when Bud jumped his horse q
E the last hill and looked down into tn
p broad. cultivated valley he saw tn.
dust OF their flight