The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-07-04
cAAPrrR XXI.

On the morning after they had
laughed at the comic paper and decid
ed hat all the world was fair. Hooker
and Amigo we're squatting by the IRE
and eating a man's-size breakfast.
The creek, swollen by yesterdays
torrential rain. had settled to u riyu'
let. The wind had not risen and the
sun was just yer the hill when. with
q rush and a scramble, Amigo threw
down hts cup and was off ia a fash for
the rocks.
A moment later two men rode down
the canyon. and thon two more. and
two more. It q a column Of men.
ali armed with rifles, and they cast
envious eyes at Copper Bottom as they
halted before the camp. As for Bud.
he salutod %gravely, for he knew them
for what they were.
These we're the lost forces OF Der.
nardo Bravo and Salazar. Rojas and
the other bandit chiefs. and they
marched. as he well knew. upon For.
una. They marched quietly. and the
great whistle had not blown.
Il would make a rich prize. Fortuna.
II they could take It by surprised The
ransom for the Spanish haciendados
alone would amount to thousands Of
dollars, aud the mineowners could
afford TO pay anything in order 10 save
their works.
A box OF dynamite under the giant
coneentrator and the money would be
produced at once, and yet the scoun.
drels halted at a One-man camp to
steal u single horse.
A flicker OF scorn passed over Hook.
err face as the leader came dashing
up. but the Texan greeted him with a
slow smile.
"Buenos dias. generall" he said
you have many men,"
Enough" observed the general
h%urrledly. but some Ia the rear are
on foot As | suppose you are In sym
pathy with our eroat cause, r will ask
YOU FOR hat horse. OF course, will
give o a receipt"
He fetched out a b~lank-book as he
spoke and motioned to a ragged beg
gar at his heels. Bud checked the
hlan , rush Win n look.
zone 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, nor
ey-but cannot give you hat horse"
"But, senorl' protested the general.
regarding him with arrogant pig eyes
that glinted wickedly. this poor sol
dier's feet are sore. Surely you would
not make him walk. Only name your
price and will give you a receipt for
him. but my man must have the
horse
There WIS a pause and men began
10 dismount aud move In closer. Al
a word from their commander any
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 10 lame" he said. Il
will give him another hose-but he
cannot have this sorreL"
He stepped quickly over Z the cor.
raj and turned with his back TO tho
gate. while the commander spat out
orders In Spanish and armed mon
came running.
"Senor," he said, advancing brusque.
~ upon the defiant Hooker, Il must
trouble you for that pistol"
mo, sonorl" answered the cowboy,
keeping his hand upon his gun, mot
10 you o no man-and III never give
II up to a Mexicanl"
Carat" exclaimed the ofioer impa.
tlently, you are an Americano-no?'
mot only that" rumbled bud. draw
ing himself up in his pride. Il am a
Tejano also. and II any man touches
that horse IN Nil himl"
His voice trembled with & but
his hand was steady and the Mexicans
did not deceive themselves.
'Ha. un Teianol" murmured the
men Who stood about. and one or two
who had started Il climb the fence
thought better Of Il and dropped bach
10 the ground.
Bud knew the fate OF several men
who had proclaimed themselves Ameri
leans 10 the insurrectos-boastfully
done. Il was said TO BE- the quickest
way there was OF drawing a Mexican
bullet. But 10 be a Texan was dsner
eni-s0mehow the very name suggest
ed trouble 20 their minds aud an Ala
mo fight TO the death. Hooker saw
that he had made an IMPRESSION. and
he was not slow 20 follow Il up
II you need a horse" be said q
lie general. "let your man go up thai
arroyo aud he viii nnd one hObbled on
the fiat Then give me your receipt
for two hundred dollars gold and
will contribute a saddle"
Il was a reasonable concession. IN
der 7hc circumstances. and. best Of all
Il saved the generals face. rhe hid