The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-09-04

| "A hundred M6AlCdnS! ne Tep6dteu,
and Gracia murmured "Oh!" and was
gone.
Miss Aragon is very loyal to her
country" observed Don Juan, but
Hooker only grunted.
Somehow, since those four Mexicans
had come to his camp, he had soured
on everything south of the line; and
even the charming Gracia could not
make him take back his words. If she
! had intended the remark as chat
! lenge-a subtle invitation to follow
her and defend his faith-she failed
for once of her purpose, for If there
was any particular man in Mexico that
! Bud hated more than another it was
her false-hearted father.
Hooker had, in fact thought more
| seriously of making her half-orphan
than of winning her goodwill, and he
fingered about the hotel, not to make
love to the daughter, but to strike ter
/ ror to Aragon.
The company being good and a
train being expected soon, Bud stayed
over another day. In the morning,
when he came down for breakfast, he
found that Aragon had fled before him.
| With his wife, daughter and retiDue,
! he had moved suddenly back to his
home. Hooker grinned when Don Juan
told him the news.
!
well, why not?' he asked, chuck
! ling maliciOusly. Here it's the mid
| die of the rainy season and the war
going on all summer and nary rebel
in sight. Where's that big fight you
was telling about-the battle of For
tuna? You've made a regular fortune
out of these refugees, Brachamonte,
but fail to see the enemy
"Ah, you may laugh" shrugged the
| hotel-keeper, but wait! The time will
come. The rebels are lost now-some
day, when you least expect it, they
will come upon us and then, believe
me, my guests will be glad they are
here. What is few weeks bill COM
pared to being held for ransom? Look
at that rich Senior Luna, who was here
for time in the spring. Against my
advice he hurried home and now he
is paying the price. Ten thousand
pesos it cost to save his wife and
family, and for himself and son his
friends advanced ten thousand more
l make no evil prophecies, but it
would be better for our friend if he
stayed on at my poor hotel"
Whose friend?' inquired Bud
bluffly, but Don Juan struck him upon
the back with elephantine piayfulness
and hurried off to his duties.
AS for Hooker, he tarried in town
until he got his mail and copy of
the Sunday paper and then, we'll sat
isfied that the times were quiet and
wars thing of the past he Gmbled
back to the Eagle Tail and settled
down for a rest
Flat on his back by the doorway
he lay on his bed and smoked, reading
his way through the lurid supplement
and watching the trail with one eye.
Since the fight with Aragon's Next
cans all his apprehensions had left
him. He had written briefly to Phil
and Kruger, and now he was holding
the fort.
1t had been close shave, but he
had escaped the cowardly assassins
and had Aragon in his power. Not by
any force of law, but by the force of
fear and the gnawing weakness of Ara
CONS own evil conscience.
Aragon was afraid of what he had
done, but it was the suspense which
rendered him so pitiable. On day
he had sent four armed Mexicans
to kill this Texan-not one had re-
turned and the Texan regarded him
sneeringly. This 1t was that broke
the Spaniard's will, for he knew not
what to think But as for Bud, he lay
on his back by the doorway and
laughed at the funny page.
As he sprawled there at his reading,
Amigo came in from the hills, and he,
too, was content to relax. Gravely
scanning the colored sheet, his dark
face lighted up
1t was all very peaceful and pleas
ant, but it was not destined to last.