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

as fox, the Yaqui appeared from the
gloom.
Did he come for me?" he asked,
advancing warily into the freight,
that captain"
YES" answered Bud, land for me,
too But you must have known him
before, Amigo-he seems to be afraid
of YOU"
A smile of satisfaction passed OYER
the swarthy face of the Indian at this,
and then the lines became grim again.
His eyes glowed with the light of some
great purpose, and for the first time
since he had been with Bud he drew
aside the veil from his past,
YES" he said, nodding significantly,
"the rural is afraid. He knows | have
come to kill him"
He sQuatted by the fire and poured
out cup of coffee, still brooding oyer
his thoughts-then, with a swift ges-
ture, he laid open his shirt and pointed
to scar along the ribs.
Gle shot me there" he said.
And so you have come to kill him"
EYES," answered Amigo; "but not
now. Tomorrow l go TO my people
| must take them my money first
Have you got a wife," asked look
er, forgetting for once his accustomed
reserve.
NO." grumbled Amiga, shaking his
head sadly, no wife"
ooh, you take your money to your
father and mother"
"No. No father-no mother-nadie!"
He threw up his open hands to sig
Nifty that all were gone, and Hooker
said no more. For three months and
more he had worked alongside this
giant, silent Yaqui and only once had
he sensed his past. That was when
Amigo had torn his shirt in lifting,
and across the ripping muscles OF his
back there had been shown the long
white vale of a whip.
1t was the mark of his former
slavery when, with the rest of his peo-
Pile, he had been deported to the hene-
quen fields of Yucatan and flogged by
the overseer's ashland Amigo was
ashamed of it. But now that he was
about to go, Bud made bold to ask him
one more question, to set his mind at
rest.
perhaps this captain killed your
people?'
mo, senor," answered Amigo quiet
ly; they died"
He spoke the words simply, but
there was something in his voice that
brought up images of the past-of
peaceful Yaquis, seized at every ranch
in Sonora on a certain night; of long
marches overland, prodded on by
rurales and guards; of the crowded
prison-ships from which the most an
guished hurled themselves into the
sea; and then the awful years Of
slavery in the poisoned tropics, until
only the hardest were left.
Amigo had seen it all, as the scars
On his broad back proved--but he
withdrew now into silence and left his
thoughts unsaid AS he sat there by
the fire, one long, black hand held out
to keep the CLEAN from his eyes, he
made noble figure, but the Yaquqi
songs which he had crooned on other
nights were forgotten, and he held
himself tense and still. Then at last
he rose and gazed at Bud.
you pay me my money" he said.
Il go now"
Sure" answered Bud, and after he
had weighed out the equivalent in
gold on his scales he tipped in some
more for luck and gave him sack to
hold it.
What you buy with all that?" he
inquired with friendly grin; "grub?'
mo, senor,' answered Amigo, knot
ting the precious gold in a handker-
chief; "cartridges!"
What for?" queried Bud, and then
it was Amigo who smiled.
ITO kill Mexicans with" he replied,
and in those words Hooker read the
secret of his thrift.
While his wild brethren fought in
the hills or prepared for the battles to
come, it was his part to earn the
money that should keep them in am
munition. 1t was for that, in fact, that
Porfirio Diaz had seized all the peace
full Yaquis in night and shipped them
to Yucatan-for he saw that while
they were working the wild Yaquis
would never lack.
All the time that Amigo had been
doing two mems work and saving on
the price of shirt he had held that
cheerful dream in his mind-to kill
more Mexicans!
Yet, despite the savagery In him,
Hooker had come to like the Yaqul,
and he liked him still. With the
rurales on his trail 1t was better that
he should go, but Bud wanted him to
return. So, knowing the simple hon.
esty of Indians, he brought out his
own spare pistol and placed it in Ami
go's hands. Often he had seen him
gazing at it longingly, for it was light
er than his heavy Mauser and better
for the journey.
"Fere." he said, ct will lend you my