The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-08-26
CHAPTER XXI.

CHHF En- NNh
On the morning after they had
lanEhed at the comic paper and decld-
ed that all the world was fair, Hooker
and Amigo were squatting by the fire
and eating a man's-size breakfast
The creek, swollen by yesterdays
%torrential rain, had settled to a rivu-
let The wind had not risen and the
SUD was just over the hill when. with
a rush and a scramble. Amigo threw
down his cup and vas of in a fash for
the rocks.
A moment later two men rode down
the canyon, and then two more, and
two more. 1t was a column Of men,
all armed with rifles, and they cast
e~nvious eyes at Copper Bottom as they
halted before the camp. AS for Bud,
he saluted gravely, for he knew them
for what they were.
These we're the lost forces Of Ber-
nardo Bravo and Salazar, Rojas and
the other bandit chiefs, and they
marched, as he we'll knew, upon For.
tuna. They marched quietly, and the
great whistle had not blown.
It would make a rich prize, Fortuna,
If they could take it by surprise! The
ransom for the Spanish h~aciendados
alone would amount to thousands Of
dollars, and the mine-owners could
afford to pay anything in order to save
their works.
A box Of dynamite under the giant
concentrator and the money would be
produced at once, and yet the scoun-
drels halted at a ,one-man camp to
steal a single horse.
A flicker Of scorn passed over Hook
er's face as the leader came dashing
up, but the Texan greeted him with q
slow smile.
"Buenos dias, general" he said;
you have many men,"
Enough" observed the general"
hurriedly, but some in the rear are
on foot. AS l suppose you are in sym.
pathy with our great cause, l will ask
you for that horse. OF course. / will
give you a receipt" b
He fetched out a blank-book as he
spoke and motioned to a ragged beg
gar at his heels. Bud checked the
mans rush with a 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 I have-food, blankets, mon
ey-but cannot give you that horse"
"But, senor!" 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 l will give you a receipt for
him, but my man must have the
horse"
There was a pause and men began
to dismount and move in closer. At
a word from their commander any
n Of them would draw and kill him.
as Hooker very we'll knew, but his
love for Copper Bottom made him OBJ
durate.
IF the man is lame" he said, II
will give him another hors-but he
cannot have this sorrel."
He, stepped quickly over to the cor
raj and turned with his back to the
gate, while the commander spat out
orders in Spanish and armed men
came running.
"Senor," he said, advancing brusque-
~ upon the defiant Hooker, Il must
trouble you for that pistol"
mo, senor!" answered the cowboy,
keeping his hand upon his gun, mot
to you nor no man-and I'll never give
it up to a M~exican!"
"Carai!" exclaimed the officer impa-
tiently, you are an Americano-no?"
Not only that" rumbled Bud, draw
ing himself up in his pride, Il am a
Tejano also, and if any man touches
that horse I'll kill him!"
His voice trembled with anger, but
his hand was steady and the Mexicans
did not deceive themselves.
"Ha, un Tejano!" murmured the
men who stood about, and one or two
who had started to climb the fence
thought better of It and dropped back
to the ground.
Bud knew the fate of several men
who had proclaimed themselves Ameri
leans to the ENTHUSIASTICALLY
done, it was said to be the quickest
way there was of drawing a Mexican
bullet. But to be a Texan was differ.
ent-somehow the very name suggest
ed trouble to their minds and an Ala.
mo fight to the death. Hooker saw
that he had made an impression, and
he was not slow to follow it up.
"If you need a horse" he said to
the general, "let your man go up that
arroyo and he will find one hobbled on
the fat Then give me your receipt
for two hundred dollars gold and l
will contribute a saddle."l
1t was a reasonable concession, TN.