Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-11-21


him-and no looked at me-and then
ho--klled HIM"
She gave way to Il paroxysm of grief
ut this. and Bud looked around him,
wondering. That sho wns weak and
hungry ne knew. but what Wis this
she was saying?
Il reckon | don't understand what
you're driving at" he said ut last
Wish you'd eat somethlng-yOu'l feel
better"
No. | won't eat" she declared. sit
ting up and frownIng. Mr.. Hooker.
she went on very miserably. what did
you mean this morning when you
laughed! said hated poor Manuel
and you said well. what you did
and you laughed, Did you think oh.
you couldn't hnvc-that | really want
cd him killed."
wy. suro mott" cried Hooker
heartily Il knowed You was fooling'
Didn't ! laugh Mt you? Say. what kind
OF Teller do you think am. anyway?
Dye think I'd get an Indian to do my
killing?"
"Oh. then didn't YOU" she cried.
suddenly Frightening up. You know.
you talk so rough sometimes and
never do know what you mean, You
said you guessed you'd have to XIII
him for me. you know. and oh. IT was
too awful, I must be getting foolish,
I'm 80 tired out. but-what did you
tell that Indian
Bud glanced at her sharply for n
moment and then decided to humor
her Perhaps. II no could get her
quoted. she would stop talking and
begin to eat
"IIc asked me who was after us, he
said. and | told him It was Del Rcy."
yes. and what did he say them
"IIc didn't say nothing Jest lined
out for the pass"
And didn't you say you wanted
him killed."
NO" burst out Bud. half angrily.
Haven't | told you once? ! did not,
That indian had reasons Of his own.
believe me-hos got scar along his
ribs where Del Rey shot him with
sIx-shooterl And. furthermore" he
added. as her face cleared ut this ex-
PLANTATION OF the mystery. you'd better
try to take me at my word for the rest
of this trip! Looks to me like you've
been associating with these MexicaDs
too much,"
why. what do you mean" she de-
manded CURLY.
Il mean this." answered Hooker, "be-
ing as were on the subject again.
Ever since I've knowed you you've
been talking about brave men and
all that; and more'n once you We limited
that wasn't brave because | wouldn't
fight.
I'D just like to tell you, TO put
your mind Mt rest, that my father was
a sergeant in the Texas rangers and no
hundred Mexicans was ever able to
make him crawl. He served for ten
years on tho Texas border and never
turned his back to no man-let alone
Mex. ! was brought up by him to
be peaceable and quiet. but don't you
never think. because run away from
Manuel del Rey. that I was afraid to
faco him"
He paused and regarded her intent
ly. and her eyes fell before his
You must excuse me-" she said.
looking wistfuliy away. Il did not
did not understand And so the poor
Yaqui was only avenging an injury?"
she went on. reaching out ono slender
hand toward the food. "Ah, I can I'M
derstand II now--he looked 80 savage
and fierce But"-she paused again.
set back by n sudden thought-"didn't
you know he would kill him."
Yes, ma'am," answered Hooker
quietly. 81 did"
"Thcn-thcn why didn't you
THAT was between them two" he
replied doggedly. del Rey shot him
once when he was wounded and left
him for dead. lie must have killed
some of his people. too; his wife meb-
be. for all | know. He never would
talk abcut It. but he come back to get
his revenge. don't shoot no man
from cover myself. but that amt it
1t was between them two"
And your" she suggested. 'If you
had fought Del Rey?"
81 would have met him in the OPEN"
said Hooker
And yet
81 didn't want TO-" he ended bluntIy
Didn't want to fight him and didn't
want to kill him. Had no call to. And
then-well. there was you"
Ali" sic breathed. and flush
mounted her pale cheeks She smiled
as she reached out once more for the
food and Hooker resolved 10 do his
best at gallantry. 1t seemed to make
her so happy.
so you were thinking OF me-" she
challenged sweetly. all the while? I
thought perhaps ! was a nuisance and
in the way. thought perhaps you did
not like me because-well. because
I'm Mex as you say"
NO, ma'am," denied Hooker gazing