The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-07-03

that Gadsden lawyer. I'm going to 60
down and board with Mendez and see
II can read his heart"
So they separated, and while Phil
stayed in town to look over the rec
ords Bud ate his beans and tortillas
with the Mendez family.
They were a happy little family,
comfortably installed in the stone
house that Mendez had built, and rap
idly getting fat on three full meals a
day. From his tent farther up the
canyon Bud could look down and
watch the children at play and see the
comely Indian wife as she cooked by
the open fire.
Certainly no one could be more In
nocent and contented than she was,
and Ell Tuerto was all bows and pro
testations of gratitude. And yet, you
never can tell.
Bud had moved out of the new house
to furnish quarters for Ell Tuerto and
had favored him in every way; but
this same consideration might easily
be misinterpreted, for the Me&icans
are slow to understand kindness.
So, while on the one hand he had
treated them generously, he had al
ways kept his distance, lest they be
tempted to presume. But now, with
Phil in town for few days, he took
h o1c 1uff hn
awed to say word, and made friends
with the dogs and the children.
The way to the dogs heart was easy,
almost direct, and he finally won the
attention of little Pancho and Josefa
with a well-worn Sunday supplement
This gaudy institution, with its spicy
stories and startling illustrations, had
penetrated even to the wilds of Sonora,
and every Sunday as regularly as the
paper came Bud sat down and had his
laugh over the funny page.
But to Pancho, who was six years
old and curious, this same highly col
ored sheet was a mystery of mysteries,
and when he saw the big American
laughing he crept up and looked at 1t
wistfully.
Mira said Bud, laying his finger
upon the Sinking visage of one OF the
comic characters, look, and will tell
you the story"
And so, with laborious care, he
translated the colored fun, while the
little Mendezes sQuirmed with excite
ment and leaped with joy. Even the
simple souls of Ell Tuerto and Maria
wer moved by the comicas, and Men
DEE became SO interested that he
learned the words by heart, the better
to explain them to others.
But as for Mexican treachery, Bud
could find none of it. In fact, finding
them 80 simple-hearted and good-na-
tured, he became half ashamed of his
early suspicious and waited for the
return Of Phil to explain Don Cipri-
amos complacency.
But the next Sunday, as Bud lay
reading in his tent, the mystery solved
itself. Cruz Mendez came up from the
house, hat in hand and an apologize
smile on his face, and after the GUS
tomary roundabout remarks he asked
the boss as a favor If he would lend
him the page of comic pictures.
"Seguro!" assented Bud, rolling over
and fumbling for the funny sheet;
then, failing to find 1t instantly, he in
quired: What do you want it for?"
"Ah, to show to my boy!" explained
Ell Tuerto, his one eye lighting up with
pride.
"Who-Pancho?"
"Ah, no, senor," answered Mendez
simply, my boy in La Fortuna, the
one you have not seen."
Bud stopped fumbling for the paper
and sat up suddenly. Here was new
light on their faithful servitor, and one
that might easily take away from his
value as dummy locator.
"Oh!" he said, and then: How
many children have you, CRUZ"
Cruz smiled deprecatingly, as par
ents will, and turned away.
"By which woman ?" he inquired, and
Bud became suddenly very calm fear
ing the worst. For If Cruz was not
legally married to Maria, he could not
transfer the mining claim.
"By all of Them" he said quietly.
Five in ALL" returned Cruz-"three
by Maria, as you know-two by my
first woman-and one other. do not
count him."
We'll, you one-eyed old reprobate!"
muttered Bud in his throat, but he
passed 1t off and returned smiling to
the charge.
Where does your boy live now%
he asked with flattering solicitude, the
better to make him talk, and is he
old enough to understand the pic
tures?"
"Ah, yes!" beamed Mendez, 'he 10
twelve years old. He lives with his
mother now-and my little daughter,
too. Their mamma is the woman of
the mayordomo OF the Senior Aragon-
a bad man, very ugly-she is not mar
ried to him."
But with you" suggested Bud, re-
garding him with O steely stare.
"only by the judge!" exclaimed