The Ordway new era., 1914-10-30

masKed face among me flower. and
smiled again. That was the way Ora,
cia Aragon affected them all.
He did not point out the plsos 70
Phil, nor betray her by any sign. All
he did was to glance at her once and
heart stood still when he met her
eyes. and his days became filled with
. pensive. brooding melancholy.
What the matter. Budf' rallied
Phil. after he had 1ollied him for q
week; you're getting mighty quiet
lately. Got another hunch-like that
one you had up at Aqua Negraf"
Nope" grinned Bud: but III tell
you one thing-if old Aragon don't
spring something pretty soon I'm go
ing to get uneasy. He's too dog-goned
good-natured about this"
Maybe he thinks we'rs stuck" sug-
gested Dc LAncey.
well. he's awful happy about some
thing" said Bud. II can see by the
way he droops that game eye Of his
and smiles that way-that he knows
we're working for him. II we don't
get title to this mine. every tap OF
work We do on II II all to the good
for him. that's . cinch. So sit down
now and think It out-where's the
jokerf"
WELL" unused Phil. "the gold is
here somewhere. He knows we're not
fn<H1AA ANA he
right after II, the way we're driving
this cut in. Our permit 10 good-he
hasn't tried to buffalo Mendex-and
it'b . cinch he can't denounce the
claim himself"
Maybe he figures on letting US do
all the work and pay all the denounce-
ment fees and then spring something
big on old one-Eye." propounded Bud.
Scare i'm up or buy i'm on, and have
him transfer the title to him. That's
the way he worked Kruger"
well. say" urged Phil. Tets 60
ahead with our announcement before
he starts something. Besides. the
warm weather IL coming on now. and
II We don't get . move on we're likely
to get run out by the rsvoltosos."
Nope said Bud; II don't put this
into Members hands until I know he's
our man-and II I ever do 60 ahead I'll
keep him under my six-shooter until
the last paper IL signed. believe me. I
know we're In bad somewhere. but
hurrying up won't help none.
"Now tell you what we'll do-you
60 to the mining agent and got copies
~ - tSa
that Gadsden lawyer. I'm going to 90
down and board with Mendes and ses
II I can read his heart"
So they separated. and while Phil
stayed in town to look over the reo-
ords Bud ate his beans and tortillas
with the Mendes family.
They were happy little family.
comfortably installed In the stone
house that Nendex had built, and rap
idly getting fat on three FUN meals .
day. From his tent farther mp the
canyon Bud could look doyn and
watch the children at play and'see the
the open nra ~
Certainly no one could bs more In
nocent and ccntented than she was.
and El Tuerto was all bows and pro
testations Of gratitude. And yet, you
never can tell. 81
Bud had moved out Of the new house
to hlrnish quarters for Ell Tuerto and
had favored him in every way: but
this same confederation might easily
be nisinterpreted, for the Mexicans
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
temeted to presume. But now. with
Phil in town for few days. he took
his meals with Maria, who was too
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 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 ~ 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 mystery Of mysteries.
and when he saw the big American
laughing he crept up and looked at It
wistfully.
Mira said Bud. laying his finger
upon the smirking visage Of one Of the
comic characters. 'look. and will tell
you the story"
And 30. 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 comicss. and Mem
des became 10 interested that he