Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-08-21

your jail down-and the comisario will
not stop me. eitheri"
"Ahi" observed the dandy little cap
tain. struggling his mustachio once
more and blinking. and while Hooker
ragged back and forth he looked him
over appraisingly.
"One momenti" he said at last, rails
ing a quieting hand. These are peril
Gus times, senior, in which all the de-
tenders of Fortuna should stand to-
gether. l do not wish to have a diff
ference with the Americans when Ber-
nardo Bravo and his men are march
ing to take our town. No, I value the
friendship of the valiant Americans
very highly-so I will let your friend
go. But first he must promise me one
thing-not to trouble the Senior Ara
gon by making further love to his
daughter!"
VERY welli" replied Bud. He has
already promised that to me; SO come
on and let him out"
ITO your" repeated Manuel del Rey
with a faint smile. Then, perhaps
Perhaps nothing!" broke in Hooker
shortly. Come onl"
He led the way impatiently while
the captain, his saber clanking, strobe
out and rode beside him. He was not
a big man, this smashing captain of
the rural police. but he was master,
nevertheless, of a great district, from
Fortuna to the line, with a reputation
for quick work In the pursuance of his
duty as we'll as in the primrose ways
of love.
In the Instructions and raidings of
the previous summer he had given the
coup de grace with his revolver to
more than one embryo bandit, and In
his love affairs he had shown that he
could be equally summary.
The elegant Feliz Luna, who for a
time had fingered ear the charming
Gracia, had finally found himself up
against a pair of pistols with the op
ton of either fighting Captain del Rey
or returning to his parents. The young
man concluded to beat a retreat. For
a like offense Philip De Lancey had
been unceremoniously thrown into
Jail; and now the captain turned his
attention to Bud Hooker, whose mind
he had not yet fathomed.
EXCUSE me, senor," he said, after a
brief silence, but your words left me
in doubt-whether to regard you as a
friend or a rival"
"What?" demanded Bud, whose
knowledge of Spanish did not extend
to the ~elegancies.
"You said," explained the captain
politely, that your friend had prom
ised you he would not trouble the lady
further. Does that meal that you are
interested in her yourself, or merely
that you perceive the hopelessness of
his suit and wish to protect him from
a greater evil that may well befall
him? For look you, senior, the girl is
mine, and no man can come between
us!"
"Huhi" snorted Bud, who caught
the last all right. Then he laughed
shortly and shrugged his shoulders. q
don't know what you're talking about"
he said gEufly, but he will stay away,
all right"
"Muy bien," responded Del Rey care
lessly and, dismounting at the Jail, he
threw open the door and stood aside
for his rival to come out.
"Muehas gracias, senior captain" sa-
luted Bud, as the door changed to be-
hind his pardner. But Phil still bristled
with anger and defiance. and the cap
tain perceived that there would be no
thanks from him.
"It is nothing" he replied, bowling
politely, and something in the way he
| said it made De Lancey choke with
rage. But there by the carcel door
was not the place for picking quarrels.
They went to the hotel, where Don
Juan, all apologies for his apparent
neglect-which he excused on the
ground that De Lancey had been held
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS them as best
he could and hurried on to the news.
my gracious, Don Felipe" he cried,
you don't know how sorry was to
see you in jail, but the captains or
ders were that no one should go near
you-and in Mexico we obey the ru-
rales, you know. Otherwise we are
placed against a wall and shot.
But have you heard the news from
down below? All, what terrible times
they are having there-ranches raided,
women stolen, rich men held for ran
soml Yes, it is worse than ever! Al
ready l am receiving kilograms to pre-
pare rooms for the refugees, and the
people are coming in crowds.
Our friend, the Senior Luna, and
his son Feliz have been taken by Ber-
nardo BraEoI Only by an m
ransom was he able to save his wife
and daughters, and his friends must
now pay for him.
AT the ranch of the rich Spaniard.
Alvarez, there has been a great battle
In which the red-iaggers were defeat
= - ~ 49,