Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1914-06-19

he tOuched his hat and waved his
nand In parting, and Bud grinned as
ne settled down to a trot.
You can't help palavering EN- can
you, Phil?" he said. mo matter what
you think about 'em, you got to be
polite, haven't you? Well, that's the
way you get drawn in-next time YOU
go by now the old man will pump you
ory-you see. No, sir, the only way
10 get along with these Mexicans is
not to have thing to do with 'em.
No savvy'-that's my motto!'
wen, 'muchas gracias' is mine," abb
served De Lancey. ut doesn't cost
anything, and it buys a whole lot"
Sure" agreed Bud; "but we amt
buying nothing from him-he's the
one particular hombre we want to
steer clear of, and keep him guessing
as long as we can. That's my view
OF it, pardner."
"Oh. that's all right" laughed De
Lancey, "he won't get anything out
OF me-that is, nothing but a bunch
OF hot air. Say, he's shrewd-looking
old guinea, isn't he? Did you notice
that game eye? He kept 1t kind of
dropped. almost shut, until he came
to the point-and then he opened 1t
up real fierce. Reminds me of a big
fighting owl waking up in the day
time. But you just watch me handle
him, and If don't fool the old boy
at every turn It'll be because run
out of bull"
Well, you can hand him the bull
If you want to-" grumbled Bud, "but
| the first time you give anything away
I'm going to pick such a row with
the old cuss that we'll have to make a
new trail to get by So leave i'm
alone, If you ever expect to see that
grill"
A close association with Phil De
Lancey had left Bud not unaware Of
his special weaknesses, and Phil was
undoubtedly romantic. Given a barred
and silent house, shut off from the
street by whitened walls and a We
randa screened with flowers, and the
quesing eyes OF Mr.. De Lancey would
turned to those barred windows as GER
ta1nly as the needle seeks the pole.
On every trip, coming and going, he
had conned the Aragon house from the
v1ne-covered corredor in front to the
Walled-in summer garden behind, hop
Ing to surprise q view Of the beautiful
daughter OF the house. And unless ru-
| NOR and Don Juan were at fault, She
was indeed worthy of his solicitude-
q gay and sprightly creature, brown
eyed like her mother and with the
same glorious chestnut hair.
Already those dark. mischievous
eyes had been busy and, at the last
big dance at Fortuna, she had set
many heads awhirl. Twice within two
years her father, in a rage, had sent
| her away to school in order to break
off some ill-considered love affair: and
now battle royal was being waged
| between Manuel del Rey, the dashing
captain Of the rurales stationed at
Fortuna, and Feliz Luna, son of rich
| haciendadO down in the hot country.
| for the honor of her hand.
What more romantic. then. than that
handsome American, stepping grace
fully into the breach, should keep the
naughty lovers from Staying each
other by bearing off the prize himself?
SO reasoned Philip De Lancey, mus
ing upon the ease with which he could
| act the part; but for prudential DUR
poses he said nothing of his Wanting
ambitions, knowing full we'll that they
would receive an active veto from Bud.
For. while De Lancey did most of
the talking, and great deal of the
| thinking for the partnership, Hooker
was not lacking in positive opinions;
and upon sufficient occasion he would
express himself, though often with
more force than delicacy. Therefore,
upon this unexpected sally about the
girl, Phil changed the subject abruptly
and said no more of Aragon or the
hopes within his heart
1t was not so easy, however, to avoid
Aragon, for that gentleman had appar-
emily taken the pains to inform him
self as to the place where they were
at work, and he was waiting for them
in the morning with a frown as black
as thunder cloud
Hes on" muttered Phil as they
drew near enough to see his face.
What shall we do?"
DO nothing" growled Bud through
his teeth; you jest let me do the talk
ing!"
He maneuvered his horse adroitly
and, with skilful turn, cut in be-
tween his pardner and Aragon.
S dias," he greeted, gazing down