The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1914-07-10
CHAPTER VIII.

There are some people in this world
with whom it seems impossible to quar-
rel. notably the parents of attractive
daughters.
Perhaps, if Gracia Aragon had not
been watching him from the window
Philip De Lancey would not have been
quite so cordial with her father-at
least, that was what Hooker thought,
and he was. SO badly peeved at the
way things had gone that he said it.,
too.
Then, of course, they quarreled, and.
one thing leading to another, Phil told
Bud he had very low way of speak
ing. Bud replied that, whatever his
deficiencies of speech might be, he
was not fool enough to be drawn in
by skirt, and Phil rebuked him again.
Then, with a scornful grunt, Bud
Hooker rode on in silence and they
said no more about it.
1t was gay life that they led at
night for the Fortuna hotel was filled
with men of their kind, since all the
staid married men had either moved
across the line with their families or
were under orders to come straight
home.
In the daytime the hotel was nearly
deserted, for every man In town was
working for the company; but in the
evening, when they gathered around
the massive stove, it was a merry COM
pany indeed.
There were college men, full of good
stories and stories not so good, world
wanderers and adventures with such
tales of the East and West as never
have been written in books. But not
college boy could match stories with
Phil De Lancey, and few wanderers
there were who could tell him any
thing new about Mexico Also, when
1t came to popular songs, he knew
both the words and the tune. So he
was much in demand, and Don Juan
passed many drinks across the bar be-
cause of him
In all such festivities the two pard-
ners stayed together, Bud, with a
broad, indulgent grin, listening to the
end. and Phil, his eyes alight with
liquor and good cheer, talking and
laughing far into the night.
Outside the winter winds were still
cold and the Mexicans went wrapped
to the eyebrows; but within the merry
company was slow to quit, and Phil,
making up for the lonely months
when he had entirely lacked an audi
ence, sat long in the seat of honor and
was always the last to go.
But on the evening after their spat
Bud sat off to one side, and even Phil's
sprightly and ventriloquistic converse
tion with the-little-girl-behin
called forth only a fleeting smile.
Bud was thinking, and when en-
gagged in that arduous occupation even
the saucy little girl behind the door
could not beguile him.
But, after he had studied it all out
and come to a definite conclusion, he
did not deliver an ultimatum. The Old,
good-natured smile simply came back
to his rugged face; he rolled a cigar
cite; and then for the rest of the eve
ming he lay back and enjoyed the
show Only in the morning, when
they went out to the corral to get their
horses, he carried his war-bag with
him and, after throwing the saddle on
to Copper Bottom, he did the same for
their spare mount.
What are you going to pack out,
3ud?" inquired Phil, and Bud slapped
his canvas-covered bed for an answer.
Then, with a heave, he snaked it out
of the harnessroom where it had been
stored and slung 1t deftly across the
pack-saddle.
why, what's the natter" said De
Lancey, when they were on their way;
don't you like the hotel?'
Hotels fine" conceded Bud, "but
reckon I'd better camp out at the
mine. Want to keep my eye on that
Mexican of ours"
Jaw, he's all right" protested Phil.
Sure" said Bud; 81 amt afraid
Ie'll steal something-but he might
take a notion to quit the country"
why. what for?" challenged De