The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-08-19
CHAPTER xlX-contiaued.


He looked the adobe house over
thoughtfully, listened long to the
news Of the border and Of the rurales
raid on their camp, and retired TO the
rocks for the night Even Bud never
knew where he slept-somewhere up
on the hillside-in caves or clefts IN
the rocke-and not even the most
pressing invitation could make him
share the house for a night To Amigo,
as to an animal, q house was q trap;
and he knew that the times were
treacherous.
So indeed they were, as Hooker was
to learn to his sorrow, and but for the
Yaqui and his murderous knife be
might easily have learned it too late.
1t was evening, after a rainless day,
and Bud vas cooking by the open fire.
when suddenly Amigo vanished and
four men rode in from above. They
were armed with rifles, as beftted the
times, but gave no signs Of rufianly
bravado, and after a few words Bud in
vited them 10 get down and eat
"Muchas gracias, senor." said the
leader, dismounting and laying his rifle
against a log, I'VE are not hungry"
Then have some Coffee" invited
Hooker. who made it a point to feed
every one who stopped, regardless OF
their merit; and once more the Next
can declined. At this Bud looked at
him sharply, for his refusal did not
angur well, and it struck him the
mans face was familiar. He was tall
for a Mexican and heavily built. but
with a rather sinister cast Of counte-
nance.
Where have I seen you b~efore?'
asked Bud, after trying in vain to
place him. "In Fortuna?"
mo, senor," answered the Mexican
politely. 81 have never been in that
city. Is 1t far?"
Ten miles by the TRAIL" responded
Hooker, by no les treasured. and
under pretext Of inviting them to eat,
he took a look at the other men. If
they had not stopped to eat, what
tlIen was their errand while the sun
was sinking so low? And why this
sullen refusal of the coffee which every
Mexican drinks?
Bud stepped into the house, as If on
some errand, and watched them IN
seen from the interior. Seeing them
exchange ~glances then, he leaned his
rifle just inside the door and went
about his cooking.
1t was one of the chances he took,
living out in the brush, but he had
come to know this low-browed type of
s%emi-bandit all too we'll and had small
respect for their courage. In case of
trouble Amigo vas close by in the
rocks somewhere, probably with his
u in his hand-but with a little pa.
thence and circumspection the unwel.
come visitors would doubtless move
IN.
So he thought, but instead they lin.
gered, and when supper was cooked he
decided to go to a show-down-and If
they again refused to eat he would
send them on their way.
wen AMIGOS" he said, spreading
out the tin plates for them. Come and
eat!"
The three low-brows glared at their
leader. who had done what little talk,
ing there was so far, and, seized with
a sudden animation, he Immediately
rose to his feet.
Many thanks, senor," he said with
a erin ;ing and specious politeness.
I'VE have come far and the trail Is
long, so we will eat. The times are
hard for poor men now-this traitor,
.Madero, has made us all hungry. oft is
by him that we poor working men are
driven to insurrection-but we know
that the Americans are our friends,
Yes, senior, I will take some of your
beans, and thank you"
He filled a plate as he spoke and
lifted a biscuit from the oven, con
tinuing with his false patter while the
others fell to in silence.
Perhaps you have heard, senor," he
went on, the saying which is in the
land: Mucho trabajo, pace dinero.
no hay frijoles. viva Madero! [Mucl
work, little money; no beans, long
live Madero!l
That, in truth, is no Jest to thu
Mexican people. This man has be
trayed US all; he has ruined the coun
try and set brother against brother
And now, while we starve because thu
mines are shut down, he gathers his
family about him in the city and live:
fat on the money he has stolen"
He ran on in this style, after the
fashion of the r%evoltosos. and by thu
very commonplace Of his fulmination'
Bud was thrown completely off hi:
guard. That was the way they al
talked, these worthless bandit-beggar
that and telling how they loved thu
Americanos-and then. If they got 6