The Ordway new era., 1914-11-20
CHAPTER xIILcentlnvsA


CHAPTER xIIHcontIavs4
It was slow work; slower than they
had thought, and the gang OF Mexi-
cans that they had hired for muckers
were marvels of inepdtude. Left to
themselves. they accomplished moth
ing. since each problem they encoun-
tered seemed to present to them some
element of insuperable difnculty, to
solve which they either went into eau.
Gus or waited for the boss.
To the Mexicans Of Sonora Bernardo
Bravo was the personincation Of all
the mnlevolent qualities-he being .
bandit chief who had turned nrst gen
sral and then rebel under Madero-
and the fact that he had At last been
driven out of chihuahua and therefore
over into Sonora, made his malevo-
lance all the more imminent
Undoubtedly. somewhere over to the
sast where the Sierras lowered like .
blue wall. Bernardo and his outlaw
follower wore gathering for raid.
and the raid would bring death to 30
nora
He was bad man. this Bernardo
Bravo. and II half Of the current sto-
xies we're true, he killed men when
ever they failed to give him money.
fair daughter Of the country up behind
him. provided she took his fancy.
Yes. surely he was bad man-but
that did not clear away the rock.
For the nrst week Phil took charge
Of the gang. urging. directing and ca
5oling them. and the work went mer-
rly on. though rather slowly. The
Aexicans liked to work for Don Felipe,
he was 20 polite and spoke such good
Spanish; but at the end Of the week
It developed that Bud could get more
results out Of them.
Every time Phil started to explain
anything to one Mexican all the 9th.
ers stopped to listen to him. and that
took time But Buds favor1te way Of
directing . man was BY grunts and
signs and bending his own back to
the task Also. he refused to under
stand Spanish, and cut OF all long
winded explanations and suggestions
By an impatient motion to go TO work.
which the trabajadores obeyed With
shrugs and grins.
So Don Felipe turned powder.man
and blacksmith. sharpening up the
drills at the little forge they had fash
lpned and loading the holes with dy-
hamite when It became necessary to
break = rock. while Bud bossed the
unwilling Mexicana-
In an old tunnel behind their tent
they set 4 heavy gate, and behind It
they stored their precious powder.
Then came the portable forge and the
blacksmith shop. just inside the mouth
OF the cave. and the tent backed up
against II for protection For II there
10 any one thing. next TO horses, that
the rsbels arc won't to steal, It IL
giant powder to blow up culverts with.
pf to lay on the counters Of umorous
country merchants and frighten them
Into making contributions.
Al for their horses, Bud kept them
belled and hobbled. close to the house,
and NO one ever saw him without his
gun. In the morning. when he got up,
he took II from under his pillow and
hung It on his belt, and there It
stayed until bedtime.
He also kept sharp watch on the
trail, above and below, and what few
men did pass through were conscious
of his eye. Therefore 1t was all the
more surprising when. one day. look
ing up suddenly from heaving at q
great rock. he saw the big Yaqui sol
dior, Amigo. gazing down at him from
the cut bank.
Yes, II was the same man. but will
. difierence-his ride and cartridge
belts were absent and his clothes wer'
torn by the brush. But the sam,
good.natured. competent smile wa
there, and after . few words with Blu,
he leaped nimbly down tho bank AM
laid hold upon the rock. They pulle'
together. and the boulder that ha'
baked Buds gang Of Mexicans move
sasily for the two Of them
Then Amigo seized crowbar an
slipped II into Granny and shovs
them few things about moving rocka
For half an hour or moro he works'
along. seemingly bent on displayinI
his skin, then he sat down on tn
bank and watched the Asxioans viii
>saekanl ha1a2uasA syeA