The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-11-05
CHAPTER Xxx.

IN country where Witnesses 10 u
crime are imprisoned along with the
principals and kept more or less in
definitely in jail. man thinks twice
before he reports to the police.
With four dead Mexicans to the
Yaqui's account. and Del Rey in
charge of the district. Hooker followed
his second thought-he said nothing,
and took his chances on being arrest
ed for murder. Until far into the night
Amigo busted himself along the hill
side. and when the sun rose not sign
remained to tell the story OF the fight.
Men, horses. saddles and guns-all
had disappeared. And. after packing a
little food In sack. Amigo disap-
peared also, with a grim smile In prom
lse of return.
The sun rose round and hot, the
same as usual; the south wind came
up and blew into a bellying mass Of
clouds, which dashed back with the ac-
customed rain: and when all the earth
was washed clean and fresh the last
trace of the struggle was gone. Only
by the burns on his hands was Hooker
aware OF the fight and OF the treachery
which had reared Its head against him
like snake which has been warmed
and fed.
Nowhere but in Mexico, where the
low pelado classes have made such
deeds . subtlety, could the man be
found to dissimulAte like that false
assa1sin-in-chief To pause suddenly
In a protracted speech. swing over and
pick up a gun. and halt his victim for
the shooting by the preparatory click
OF the lock--that indeed called for a
brand OF cunning rarely found In the
United States.
There was one thing about the affair
that vaguely haunted Hooker-why
was II that man so cunning as that
had failed to load his gun? Twice. and
with everything in his favor, he had
raised his rife TO- Are: and both times
II had snapped in his hands. Certainly
he must have been inept at arms-or
accustomed to single-shot guns.
The reputed magic OF the swift-fir,
ing rifles evidently had been his undo.
Ing. but where had he got his new
gunG And who was he. anyway? With
those two baftllng questions Bud wres,
tied as he sat beside his door. and al
evening HE answer came.
The sun was swinging low and he
was collecting wood down the gulch
for fire when. with a sudden thud OF
hoofs. a horseman rounded the point
and came abruptly to a halt. 1t was
Aragon. and he was spying on the
camp.
For q full minute he scanned the
house. tent and mine with a look sc
snaky and sinister that Bud could read
his heart like book. Here was the
man who had sent the assassins, and
he had come to view their work.
Very slowly Buds hand crept
toward his six.shooter but. slight as
was the motion. Aragon caught II and
sat frozen in his place. Then. with an
inarticulate cry. he fell fiat on his
horses neck and went squirting out
OF sight
The answer to Buds questions wa,
very easy now. The Mexican who hal
led the attempt on his life was one
OF Aragon's bad men. one OF the foul
gunner whom Hooker had lookeG
over 50 carefully when they came tC
drive him from the mine. and ArRgor
had fitted him out with new arms tC
make the result more sure. But with
that question answered there came NJ
another and another until. In a sud
den clarity Of vision. Bud saw through
the hellish plot and beheld himself
the master.
As man to man. Aragon would no
dare to face him now. for he knew
that he merited death. By his al,
approacs, by the look in his eyes ant
the dismay OF his frenEied retreat
he had acknowledged more surel,
than BY words his guilty knowledE,
Of the raid, Coming to a camp wher,
he expected TO find all dead and stHi
he had found himself face to fac,
with the very man he had sought Il
kill. How, then. had the American
escaped destruction. and what Ia,
occurred TO his menf
Perhaps. In his ignorance, Arakol