Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-04-22

sounds funny to me to hear 1t. I'm
called the Llano Kid In the Rio Grande
country"
I'm Thacker," said the consul.
Take that cane bottom chair. Now,
II you've come to invest you want
somebody to advise you. These din
gles will cheat YOU out of the gold in
your teeth if you don't understand
thelr ways. Try a cigar?'
"Much obliged, said the Kid, "but
if It wasn't for my corn shucks and the
little bag in my back pocket couldn't
live minute" He took out his "mak-
ings' and rolled a cigarette
"They speak Spanish here" said the
consul You'll need an interpreter.
If there's anything l can do why, I'd
be delighted. If you're buying fruit
lands or looking for a concession of
any sort you'll want somebody who
knows the ropes to look out for you"
81 speak Spanish" said the Kid
about nine fines better than do
English. Everybody speaks 1t on the
range where | come from And I'm
not in tile market for anything"
you speak Spansh?' said Thacler
thoughtfully. He regarded the Kid
absorbedly.
You look like a Spaniard, too" he
continued. "And you're from Texas
And you can't be more than twenty or
twenty-one. | wonder If you've got
any nerve"
you got deal Of some kind to put
throughY asked the Texan, with un-
expected shrewdness.
Are you open to a propositlon?"
said Thacker.
whats the use to deny lt?" said the
Kid 81 got into a little gun frolic
down in Laredo and plugged a white
man. There wasn't any Mexican
handy. And come down to your
parrot and monkey range just for to
smell the morning glories and mari
Colds. Now, do you sabe?'
Thacker got up and closed the door
LET me see your hand" he said
He took the Kids left hand and ex.
unlned the back Of 1t closely.
II can do It," he said excitedly.
"Your flesh is as hard as wood and as
healthy as a baby's. 1t will heal in q
week"
III It's fist fight you want TO back
me for" said the Kid, don't put your
money up yet. Make it gun work, and
III keep you company. But no bare
handed scrapping like ladies' at a tea
party for me"
"It's easier than that" said Thacker
"Just step here, will your"
Through the window he pointed to a
two story white succeed house with
wide galleries rising amid the deep
green tropical foliage on a wooded hill
that sloped gently from the sea
"In that house." said Thacker, "a
fine old Castilian gentleman and his
wife are yearnng to gather you into
their arms and fiji your pockets with
money Old Santos Urique lives there
He owns half the gold mines in the
country"
"You haven't been eating loco weed
have youy" asked the Kid.
sit down again, said Thacker 'and
I'll tell you. Twelve years ago they
lost kid. No, he didn't die, although
most of 'em here do from drinking the
surface water. He was a wild little
devil, even If he wasn't but eight years
old. Everybody knows about it.
| Some Americans who were through
here prospecting for gold had letters
to Senior Urlque, and the boy was IA
fayorite with them They filed his
head with big stories about the States,
and about q month after they left the
kid disappeared too, He was suppos
ed to have slowed himself away among
the banana lunches on fruit steamer
and gone to New Orleans. He was
seen once nftcrward IN Texas, it was
thought but they never heard anything
more Of him Old Urique has spent
thousands Of dollars having him looked
for. The madam was broken up worst
Of ul The kid was her life. She
wears mourning yet. But they say she
believes he'll come back to her some
day and never gives up hope. On the
back of the boys left hand was tat.
tooed flying eagle carrying a spear in
his claws, That's old Urique's coat of
arms or something that he inherited IN
Spain"
The Kid raised his left hand slowly
and gazed at 1t curlously.
"rhats It." said Thacker, reaching
behind the official desk for his bottle
Of smuggled brandy. you're not SO
slow | can do it, What was consul
ut Saudakan for? never knew TIL
now In Il week I'll have the eagle
bird with the frog sticker blended In
so you'd think you were born with It.
brought set Of needles and ink iuy,
because | was sure you'd drop in some
day, Mr. Dalton"
"Oh. hi" said the Kid 81 thought
told you my nameY
can right; Kid, then. 1t won't be
that long. How does Senorito Urique
sound for changeY
81 never played son any that I re
member Of" said the Kid "lf | had
any parents to mention they went over
the divide about the time gave my
lrst beat What Is the plan Of your
roundup"
Thackor leaned back against the wal